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A friend studied Isshin-Ryu for 6 or so years, and when I was talking to him about it, he began talking about how many open strikes he used in tournaments and how they offer more force and power than closed hand strikes. (Maybe it was the style he was learning, but he made it seem like open hand techniques are much supperior to closed hand technique.) He also said that open hand strikes are also easier to learn and less likely to cause injury, though students progress to close fist strikes later on. My question is, what are the advantages (if any) of closed hand strikes? Is what my friend says accurate, or not so much? (He got to 2nd level brown belt) Any help/advice would be appreciated.

I have talked to people about both Shotokan and Kyokushin styles but I am unable to come across someone who can can tell me about Goju-ryu details. According to my basic (Google) knowledge of the difference between Goju-Ryu and other karate styles, these are some differences I have found (please correct me if I am wrong). Goju Ryu is both a hard and soft style, incorporating both elements of Shotokan and Kyokushin. Goju Ryu's "soft" style (redirection of energy) is used mostly, if not always, in defense, while its "hard" style is used mainly in attacking. Ignoring the katas of Goju-Ryu, how does overall kumite (does Goju Ryu even do mich kumite?) compare and stand up to other karate forms? Or how is it different from the overall sparring techniques of Shotokan (what I've come to believe is a semi-contact "soft" style) and Kyokushin (which I've come to believe is a full-contact "hard" style)? It seems very useful/applicable since it teaches both hard and soft techniques. Any comments/feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thank you very much for your karate wisdom and information!

So you never want to make eye contact with your master/Sensei? Is it seen as disrespectful/threatening?

In an effort to not be disrespectful to any teacher/Sensei I encounter while learning karate, I'm wondering if 2nd Dan, 3rd Dan, etc. ranks are shown on the belt/Gi of the one who has attained such status. I know there is a certificate to go along with the rank, but many people I know who do karate are very private about the fact they do karate at all. Is the same true with Dan ranks? Is their status/rank likewise private and usually kept hidden? Because I don't want to be at a dojo one day, see a blackbelt who I am unaware is 5th Dan, and poasibly be disrespectful by calling them "Senpai" or something. Thank you for your help!

So I recently became interested in karate and have been practicing several beginner moves I found on Youtube (this video specifically, along with others by the same author: ).I have several questions, as I don't want to learn improper form. Excluding a dojo/teacher (which I plan to invest in), how far can you get at self-taught karate with no teacher present, using books/Youtube/mirrors, etc? I have 5 years of hip-hop (robot, poppjng, liquid) experience as a hobby I adore. When I do my basic hits/blocks, how tense am I suppsed to be? Should I go from completely relaxed to full on tensed (as I find myself incorporating several elements/mechanics of popping in my karate technique, whether or not this is a good thing) And third, when I practice karate, can I do so to music? I realize to most that it might sound that I am attempting to "dance" karate, but I'm just trying to see the difference beteeen popping and karate. As popping is all I know, I automatically use several elements in my basic (basic basic) karate blocks/strikes, and I would like to know if, by doing so, I'm completely "botching" the idea/form of karate in the process. Any help, recommendation on how relaxed/tense I should be, or answers to my questions by you awesome people would be really helpful. Thank you!!

Ignoring anything you may dislike about the film for a moment, I have a serious question (please no hate for this): How good was Terry Silver/Thomas Ian Griffith at karate/taekwondo, really? Hie looks like he has good form but as I know nothing of karate, I would love some professional input. I know he has blackbelts in both Kenpo and Taekwondo (but some people tell me that blackbelts are actually easy to get). Below are some Youtube links to several Karate Kid III scenes showing him training/doing katas/sparring. (I understand that this is a movie, the fights may not be real/choreographed, I'm just wondering if some talent/skill is able to bleed through enough that someone with more karate training could assess his skill level). Thank you. (He also has training in kickboxing/wrestling). https://youtu.be/79o1umOyk3A (0:41-1:08 ) https://youtu.be/xEIzqwcHvd4 (beginning to 0:45) https://youtu.be/hp95hjKmZUU (1:06-1:33) Thank you very much for your input.