I've practiced for quite a few years and spent my time mostly in two styles. I did Shotokan Karate for 5 years, Goju-Ryu Karate for a couple of months and Hapkido for 2 years. Shotokan Karate: Shotokan is a very direct linear style of Karate. There is little spinning or jumping. Stances and all movements tend to be long and over-exagerated in order to develop technique and power. Shotokan students have strong legs. We are taught that this is for practice only and when fighting in tournament or on the street, use shorter more natural stances. Overall Shotkan has a fighting focus. It has a good even blend of punches blocking and kicks and nothing is more fancy than it has to be. The particular organization I was at also brought in Masters from other styles and schools to do seminars and they would occasionally dedicate an entire class to practical self-defense or streetfighting. The name Shotokan means "Fighting Tiger" and the philosophy is "one strike one kill" meaning you hit your opponant once, and he is out of the fight (not necessarily dead). Goju-Ryu Karate: I only did Goju-Ryu Karate for a few months so I don't feel I can say too too much about it... They use shorter stances than Shotokan and it's movements are shorter and a more circular than Shotokan. This is why I left... I found it very difficult to adapt my movements and I was always running over people in Katas. Hapkido: I did Hapkido for about 2 years. Hapkido is a Korean Art that is very well balanced in theory. They teach blocking and punching, joint locks, ground fighting, submission, and weapons (mostly sword). Most of the basic movements are very similar to Shotokan emphasizing power. Hapkido has both practical and impractical aspects. Their primary emphasis seems to be kicks. We spent a lot of time on kicks, high kicks, spinning kicks, jumping kicks, jumping spinning kicks, flying kicks... I felt this was a little showy and none too practical. The use of the sword, while fun, is also not practical. I don't remember the last time I felt threatened on the street or in a bar and had my trusty sword with me. Joint locks and ground fighting, however, help make up for it. However, the breadth of the art was it's undoing for me. It is my opinion that Hapkido tries to do too much. I did not feel that I was getting good with the sword, only using it for 2 hours a month... and joint locks 2 hours a month and... you get the idea. One provision I have to add is that the school I was at had one hour classes. This may not be as much of an issue for schools that have 1.5 or 2 hour classes. In Summary: The instructor, or school / organization's philosophy will be the biggest determinant. The Shotokan Organization I was at (CSKA), every single dojo I went to (3), there were multiple black belts and brown belts at every class helping and correcting students. You were well taught and they had high standards. You learned quickly as a result and once you had been there a while, you could guess what belt a guest had just by watching them perform. The biggest reason I left Hapkido was the instructor at my school. I felt the particular studio lacked discipline and students were not corrected or given enough attention. The lack of discipline and instruction left me with a few injuries. Guest instructors left me with the impression that other schools may be better. Hope this was usefull Snazzed
