Changing styles (shotokan?)

[Beer-monster]

I've just moved down south to Oxfordshire and am looking to get back into Karate, after a year of concentrating on Jiu-jitsu and my degree (I still kept with Karate just not as seriously as usual).

 

I've got a grade in Shokukai karate however those clubs seem few and far between. I've also tried Wado-ryu. However locally there is a Shotokan club, so my question is- Is it easy to swap over to Shotokan from another style or should I try to find something a bit more like my old style?

 

Also just as a curiousity to those who teach clubs themselves. When someone comes to you from another Karate style (recently trained too) do you let him keep his grade but give him time to adjust to your style or do you insist he starts from the beginning or something else?

[granmasterchen]

personally i allow individuals with similar martial arts training to retain their belt status, they still have to learn my art from the beginning but the retain the belt and respect that they have earned through what ever other style that they formerly trained in.

 

As far as finding an art that is similar to shotokan...well there are other karates, along with tangsoodo (even though korean) that shares similar katas. There are also some tkd schools (old ones where the instructors trained back when it was new) that go off tangsoodo and shotokan forms as well. Basically when switching art forms the most difficult part is the learning of new forms. So you can pick a style that has the same forms or something that is rather similar in methodology,.

 

Granted if you take up a kung fu art you will be starting all over.

 

Your best bet is to check out the schools in your area and talk to the instructors about the belt rank issue and the forms that are taught, check out some classes and see how similar they are to you and what not before you attempt to join something that you dislike.

[aefibird]

Well, there will be differences between Shukokai and whatever style of karate you choose, whether it be Shotokan or whatever. Even if you started back at karate in another Shukokai club there'd bound to be differences between your old and news schools, even though they were the same style.

 

At my shotokan club we've had quite a few people switch to us from other styles. Most of them have adjusted separately and their knowledge of other styles have actually enhanced training.

 

I've found that the only people who don't adapt to a new style well are the ones who are determined to hold onto their old training and old ways of doing techniques no matter what. You probably know the type of person I mean, the "well, in my old club we always did it like this..." sort of person.

 

If you're willing to retain your old knowledge whils being adaptable to new ways of training and thinking, then I think that moving to another style will be quite an easy thing to do.

 

As for your grade... well, it would be up to your new instructor.

 

My karate instructor always allows students from other karate styles to keep their current grade.

 

Students from other martial arts generally either drop to the grades just below the equivalent that they held in their previous martial art (eg, if they were a 5th kyu equivalent in Judo or whatever, then they'd drop to 6th or 7th kyu in our club) or keep the equivalent of their current grade if the styles are similar.

 

The students from other styles of martial art are held back from grading for a minimum 9-12 months on average in order for them to get to grips with the diferences between karate and their former martial art, although it just depends on how quickly they adapt to Shotokan.

 

However, it depends on the club instructor. Some martial arts schools insist on all new starters going back to beginner/white belt grade, whils some allow new students to keep their current grade or to down-grade by one or two belts.

 

Good luck with your swop to another style!

[P.A.L]

I think shokukai is based on shito-ryu and there should be some common katas, you may see some diferences in walking and breathing as well.

 

any way good luck with linear world of shotokan(no offense).

[BJJShotoshe]

I do not instruct fully by myself yet, although I can tell you from experience. I switched from a TKD version of MA to shotokan. The way my instructor did it for me was, he told me to start as a white belt again and that at my testing he would see how well I have progreesed and if it was enough and I was good, he would promote me a couple ranks ahead. But shotokan is a complex style to learn, but it is easy to pick up if you train hard enough.

[aefibird]

any way good luck with linear world of shotokan(no offense).

 

As I've said before... Shotokan karate isn't all about linear strikes and low stances as a lot of people automatically assume. There's much more to it than that - it's just that a lot of it is 'hidden' and needs careful thinking about.

 

Shotokan has many elements to it that some martial artists don't know or don't see, such as grabs, chokes, sweeps, trapping, even ground work. There are also circular techniques in there as well - it's not all straight reverse punches and point sparring you know!

 

Some people don't seem to want to see past the stereotype, which is a great shame .

[TangSooGuy]

For a different perspective on the rank issue. I start anyone who transfers in from another system at White belt. I let them know up front that after a period of time, they will be evaluated and given whatever rank they have earned in our system, but they must start at white belt.

 

I do this primarily to see if the new student is more concerened with their rank than their training. I'm a 4th Dan, but if I became a student in any of your studios, I would fully expect to wear a white belt.

[P.A.L]

aefibird :

 

"Some people don't seem to want to see past the stereotype, which is a great shame"

 

haaah, I got you.

 

I wanted to see how much steam it can make.

 

peace .

[HAYASHI]

TangSooGuy Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 7:49 am Post subject:

 

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For a different perspective on the rank issue. I start anyone who transfers in from another system at White belt. I let them know up front that after a period of time, they will be evaluated and given whatever rank they have earned in our system, but they must start at white belt

 

Same in my club. No matter how similar the karate style is to ours, you go back to white belt and are evaluated on your abilities then we rank you accordinaly. There a 2nd dans out there who are nothing compared to our or other dojos 3rd kyus. So as far as we do it we evaluate that person regardless of there previous rank.

 

Be wary of them though, i always ask to see there certificates, belts and grading syllabus to make sure. I have had people come in who have lied through there teeth, they were dismissed.

 

Shotokan, Shitoryu, Wado ryu, Go Jyu Ryu etc etc........they all share katas with each other and are built on the fundimentals of all karate. Its a matter of having an open mind and doing what they say not what your old club use to be like. This is usually the biggest problem with people from other styles, if they cant adapt because they dont want to then we show them the door.

 

The differences in them though can be hidden as some one said in this topic. So maybe you will pick the "wrong" one for you. Research the differences as much as you can (obviously you have internet access) Ask people in here for as much info we all do some form of karate.

 

Note: Ask about the style to someone who does that style the worst thing you can do is ask one style about how another style works, no matter what they say in the end they are not full aware of it, they know factual information they would not have learnt the in and outs.

[aefibird]

I wanted to see how much steam it can make.

 

Comments specifically designed to 'create steam' and inflame arguments aren't welcome on Karate Forums.

 

Please keep all posts respectful and refrain from creating a potential argument.

 

Thanks.