Shotokan's Secret: The Hidden Truth Behind Karate's Fighting

[Sho-ju]

Has anyone picked this book up yet?

 

Quote from Amazon: Learn how the hard-style karate that became shotokan took shape in 19th century Okinawa as an embattled king with an unarmed force of bodyguards faced an armed invasion from overseas. In this new 328-page book, author Bruce D. Clayton, Ph.D., uses rare sketches, footnoted historical research, archival lithographs, period photographs and contemporary technique demonstrations to reveal shotokan’s deadly intent and propose modern practical applications of such knowledge. Achieve a new level of theoretical understanding and fighting ability by learning Shotokan’s Secret for yourself!

[Wickedwayz]

bump~

[P.A.L]

here we go, how about aliens abduction.

 

I'd like to see it,I'll check, sometimes you can read some pages of the book in amazon.com

[Shorin Ryuu]

I hate to burst your bubble, but what overseas invasion where they talking about? The Satsuma samurai were the de facto rulers of Okinawa since the 1600s, long before it was officially annexed by Japan in the late 1880s, I believe. The fact that they lasted more than a few days (back in the 1600s) against fully armed Satsuma samurai is a testament to their spirit, but the outcome was inevitable. Even before the samurai arrived, the Okinawan king had in place a weapons ban.

 

At any rate, any myths you hear of Okinawan karate being used to fend off invading hordes of whatever are sadly, just myths. A lot of Okinawans like to propogate these, but it falls along the same line of Davy Crockett here in the states or just pride and embellishment. Don't get me wrong, this stuff works. Against an army, it doesn't.

 

Anyway, this might simply be an editorial insert by some idiot...I mean person who knows nothing about karate (referring to the Amazon description). For one thing, Okinawan karate was not a "hard" style that became Shotokan... Okinawan karate is a mix of hard and soft, and Shotokan karate was originally taught that way. Even during Funakoshi's lifetime, however, Shotokan became the "hard" style it is today. He even lamented this after watching a performance for the Butokukai...

 

No offense, but this book seems to be highly spun...

[superleeds]

nice post Shorin...

[Dijita]

Is Shotokan considered a hard-style? I'm just curious, I honestly don't know a lot about the art form.

[Shorin Ryuu]

Yes. Shotokan relies more upon pure muscle strength to transition from stance to stance rather than a natural transition brought about by internal body mechanics. Furthermore, the method of striking is much more external (muscles and heavy hip rotation) rather than internal (structure, whipping and gamaku). This isn't to say that there aren't some natural mechanics to it, but there is a significant lack of them in my opinion. Note that this doesn't refer to simply being relaxed (although that is a big portion). This also includes the movement throughout and within the execution of any number of techniques. It can also be considered hard because of the energy deadlocking. This is outwardly visible in that most Shotokan practitioners look very rigid when doing kata or sometimes even kumite. Some people compensate for this by working the muscles harder and can pass off for looking fluid and natural in their movements. But this isn't true fluidity, this is forced fluidity. These are the vast majority of Shotokan stylists I have met, although the same exceptions to the rule disclaimer applies here.

[Sho-ju]

I hate to burst your bubble...

 

You're not bursting my bubble, it's a quote!

Yes. Shotokan relies more upon pure muscle strength to transition from stance to stance rather than a natural transition brought about by internal body mechanics. Furthermore, the method of striking is much more external (muscles and heavy hip rotation) rather than internal (structure, whipping and gamaku). This isn't to say that there aren't some natural mechanics to it, but there is a significant lack of them in my opinion. Note that this doesn't refer to simply being relaxed (although that is a big portion). This also includes the movement throughout and within the execution of any number of techniques. It can also be considered hard because of the energy deadlocking. This is outwardly visible in that most Shotokan practitioners look very rigid when doing kata or sometimes even kumite. Some people compensate for this by working the muscles harder and can pass off for looking fluid and natural in their movements. But this isn't true fluidity, this is forced fluidity. These are the vast majority of Shotokan stylists I have met, although the same exceptions to the rule disclaimer applies here.

 

Shorin is also considered a hard style, a hard style is considered such because they use less circular movements. As for using strength to transition...yes and no. We use strength in low stances to build power (like many older Chinese style do), however, shotokan kumite isn't done in such a manner. A blanket statement tends to cast shotokan in a negitive light, as if we use strength to overcome an attack.

 

The rest of your comments show a common bias Okinawan stylests have tend to have toward shotokan.

 

sj

[Shorin Ryuu]

Shorin Ryu is considered a hard style by those who do not understand its concepts. Yes, there is aspects of hard in Shorin Ryu. At the same time, all the underlying principles are soft. Granted, when I first started taking it, I thought it was hard as well. When I learned more, I had to change my view on everything.

 

You mention that there are less circles in Shorin Ryu. Last time I checked, the style was replete with them. Only, a straight line is use to make a circle, not a circle to make a circle. This concept is used in Tai Chi as well, and I don't daresay that anyone calls Tai Chi hard...

 

The circles in Shorin Ryu are tighter, so they are less obvious.

 

As far as common bias that Okinawan stylists have against Shotokan, yes, you are right. But I have trained with Shotokan stylists for years, who were from all around the country, not just one dojo.

[Shorinryu Sensei]

Shorin Ryu is considered a hard style by those who do not understand its concepts. Yes, there is aspects of hard in Shorin Ryu. At the same time, all the underlying principles are soft. Granted, when I first started taking it, I thought it was hard as well. When I learned more, I had to change my view on everything.

 

Dang bud.,..I don't know where you're getting all this info from, but you're nailing it right on the nose! Not wanting to highjack the thread here, but yes, in the early stages of shorinryu training, it gives every indication that it is a hard system. But after just a few months, you should see it start to transition to a much softer way. This is usually just because the body is getting used to the way that we do things. I've never really understood why shorinryu was considered a hard system, because it certainly isn't IMHO.