Difference in Karate Styles?? Looking for other options.....

[Chaz]

If your looking to be street effective and want to find an art with no *, may I recommend San Soo. It isn't karate, it is Kung Fu but it fits your description. San Soo is one of the most brutal and comprehensive arts there is and it has evolved for over 2000 years. This is what you want.

[SevenStar]

If this is in the wrong part of the forum mods please move it.

I just would like a better idea of what different styles there are in Karate.

Currently I am going to a local dojo taught by my sensei Fumio Demura. I guess he has an impressive resume and the style taught there is Shito Ryu Genbu Kai. I been going there for only about 3 months.

I like it and all but I feel whats been taught in the classes I can't really apply in the streets. I just want a more full contact style of MA where I can learn take downs to strikings.

Is there any other style of karate where theres more contact or at least offer harder training?

I'm also interested in Muay thai, JKD, and Budokai Jujitsu. I'd like to take Taijutsu but just a long drive to get there and very pricey.

Thanks in advance for your responses.

based on what you state you are looking for, I would try either jkd or muay thai. It's not that cut and dry though - check out each of the above schools. take a class, talk to the teacher and the students, etc. Choose the school that suits you best.

[KungFuMan]

Stick to your karate for now. Get to know it first before you decide wether it is good or bad for the street.

Obviously if you don't like it then it is another story. However most of the major/authentic karate styles are street effective if you are patient and committed. Karate takes a longer time to master than many of the other MA's around, but that is because it is a rich art.

KungFuMan

[kenttiensankari]

I succest renshinkan karate, full contact matches called boogutsukikumite (thats how we spell it in finland). We use gear to protect our body and then bring it on

[Oahngoji]

Have you heard of: Shikyokushinkai? This club offers tough training BUT does not train you JUST for street fighting. It teaches you the importance of your spirit within (As many karate clubs should teach).

[patusai]

sorry to criticize you, but if you study under Shihan Demura, then why does your style say Shito Ryu instead of Shorin Ryu, because Shihan Demura teaches Shorin Ryu

Nope, as one other post afterwards suggests Demura teaches Shito Ryu...honest!

[y2_sub]

kyokushin , try it if you enjoy pain .

[Meguro]

Just caught a Shidokan tourney on late-night. That looks interesting, grappling, muay thai, knock down all rollled into one.

[shorinryu912]

I don't know if the person who originally even posted this thread is even still here, but if you are, please don't quit right away. You said in the original post you have only been there for a few months, that post was put up a long time ago but you have still been there barely a year if that by now, correct? THAT'S why you haven't done anything hard-hitting yet. I felt much the same way 6 months into my Shorin Ryu training, in the sense that I felt like all we did endlessly was work on forms, hit the heavy bag, and do strength training, it felt like we never actually FOUGHT with another person so I wanted to quit... but it takes patience because they don't actually let you, in most good schools, do anything particularly dangerous until you've got a bit more experience than 1 year under your "belt" (excuse the pun )... this is a test of your patience, Karate is a dandy martial art for "practical" self defense, but they're not gonna let you do full-contact sparring or teach you any really dangerous techniques in your first year. Give it time, more powerful movement will be coming (if you haven't already quit)...

[juey palancu]

Hi,

Any of the traditional 'styles' of karate (Shotokan, Shito-ryu, Wado-ryu, shorin-ryu, Goju-ryu/Gojuchi-i, etc.), are time-tested, complete methods of self-defense. Its best if if you find a good teacher and are willing to be an apprentice, take the time to learn and make them internal.

I'd suggest stay away from 'new' systems because they tend to only work well to people that are similar to those who created the system. The older, traditioanl systems, through time, have becmoe more complete. They DO take YEARS to master, though. But it is so much more worth it.

If you want to be 'tough' fast, just take boxing, there are great gyms in southern california!

gero

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Nidan-Traditional Shotokan