Shorin Ryu and shotokan, differences?

[obiwansbane]

i apologize if this has been mentioned before but ive done some looking on the net and found a club in the city im moving to that looks like a good solid club as opposed to a McDojo... anyways it teaches Shorin Ryu, (i havnt been able to find any shotokan, maybe when i get there i can check the yellow pages) right now i take shotokan and was wonderign what are the differences between the two that i may see if i go to this club

just for info's sake im a brown belt goin for my black in like a month so i have a solid foundation in shotokan

[armanox]

A few differences you can expect to see. First off kata names. Since Shotokan came from Shorin Ryu, you'll find them similar, if not some the same.

Names:

Shotokan - Shorin Ryu

Tekki - Naifanchi

Heian - Pinan

Bassai - Passai

Kanku - Kusanku

Hangetsu - Seisan

Gankaku - Chinto

Unsu - Unsu

Jion - Jion

Gojushiho - Gojushiho

They're all that comes to mind

Technique wise I'd say learn to love the cat stance, and that your front leaning stance probably won't be as deep in Shorin Ryu. If you could tell us what sub style of Shorin Ryu (kobayashi, shobayashi, matsubashi, matsumura seito, etc) some more information might surface.

[Brandon Fisher]

Just another note on the kata. Shotokan Tekki kata is also known as Naifanchin and Naihanchi kata in the Okinawan system depending on the branch or system.

Also Shorin schools will typically have less kata. Shotokan I believe has 24 kata and the Shorin Ryu systems usually have 15 to 18 kata depending on the school.

I agree get used to the Cat stance and higher stances.

[Rateh]

I have a friend who just moved from japan, she is a black belt in shorin ryu. According to her, shotokan is the more sport like version of shorin ryu. Also she doesn't do any deep stances as well as only a few kata.

[Brandon Fisher]

Yes Shotokan is more sport in comparison but none the less a good system.

[Mike Flanagan]

Its impossible to say what any one Shorin Ryu club might be like. Some you'll find very similar to Shotokan, almost indistinguishable in fact (I would argue about whether they should be really be called Shorin Ryu but that's another story).

Others might seem virtually unrecognisable as karate to someone with a Shotokan background.

Best thing you can do is give it a go and see what you think. As with trying any new style, try not to continually make comparisons with your old system, but judge it on its own merits.

Mike

[Rick_72]

Stances. Just like has already been said, Shorin Ryu has a more natural upright stance than most other disciplines. The amount of cat stances you do will be dependant on not only the particular style of Shorin Ryu, but also how sport centric the particular dojo you are attending is. There's nothing wrong with sport Shorin Ryu, as the bunkai is all still there, but you'll notice that there's a little more flash in some of the technique in empty hand, and kobudo.

[obiwansbane]

Well heres the club i was looking at, but now i understand why i see some katas on youtube where people say they are good but i think their stances are bad... its just a different style

http://www.shorinryu.ca/

thnx for the pointers so far guys and i hope u can find out some more to give after seeing the site

[Brandon Fisher]

Well heres the club i was looking at, but now i understand why i see some katas on youtube where people say they are good but i think their stances are bad... its just a different style

http://www.shorinryu.ca/

thnx for the pointers so far guys and i hope u can find out some more to give after seeing the site

Looks good to me

[P.A.L]

i see the trace of Shotokan in their black belt katas,web site says Matsumura shorin ryu but the katas seem to be from kyan and tomari lineage. it would be interesting if they let you practice their white crane katas.ask them where they got the crane katas?