Soft

[lufbrajames]

Hi

I used to do kung-fu and have just started shotokan karate, can anyone tell me if there will be soft blocks in the karate syllabus, like in kung-fu.

Thanks

[DancingSteve]

You just went from circular soft, to linear hard in the grand scheme of things.

There will be some combinations in some katas which may be somewhat similiar to a soft block, wrist lock, etc. But you are at the other end of the spectrum now. Your techniques will all be very linear..and very hard. As opposed to kung fu.

[Andrew_Patton]

I'm sure there's some techniques that aren't 100% linear and hard in shotokan though, but if there are it's more like 1% vs. 99% so yes, what DancingSteve says is the truth, basically.

Shotokan Karate has one of those "just hurt the other guy" philosophies, pretty straight forward, and right to business.

[cathal]

Yes, there are.

[lufbrajames]

Yes, there are.

Care to ellaborate?

lol

Thanks to everyone so far

[obiwansbane]

there will be the odd kata here and there that has a soft motion in it, this will of course be dependant on how ure instructor interprets the kata, and then teaches it...

so i cant guarentee it but i can say there will be some...

as for regular soft things the closest soft thing i can think of that ive done in shotokan is a crescent kick

[Cormoran]

I tend to think we need a new english word for shotokan type of blocks. like strock or blike. something that describes what's happening a bit better.

I'm thinking the first move in heian sandan would be soft, atleast compared to the normal blocks. not sure if you'd actually call that a block though.

[kikal0t]

like everyone says shotokan is considered pretty much a linear style, were you hoping for one which incorporated circular aspects?

[James Bullock]

I completely agree with cathal on this one. I know what you are thinking....it was a three word response. Yes there are.....

Here are my thoughts... Whether a movement (block or strike) is soft is not dictated by the style but by the manner in which it is executed. If you meet force with force then it is "considered" hard. If you receive, guide, dissolve, or deflect the force then it is "considered" soft. Techniques are rooted in principles of movement and energy. ANY block or strike can be soft depending on the method of delivery and situational application.

All my opinion..

[learning kempo-karate]

Hello, When we train in our Shotokan Karate school....we only did hard blocks and strikes. The theory is One strike..one kill. Meaning to hit or BLOCK with enough power to destroy.

A part of our system was the Goju Ryu...which had some softer style of blocking.

When at Shotokan training...train there way. Since you have a Kung-Fu background keep what you know in your head. Learn as much as you can from Shotokan.

One day you may change arts....each time you will learn what works!.

Keep a open mind...observed...see the difference.....keep what works...Aloha