Shotokai Kata

[cathal]

You wouldn't mind checking this out:

http://www.bathkarate.co.uk/Bath_Tiger-Kai/Kata.html

Is this typical of Shotokai? The hip movements, turns, and punching seem a bit off to me. I've never practiced this tyle so I'm hoping someone on here can enlighten me.

Thanks!

[mudansha]

You wouldn't mind checking this out:

http://www.bathkarate.co.uk/Bath_Tiger-Kai/Kata.html

Is this typical of Shotokai? The hip movements, turns, and punching seem a bit off to me. I've never practiced this tyle so I'm hoping someone on here can enlighten me.

Thanks!

Yes, that is very typical of Shotokai Karate.

If you watch videos of Gichin Funakoshi doing kata, you will see that it is not how traditional shotokan teaches it. His stances were very narrow and his movements very fluid.

Funakoshi was very much against competition. After his death, those that believed in competition broke off to create JKA, and the "shotokan" style was born. Those that believed in Funakoshi's stance, that competition was counter-productive to karate, stayed firm in the Shotokai organization. Since that time the two styles have persued separate lines of evolution and emerged as separate arts originating from the same man.

Shotokan is more rigid, and direct; shotokai is more fluid. You will notice however that the katas are the same; they just perform them differently.

[cathal]

Fluidity aside, can you comment on the execution of the punching?

.

[Chuck]

Here's a good one

Edited August 20, 2009 by Chuck

[Vierna]

The hip movements, turns, and punching seem a bit off to me.

I agree, it doesnt look like something you could use in a real fight....

[mudansha]

Fluidity aside, can you comment on the execution of the punching?

I lack the experience to give a competent answer. I am only a 4th Kyu in Shotokan and I have never taken Shotokai.

[bushido_man96]

The punching does look different. The punches have a swooping look to them, and look like they wouldn't provide much power.

[joesteph]

Here's a good one

This was the first form I learned for Soo Bahk Do, but at nowhere near the speed performed in the video. It's also a Tang Soo Do form, which can be found by visiting the web site of the West Haven Academy of Karate at http://www.kwanjangnim.com/ and selecting Education from the tabs to see computer-generated images of each move.

When I was searching for an instructor for private sparring lessons, I met a sensei who invited to participate in his class and his style of Japanese karate (Shurenkan). The form we did was the same as in Soo Bahk Do, but then he said that since I knew the moves, I could try the "next up" version, which was a way of walking that closed the legs together at the half-step, then opened them again to perform block or punch, walking that way in order to protect the groin.

I don't think I'm familiar with Shotokai at all. It's only Shotokan that I'm aware of. Thanks for posting that video, Chuck.

[cathal]

Well Taikyoku Shodan is used in my dojo for beginners as well. It is a good tool for teaching movement in stance.

I agree this doesn't seem powerful, and the punching doesn't seem particularly affective. I would have anticipated a different performance, myself. Something with a bit more snap to the movements.

[sensei8]

Yeah, I too don't think that their methodologies are effective. But, giving that style its due respect, that video showed their version of Taikyoku Shodan...SLOWLY! I can't base my opinion on one version of Taikyoku Shodan, but, I scrath my head nonetheless because there are missing elements.