Double Down!

[quinteros1963]

How simular are Goju Ryu and Shotokan? I have been training Goju for over 2 yrs and should be able to reach Shodan in a year or so. I have found a school I like but its 30 miles away. I also located a shotokan school 5minutes away from my apt and like it as well. The style I was in was more a survey of Okinowan Karate with some Goju, shorin and Isshin ryu and shotokan kata mixed in(mostly goju). Would it be to much to start doing both Shotokan and Goju at the same time and grading in both? What do you think? The first few Shotoan trainings I have been to have been very interesting and I have caught on quickly.

[Ichi_Geki]

As a student of mostly Goju/Uechi. I would tell you to wait till you reach shodan in Goju Ryu before you continue onto Shotokan.

At a kyu level I dont think many people have the ability to differntiate between principles of different styles.

I did not begin my goju ryu training until I was a nidan in Uechi Ryu. And once I obtained a shodan in Goju Ryu I went onto get a shodan in Shotokan Karate as well.

I think at Shodan one is able to understand and respect the arts better.

[sensei8]

As a student of mostly Goju/Uechi. I would tell you to wait till you reach shodan in Goju Ryu before you continue onto Shotokan.

At a kyu level I dont think many people have the ability to differntiate between principles of different styles.

I did not begin my goju ryu training until I was a nidan in Uechi Ryu. And once I obtained a shodan in Goju Ryu I went onto get a shodan in Shotokan Karate as well.

I think at Shodan one is able to understand and respect the arts better.

This is very solid advice and in that, it should be considered!

I myself have never thought that I was able, for one reason or another, to pursue another martial art outside and seperate and concurrent with/from Shindokan. I took TKD for one year while in high school after I was already a junior BB, but, that vexed me because both of these arts required of me much more than I possess.

[Shizentai]

I'm shotokan myself, but I've trained with goju people in the past. I believe most of the basics are quite similar between the two styles. Most different are the kata I would say. I think people have told me in the past that goju and shotokan are the most similar of all ryu.

On that note, if achieving a higher rank as soon as possible is your goal, then yes, I would say definitely choose either Goju or Shotokan and stick with it.

Though if it is something more substantial that you are seeking, I would have to recommend conversely, based on my own experiences. I have found that training in other karate styles has opened up a world of new ways to approach conditioning and has helped me to improve my understanding the wide array of applications of even very basic techniques that these styles have in common, while introducing me to many useful techniques that I would never have seen were I not to venture outside of my own style. In short, yes, it may slow you down belt rank wise a little if you choose to train in two styles at once, but it is my opinion that it is a very worthwhile endeavor none the less.

I believe that Gichin Funakoshi himself (founder of shotokan) was a big proponent for cross-training in all styles of karate, in fact, he said in his autobiography that he wished people wouldn't call themselves goju, shotokan, etc., but rather that people would work together to keep karate unified and open to all students from all dojo.

[Ichi_Geki]

I'm shotokan myself, but I've trained with goju people in the past. I believe most of the basics are quite similar between the two styles. Most different are the kata I would say. I think people have told me in the past that goju and shotokan are the most similar of all ryu.

If Kata are different, than everything is different...including principles of technique. If you are not experienced enough you will lose track of your motives, and you will forget which is which. So...Principles of Tensho in Goju Ryu will only confuse a inexperienced practitioner of Shotokan.

Goju Ryu and Shotokan have no similar Katas. If you were a Uechi Ryu Student, moving to Goju Ryu...I would have no contests of one transferring...but Shotokan and Goju ryu are not that similar.

[quinteros1963]

I'm going to give shotokan a shot ( no pun intended), but still practice my Goju kata. I think it will only make me better. The founders of many of the Okinowan styles were trained by some of the same masters or even with one another, so why cant I. Besides a side kick is a side kick, right?

I'll keep you all posted.

[unknownstyle]

i believe a shodan you are grounded in the basics of a style, and even though you may go on to be ranked in another style i dont believe you would ever be able to teach it. your instincts are that of another style therefore you could not really call what you are teaching that style. i believe once you learn different styles all you will be able to do is take the things that are useful to the way you already think about defending yourself. dont get me wrong i believe you should learn all you can but i believe that everyone has their own system of fighting. you can ask ten people from the same school how to defend themselves from a jab and i guarantee the answers are different. sorry i got on a tangent but just giving my thoughts

[mudansha]

I think that studying multiple styles is overall, a good idea for any karateka. Each style has its strengths and things it emphasizes, but any traditional okinawan martial art has all the same components.

Case in point:

I am a shotokan practitioner. In the beginning, when learning the basic kata, we are taught deep stances, and rigidness. Techniques are direct, and powerful. We were taught that shotokan is a direct art, where arts like goju are more fluid and circular.

I have been studying shotokan for almost 4 years now and I am approaching 3rd kyu, I am starting to learn advanced katas. In learning Nijushiho, unsu, and hangestsu, we are taught circular movements, to be soft while moving, yet hard when we contact, to breath, all traditionally Goju philosophies. We are taught Sanchin dachi, nekwashidachi, and develop our chi.

We are a Shotokan dojo affiliated with SKI. As such, we treat Kancho Kanazawa as the end all and be all of Shotokan Karate. In watching his DVD's, he suggests shotokan black belts begin to embrace other styles and specifically mentions Goju, and Tai Chi. If it were a bad idea to mix styles, he would know, and not only does he not say that, he preaches the alternative.

Sensei Robert Halliburton was one of the most respected Shotokan sensei's in the US and he made his students learn some goju katas in addition to the standard shotokan katas.

I think for the serious karateka, studying shotokan and goju would be very rewarding. Just don't get so wrapped up in it that you get burnt out. It is hard for me to remember the katas of one discipline. let alone multiple.

[quinteros1963]

Thanks mudansha! You have just helped me to feel much better with my decision to double down. Actually there are several Shotokan kata in the system that I was in.

[Kuma]

Mas Oyama studied Goju and Shotokan at the same time, didn't seem to hurt him. If it's simply distance and time, I can relate. I love training in Kyokushin but it's about a 45 minute drive one way and my instructor's and I schedules conflict at times, so I just started training in Muay Thai at a place that is less than 10 min from my house.

The thing to keep in mind is to make sure which one you want to focus on. I'm training the Muay Thai to supplement my Kyokushin training, which gets priority if the two conflict. If you're going to simply train both without a goal, it might hinder you some.