What Karate style...?

[Ohanamalu6]

Just another BB echoing in on the "it's about the teacher" comments.

The best thing you can do for yourself is stop thinking. Show up to a class, see how it feels.

If you feel challenged but safe - good school.

If you feel intimidated - bad school.

If you're asked for your credit card info right off the bat - questionable school.

If you are welcomed right into practice and it feels good - great school.

You get the point. Use your gut, feel it out. When you find your home, you'll know it.

[fbr1221]

I was lucky enough to study at the oldest Karate School in the USA with a Master who is a direct student under Master Funakoshi (father of moder-day karate).

I would study the style that keeps faithful to the Master's intentions from days of old. The wisdom of the past is very usefull today, the philosophy of Budo, and the goal of internal peace must be present in true karate.

Many studies only give lip service to the ancient art and only train their student to fight in tournaments and be ready when walking down a back alley.

The true art of karate is the internal struggle to push yourself beyond your limits and find even more to conquere. The martial art is a means to another end of self-betterment.

Those who reduce martial arts to street-fighting or cage fighting have abandoned the Way of karate.

Master Funakoshi disliked very much karate tournaments and full-contact bouts and he said, as many of his students have repeated, that tournament fighting does not reflect the true spirit of karate.

Keep these things in mind as you persue your art.

[Ueshirokarate]

I was lucky enough to study at the oldest Karate School in the USA with a Master who is a direct student under Master Funakoshi (father of moder-day karate).

I would study the style that keeps faithful to the Master's intentions from days of old. The wisdom of the past is very usefull today, the philosophy of Budo, and the goal of internal peace must be present in true karate.

Many studies only give lip service to the ancient art and only train their student to fight in tournaments and be ready when walking down a back alley.

The true art of karate is the internal struggle to push yourself beyond your limits and find even more to conquere. The martial art is a means to another end of self-betterment.

Those who reduce martial arts to street-fighting or cage fighting have abandoned the Way of karate.

Master Funakoshi disliked very much karate tournaments and full-contact bouts and he said, as many of his students have repeated, that tournament fighting does not reflect the true spirit of karate.

Keep these things in mind as you persue your art.

I don't think I would call Funakoshi the father of modern karate. While his style is certainly the most ubiquitous, there are so many other vital Okinawan karate masters who were as important if not more so, such as Itosu, Myagi, Nagamine, etc. Further, if it wasn't for Motubu no one would probably have any idea who Funakoshi was. Karate is much bigger than just one person. Each time you do a kata, the influence of hundreds of people is being brought to life.

[Kevin Wilson]

Personally I love shotokan but you really need to try all 3 first. See what feels comfortable. A comfortable fighter in worse style will beat an uncomfortable fighter in a better style. ...

[bushido_man96]

I was lucky enough to study at the oldest Karate School in the USA with a Master who is a direct student under Master Funakoshi (father of moder-day karate).

I would study the style that keeps faithful to the Master's intentions from days of old.

Many did start out that way. But, many grew to find other goals and had philosophies of their own. Funakoshi's intentions probably didn't completely match those of Itosu or Azato.

The wisdom of the past is very usefull today, the philosophy of Budo, and the goal of internal peace must be present in true karate.

I disagree. The goal of internal peace doesn't have to be present. One could argue that Karate has many "essences," and those have been and will continue to be molded and shaped by those who hold them. Not everyone holds the same "essence." I will not discoun the usefulness of past wisdom, but, I will say that change isn't always a bad thing.

Many studies only give lip service to the ancient art and only train their student to fight in tournaments and be ready when walking down a back alley.

Being ready when walking down a back alley is important, wouldn't you agree? What good does "internal peace and betterment" do you if you can't defend yourself when your life depends on it?

The true art of karate is the internal struggle to push yourself beyond your limits and find even more to conquere. The martial art is a means to another end of self-betterment.

Those who reduce martial arts to street-fighting or cage fighting have abandoned the Way of karate.

Again, I would not say the "true" reasons are internal struggle and self-betterment, but they are some reasons. Everyone has a different reason for themselves.

Master Funakoshi disliked very much karate tournaments and full-contact bouts and he said, as many of his students have repeated, that tournament fighting does not reflect the true spirit of karate.

Keep these things in mind as you persue your art.

Also keep in mind that although many of Funakoshi's students disliked tournaments, they continued to organize and hold them. The early university teams of Shotokan were very much in competition with each other, and used the tournament layout for their inter-collegiate matches.

[MasterPain]

I do think that martial arts have improved my character, but my goal is to learn to defend myself and to have fun doing it. If my goal was to be a better person, I'd find some volunteer work to do.

That's why I'm in a Jutsu and not a Do.

[theJCism]

If you are small-ish, i'd strongly recommend giving Wado a shot.

It emphasises footwork and evasion as opposed to head on force.

But definitely have a look at them all.

[Shotoseidoka]

I was lucky enough to study at the oldest Karate School in the USA with a Master who is a direct student under Master Funakoshi (father of moder-day karate).

I would study the style that keeps faithful to the Master's intentions from days of old. The wisdom of the past is very usefull today, the philosophy of Budo, and the goal of internal peace must be present in true karate.

Many studies only give lip service to the ancient art and only train their student to fight in tournaments and be ready when walking down a back alley.

The true art of karate is the internal struggle to push yourself beyond your limits and find even more to conquere. The martial art is a means to another end of self-betterment.

Those who reduce martial arts to street-fighting or cage fighting have abandoned the Way of karate.

Master Funakoshi disliked very much karate tournaments and full-contact bouts and he said, as many of his students have repeated, that tournament fighting does not reflect the true spirit of karate.

Keep these things in mind as you persue your art.

I don't think I would call Funakoshi the father of modern karate. While his style is certainly the most ubiquitous, there are so many other vital Okinawan karate masters who were as important if not more so, such as Itosu, Myagi, Nagamine, etc. Further, if it wasn't for Motubu no one would probably have any idea who Funakoshi was. Karate is much bigger than just one person. Each time you do a kata, the influence of hundreds of people is being brought to life.

Check the instructors not the style... I was very scrawny (5'10 140lbs)when I was training Shotokan (shorin-ryu) but was able to learn all the body mechanics needed to develop power in my techniques. It all depends on your instructor and how well he is able to pass the knowledge on to you so that you can be the best you can be.

On another rant...Funakoshi is the closest person to the "father of modern Karate" that you can find. He was selected as the spokesperson of the four man team to go to mainland and 'sell' karate to the Japanese. He was chosen because of his education level in both the martial arts and philosophy. Funakoshi was very loyal to both Itosu and Azato and actually taought the Pinan kata the way they were taught to him by Itosu, Shotokan's future generations are the ones who changed the sequence and addapted the Japanese pronuncation.

I'm not saying the other's aren't important to the propagation of karate because the are, but Funakoshi was lucky enough to be the 1st born son of his family which ment he received formal education and privilages that others did not receive, like Choki Mutobu. Unfortunately for CM he was not the first born and therefore did not receive any of the benifits of being in a higher class citizen than Funakoshi. These two outstanding martial artist were rivals because of this seperation between them, which is very unfortunae for us. If the two of them could have worked together karate today would be completely different, more complete, neh unstopable.

[sri_mersing81]

the only non demanding Karate styles are the one u learn from DVD. LOL.

I agree that u should list out which sensei is which. U are at the right school if u feel that u are welcomed during the 1st training.

Martial Art is not just self defense, but it is also for u to expand ur body limitation, challenging ur mind and also to learn self control...

[isshinryuguy3531]

hi i take isshinryu i am an San kyu (3rd degree brown belt) i belive take what ever style you want but isshinryu is the strongest of them all as far as stance wise we do a lot of stuff that helps you prtect your self its a styel that teaches how to kill an attacker if needed to be and plus its and very fun style to learn but i also took bjj and some other style vary your options