Not yet a practitioner

[mrmango]

Hey!

first of all! I have no experience in MA.

As the title says I'm not yet training karate.

Problem is! I want "full contact" like Kyokushin but the closest club practices Wado-ryu about 25min away.

Kyokushin club is about 1:20h away by bus and train (feels a bit too far away).

First question I want to ask is; is it possible to change style in karate? like if I start at the wado-ryu club and later on change to kyokushin.

How different are the styles? would it be difficult and take long to adjust to the "new" style after another?

I also noticed many people seem to look down on wado-ryu except the people practicing it, no idea why. While Kyokushin seem to be extremly loved.

Thanks in advance!

Edited January 13, 2012 by mrmango

[Student4Life]

Hello Mr.Mango, Wado-ryu and Kyokushin are both Okinawan styles with roots in Shotokan. They both also incorporate a great deal of tai sabaki into their training. While they are both distinctly different I don't believe you would have any trouble at all transitioning from one to the other. Remember, you can still fight in knock down tournaments while training in Wado-Ryu. You get out of it what you put in. Most important thing is to start training and begin learning the basics. Having trained in Korean arts for years and a short time in Chinese Kung fu and now 7 years in Okinawan Isshinryu, imho Okinawan styles are very practical and powerful arts. Try the Wado-ryu school out. If they are a good Wado-ryu school you won't be disappointed.

[Student4Life]

BTW if you want to be a good martial artist you better learn to love Kata. It's a major part f training in any Okinawan styles including Kyokushin. The Kata teaches you good technique and footwork essential to being proficient in kumite. If you walk into a Dojo be it Wado-ryu, Kyokushin or otherwise with the attitude of I don't need kata I just want to fight, you're going to have a very long and most likely painful road ahead of you

[evergrey]

OSU

Haha well to be honest, we use kata at ranking, but at my dojo we maybe practice it once a month. There's a small movement in some Kyokushin and related style circles to do away with kata... I think some offshoot styles don't really even do it any more.

1 hour, 20 minutes is a long commute! I travel about 45 minutes to get to my dojo... sometimes an hour. For me, it's worth it. But my advice would be to check out both schools and decide which one you like best, and if the commute is worth it if you do find you like the Kyokushin dojo.

What part of the world are you in?

OSU

[mrmango]

Thanks for great replies!

I'm so indicesive:P I'm 23years old and it feels like my life is depending on the choice.

Let's say I choose wado-ryu. 30usd for commuting every week for kyokushin. don't think I can afford it..

If I get to 5kyu or something.. when I change style will I keep the grade? or do I have to start from beginning?

evergrey: Sweden!

[Wastelander]

Thanks for great replies!

I'm so indicesive:P I'm 23years old and it feels like my life is depending on the choice.

Let's say I choose wado-ryu. 30usd for commuting every week for kyokushin. don't think I can afford it..

If I get to 5kyu or something.. when I change style will I keep the grade? or do I have to start from beginning?

evergrey: Sweden!

Check them both out but at the distance and cost you mention you will probably end up at the Wado-Ryu dojo for convenience-sake, even if you like the Kyokushin dojo better. That said, I have worked out with Wado-Ryu people and they are good folks and it seems like a solid system even if I don't agree with all of the methodologies I've heard from them.

As for feeling like your life is depending on the choice, you just need to try and remember that you are still young and this decision is only going to be permanent if you want it to be. And unless you get up into the brown and black belts I highly doubt you would be able to keep your rank, and even then it isn't terribly likely--training methods and curriculum are going to be too different. That doesn't mean you can't make the transition, but it is still up to the instructor whether you meet their requirements for the rank you have or not.

[evergrey]

OSU,

Ahh, Sweden! That explains actually having a working train system, haha!

If you went from Wado-Ryu to Kyokushin, I seriously doubt you would keep your rank. You would be asked to start again at white belt- but if what you learned at the Wado-Ryu dojo was good, solid technique, you would likely rank up faster, having an edge on rank beginners in the martial arts.

From what I know of Kyokushin around the world, you probably wouldn't get to carry over that rank even if you were a black belt.

But don't stress on it too terribly much. Who knows what the future will bring!

OSU

[tallgeese]

I'd agree. Simply start training. I travel to train quite a bit, but even I wouldn't drive 1.5 hours to train every session even if Rickson Gracie himself were teaching personally.

Cross training or even changing styles entirely is as old as organized martial arts themselves. You're in good company.

As to kata, I get where you're coming from. Bear in mind it's a training modality, nothing more. It, in that respect alone, is no different than focus mitts, or partner drills, or the heavy bag. It's a way for you to practice martial arts movements. If you like other methods better, or if other methods help you learn faster, or if other methods more quickly and directly accomplish your goals then so be it. MA's are a highly individualized path.

That said, in Wado, you'll do your share of kata. Either learn to like it or buckle up and grind thru it until another option presents itself.

Good luck and let us know what you decide.

[hanshi9]

i agree with all the suggestions in that i would start with wado ryu. if taught properly wado is a strong style with good fighting technique. don't concern your self about keeping your rank. consider this , if you change systems from one to the other, you may give up your rank but you can't give up the knowledge that you gained.

[sojobo]

I also noticed many people seem to look down on wado-ryu except the people practicing it, no idea why.

Who looks down their nose at Wado?

Ask any serious practitioner of Karate (regardless of style) what they think of Wado and I doubt they would look down their nose at it.

As I wrote earlier in the post I really want full contact sparring, and I'm not into kata stuff at all.

If you think you would not be into Kata, perhaps Karate is not for you.

Not being funny, why don't you try kickboxing?

That said, I have worked out with Wado-Ryu people and they are good folks and it seems like a solid system even if I don't agree with all of the methodologies I've heard from them.

Can I ask Wastelander, what methodologies didn't you agree with?

Wado-ryu and Kyokushin are both Okinawan styles...

Hi Student4life, actually they are both "non-okinawan" karate.

Sojobo