Any one made the move from Shotokan to TSD (or vice versa)?

[wagnerk]

Like the title asks, has any one made the move from Shotokan to TSD (or vice versa or trains in both at the same time)? How did you find it?

I'm considering taking up TSD along with my training in Shotokan karate (currently a 1st dan). And just wondering about other people's experiences (good and not-so-good), especially things like the differences in language, techniques, confusions between patterns/kata, etc...

Thanks

[bushido_man96]

I think you'll see some familiarities in the forms, for sure. However, I'm not sure what you'll gain by doing both at once. But I won't tell you not to do it, because it would probably be fun. TSD may focus some more on kicks, and you may do higher kicking, as well.

Keep us posted on what kind of differences you notice, and how they effect your training.

[Dobbersky]

I studied Tang Soo Do but went to Wado Ryu which is slightly different.

My Friend and I visited a Shotokan Dojo a few years ago and the TSD version of the Kata was more akin to the Shotokan version than my now Wado version

Only difference I think are the Japanese/Korean names. and TSD have some exclusive Hyungs

Enjoy but be careful you don't end up doing a form then changing "styles" 1/2 way through the form

[bassaiguy]

I began in Moo Duk Kwan (a TSD lineage) and after about four years moved on to other arts. I've been doing Shotokan for the past 15 years or so. I have a 1st dan in MDK and a 2nd dan in Shotokan. I was originally very biased against Shotokan and felt, that compared to TSD, it was too linear and regimented. Obviously, over time I have changed my point-of-view and have found that Shotokan is a style I really enjoy, but like all styles the TSD methodology has some benefits and some costs.

I think you'll notice that TSD has more circular movements and shorter and wider stances than Shotokan. I noticed this first when I compared Heian Shodan to Pyong Chodan. They are essentially the same kata with some minor variations. For example,in TSD I learned the third move as pull back the right fist to chest level while drawing my front foot back to a T-stance and then striking at shoulder/chest level with a back fist. In my Shotokan lineage we do this move by pulling the fist back in whipping motion (blocking the head) and striking downward with a hammer-fist while sinking into a cat-stance. I noticed some distinct differences with the knife hand blocks at the end of the form, too. My TSD lineage did them with a twisting hip/shoulder motion while in Shotokan I practice these in the modern Japanese style with an adverse pulling motion. I think you'll find that differences like this persist throughout all the kata even though the TSD forms are essentially Koreanized Shotokan.

In my TSD school I felt our major strength was that we sparred more often and at earlier belt-levels than in Shotokan. Our sparring included more kicking techniques, too. On the flip side, I don't think I really knew how to hit anything hard until I had done some serious traditional-style Japanese training and had begun to hit the makiwara a lot. I did not find the TSD one-step drills particularly useful, but that's just me. I did find that at bigger events the MDK/TSD world was less closed (some might say less snobbish) than the Shotokan world.

Enjoy your time in TSD - like Shotokan it's a great art.

[wagnerk]

Thanks guys

...However, I'm not sure what you'll gain by doing both at once...

I can only make it to 1 lesson a week in shotokan due to work commitments and when they have lessons, however the TSD club is on an evening that I can do.

[bushido_man96]

I hope it goes well for you. Enjoy the training!

[wagnerk]

Thanks

[Dobbersky]

Thanks

How is everything going in your new path?

[wagnerk]

Thanks

How is everything going in your new path?

Sorry for the delay, it's actually going great.

Having done Shotokan and now doing TSD, I can honestly say that those two arts compliment each other, not like two sides of the same coin (eg doing karate, a striking art and Judo a grappling art), but two different views of the same side of the coin for a better understanding.

I started off as a white belt in TSD and looking forward to another grading next month.

Due to work schedules, I have (currently) stopped my shotokan training, I may go back sometime in the future. However I'm happy with TSD

[bushido_man96]

Are things that much different between the two styles in application? Do you suppose the differences are style-specific, or more related to the instructors' differences?