What do you like about your style ?

[Harkon72]

The power in relaxation and my training partners and sensei who are now my family.

[Nabil Kazama]

What it's emphasis is based on: 'One punch knockout'

Plus it's easy to learn.

[Canadian77]

My favourite things so far are the variety in what we do and how positive and encouraging everyone is. Both are definitely making me want to continue for a very long time!

[CredoTe]

What I like about Matsubayashi-Ryu (Shorin-Ryu) is that it's based on natural, direct, small movements with explosive/destructive power. On top of that, it's ability for short-range, close-quarters in-fighting combined with bars, locks, takedowns, grappling, etc make for a pretty darn effective art.

What I don't like about it is some things they do that's pure Matsubayashi-Ryu seem counter-intuitive to their adamancy that all things be natural. For instance, a minor detail IMHO, is that in genuine Matsubayashi-Ryu, the chamber position is up in the arm pit. That has never seemed natural to us; it's too tight and puts too much stress on muscles and tendons in the elbows and wrists. The chamber position we teach is bottom rib (not waist or hip) because that serves for a more natural and straight range of motion when striking.

[Safroot]

The power in relaxation and my training partners and sensei who are now my family.

good one Harkon72

[Safroot]

My favourite things so far are the variety in what we do and how positive and encouraging everyone is. Both are definitely making me want to continue for a very long time!

Welcome to KF Canadian77 and thanks for sharing your experience

[Safroot]

What I like about Matsubayashi-Ryu (Shorin-Ryu) is that it's based on natural, direct, small movements with explosive/destructive power. On top of that, it's ability for short-range, close-quarters in-fighting combined with bars, locks, takedowns, grappling, etc make for a pretty darn effective art.

What I don't like about it is some things they do that's pure Matsubayashi-Ryu seem counter-intuitive to their adamancy that all things be natural. For instance, a minor detail IMHO, is that in genuine Matsubayashi-Ryu, the chamber position is up in the arm pit. That has never seemed natural to us; it's too tight and puts too much stress on muscles and tendons in the elbows and wrists. The chamber position we teach is bottom rib (not waist or hip) because that serves for a more natural and straight range of motion when striking.

Solid post

[Canadian77]

What I like about Matsubayashi-Ryu (Shorin-Ryu) is that it's based on natural, direct, small movements with explosive/destructive power. On top of that, it's ability for short-range, close-quarters in-fighting combined with bars, locks, takedowns, grappling, etc make for a pretty darn effective art.

What I don't like about it is some things they do that's pure Matsubayashi-Ryu seem counter-intuitive to their adamancy that all things be natural. For instance, a minor detail IMHO, is that in genuine Matsubayashi-Ryu, the chamber position is up in the arm pit. That has never seemed natural to us; it's too tight and puts too much stress on muscles and tendons in the elbows and wrists. The chamber position we teach is bottom rib (not waist or hip) because that serves for a more natural and straight range of motion when striking.

This is interesting. I am still learning the finer points of karate, but I'm really enjoying the way it does go with natural movements - my Sensei has said to me "If it feels awkward it is probably wrong.", and it does often feel better when I am given a correction and apply it. Previously I have done highland dance, where the opposite is true - more trying to contort the body, and it generally has to feel awkward to be right, especially early on. This is refreshing, with karate, to be more natural, and I'm sure will lead to fewer strain and muscle injuries.

Interesting to read about your style chambering so high. I don't think we do that.

Also thank you safroot for the welcome!

[CredoTe]

What I like about Matsubayashi-Ryu (Shorin-Ryu) is that it's based on natural, direct, small movements with explosive/destructive power. On top of that, it's ability for short-range, close-quarters in-fighting combined with bars, locks, takedowns, grappling, etc make for a pretty darn effective art.

What I don't like about it is some things they do that's pure Matsubayashi-Ryu seem counter-intuitive to their adamancy that all things be natural. For instance, a minor detail IMHO, is that in genuine Matsubayashi-Ryu, the chamber position is up in the arm pit. That has never seemed natural to us; it's too tight and puts too much stress on muscles and tendons in the elbows and wrists. The chamber position we teach is bottom rib (not waist or hip) because that serves for a more natural and straight range of motion when striking.

This is interesting. I am still learning the finer points of karate, but I'm really enjoying the way it does go with natural movements - my Sensei has said to me "If it feels awkward it is probably wrong.", and it does often feel better when I am given a correction and apply it. Previously I have done highland dance, where the opposite is true - more trying to contort the body, and it generally has to feel awkward to be right, especially early on. This is refreshing, with karate, to be more natural, and I'm sure will lead to fewer strain and muscle injuries.

Interesting to read about your style chambering so high. I don't think we do that.

Also thank you safroot for the welcome!

That's actually pretty good advice from your Sensei. We're constantly telling our students, when learning new techniques or stances or positions, that "it should feel natural."

A good way to describe Matsubayashi-Ryu, IMHO, is that our style is deep, not long. Meaning, everything from our stances, to our kata syllabus, to our techniques and applications, etc is deep, not long. For instance, for "horse stance", we do not have kiba dachi; we have shiko dachi, jigotai dachi, or naihanchi dachi. Kiba dachi is too wide/long for us.

Yes, our style's chamber position is high and doesn't feel natural; that's why we (our dojo) don't do it It feels more natural to be on the bottom rib... Some styles chamber at the hip or waist, which we don't do, either.

[tallgeese]

The people I train with!

K.

As I was reading thru the thread I had to really agree with this. More than anything the reason I've been in ma so long is because of this.

As to the OP about my style. Originally, I like the fact I was always encouraged to find and learn more. To identify worthwhile tools and (more importantly) integrate them into what I do. It was also heavily designed around principle based training.

Later, I'd learn to love the mindset out of the second style of kempo I trained in. I always consider that I'd have never gotten to this point without the training sensibilities of my core art.

As a downside, neither of these arts had a heavy ground component. That's been integrated now, largely by the constant desire to the school I came out of to adapt. But initially there was none. Groinstrike is in a much better to advise how that process has gone. I've been away awhile.

Doing BJJ so heavily now I love the live roll of it and the art. Above all the art.

On the down side, it's easy to get lulled into the gentle side of the art and forget that at its core you're still training a martial art.