Grappler starting to look at Karate

[Grapplezilla]

Hi, I am a grappler and have been practicing grappling arts since a youth.

I am finding the older I get, the more appealing Karate is.

When I was a young child, I remember practicing Karate and loving it, I practiced Wado-Kai Karate if you know it.

Now I am older, joints starting to hurt, I still practice BJJ but I am thinking of adding some Karate training.

Any recommendations on what style to look at?

[tatsujin]

Welcome!

I think the selection of your style should be based on what your goals and expected outcomes are...

Why do you want to add karate to your training mix?

You mentioned some joint issues...are the physical results of grappling for so long prompting this search into karate or are you just looking for something "different"?

Are you looking at doing competition (sparring or forms?)? Are you looking for self-defense?

Also, what styles are present in your area? Wado-ryu is a very visually pleasing Japanese style with many kata.

Good luck in your search and post back so we can potentially help you narrow down the options that would best suit what your goals and outcomes are!

[Grapplezilla]

Welcome!

I think the selection of your style should be based on what your goals and expected outcomes are...

Why do you want to add karate to your training mix?

You mentioned some joint issues...are the physical results of grappling for so long prompting this search into karate or are you just looking for something "different"?

Are you looking at doing competition (sparring or forms?)? Are you looking for self-defense?

Also, what styles are present in your area? Wado-ryu is a very visually pleasing Japanese style with many kata.

Good luck in your search and post back so we can potentially help you narrow down the options that would best suit what your goals and outcomes are!

I have been looking at Karate as I have done decades of grappling as well as boxing. What draws me to Karate is more the forms and self defense aspect. I think on top it is the traditional nature of the art, more about self perfection over self preservation.

I believe ideally, I am looking for something different to add on top of what I do as well as something that is not just about brute force and contact.

In my area there are mainly Shotokan and Kyokoshinkai from what I see.

[sensei8]

Welcome to KF, Grapplezilla; glad that you're here!!

Shotokan and Kyokoshinkai are effective styles, and either would complement your background. Of the two, I'd choose Kyokoshinkai due to its nature of contact; one has to experience before one can apply effectively.

[tatsujin]

I have been looking at Karate as I have done decades of grappling as well as boxing. What draws me to Karate is more the forms and self defense aspect. I think on top it is the traditional nature of the art, more about self perfection over self preservation.

I believe ideally, I am looking for something different to add on top of what I do as well as something that is not just about brute force and contact.

In my area there are mainly Shotokan and Kyokoshinkai from what I see.

Ah! That helps quite a bit!

Way back in the day, Shotokan was an early art that I studied and eventually was awarded a Yondan rank (4th degree).

If you are looking for self-perfection and kata, then I would certainly go with Shotokan.

Kyokoshin-Kai is very much "brute force" as the main aim of most of their dojo are heavy sparring. That is not to say that they do not have kata. Nor does it mean that you cannot achieve a level of self-perfection. Just that the overall vehicle with Kyokoshin is go to revolve around sparring (kumite).

Depending on how you define "traditional", you might look to Okinawan based styles (Goju-ryu, Shorin-ryu, etc.). Okinawan martial arts were "changed" when they made the migration to mainland Japan. The more traditional Okinawan arts are more concerned with the combative aspects of the art (self-protection) and, assuming you are in the right school, will have techniques that are going to be more directly applicable to self-protection. The kata are certainly there as well. Most of them will be a bit different than what you will find in something like Shotokan.

Good luck and let us know what you decide!

Edited January 19, 2022 by tatsujin

[Himokiri Karate]

Hi, I am a grappler and have been practicing grappling arts since a youth.

I am finding the older I get, the more appealing Karate is.

When I was a young child, I remember practicing Karate and loving it, I practiced Wado-Kai Karate if you know it.

Now I am older, joints starting to hurt, I still practice BJJ but I am thinking of adding some Karate training.

Any recommendations on what style to look at?

Tang Soo Do/Korean Karate or Kyokushin. These are the two styles that I have seen use grappling. I incorporate sambo moves to my Tang Soo Do/Korean Karate.

That being said, its important to note that...

Karate grappling is ALSO very dependent on individual sensei or dojo. Not all Tang Soo Do/Korean Karate or Kyokushin karate dojos are going to incorporate grappling. So you have to talk to the sensei to learn about their curriculum. Kyokushin is the most consistent curriculum but Korean Karate is more freestyle since sometimes it can look like Shotokan or Taekwondo Some taekwondo dojangs grappling comes through hapkido and some Kyokushin sensei's use judo as their grappling style.

IMPORTANT:

 

Regardless which style of karate you choose, make sure you learn to...Sweep The Leg!

Assaaaahh!!!!

[Grapplezilla]

Hi guys,

Some really good advice here, I am going to look at a few places and check out some clubs in the next months (after I finish my renos on my house).

One last question, I keep on seeing a lot of Karate styles end with the word Ryu and some end with Kai, sometimes with the same name at the beginning, an example would be Wado-Ryu and Wado-Kai. Are these in essence the same style buy with a different emphasis due to the naming?

[Grapplezilla]

Welcome to KF, Grapplezilla; glad that you're here!!

Shotokan and Kyokoshinkai are effective styles, and either would complement your background. Of the two, I'd choose Kyokoshinkai due to its nature of contact; one has to experience before one can apply effectively.

Thank you very much sensei8, much appreciated.

[Grapplezilla]

I have been looking at Karate as I have done decades of grappling as well as boxing. What draws me to Karate is more the forms and self defense aspect. I think on top it is the traditional nature of the art, more about self perfection over self preservation.

I believe ideally, I am looking for something different to add on top of what I do as well as something that is not just about brute force and contact.

In my area there are mainly Shotokan and Kyokoshinkai from what I see.

Ah! That helps quite a bit!

Way back in the day, Shotokan was an early art that I studied and eventually was awarded a Yondan rank (4th degree).

If you are looking for self-perfection and kata, then I would certainly go with Shotokan.

Kyokoshin-Kai is very much "brute force" as the main aim of most of their dojo are heavy sparring. That is not to say that they do not have kata. Nor does it mean that you cannot achieve a level of self-perfection. Just that the overall vehicle with Kyokoshin is go to revolve around sparring (kumite).

Depending on how you define "traditional", you might look to Okinawan based styles (Goju-ryu, Shorin-ryu, etc.). Okinawan martial arts were "changed" when they made the migration to mainland Japan. The more traditional Okinawan arts are more concerned with the combative aspects of the art (self-protection) and, assuming you are in the right school, will have techniques that are going to be more directly applicable to self-protection. The kata are certainly there as well. Most of them will be a bit different than what you will find in something like Shotokan.

Good luck and let us know what you decide!

Thank you for the info, very cool and interesting!

[Grapplezilla]

Hi, I am a grappler and have been practicing grappling arts since a youth.

I am finding the older I get, the more appealing Karate is.

When I was a young child, I remember practicing Karate and loving it, I practiced Wado-Kai Karate if you know it.

Now I am older, joints starting to hurt, I still practice BJJ but I am thinking of adding some Karate training.

Any recommendations on what style to look at?

Tang Soo Do/Korean Karate or Kyokushin. These are the two styles that I have seen use grappling. I incorporate sambo moves to my Tang Soo Do/Korean Karate.

That being said, its important to note that...

Karate grappling is ALSO very dependent on individual sensei or dojo. Not all Tang Soo Do/Korean Karate or Kyokushin karate dojos are going to incorporate grappling. So you have to talk to the sensei to learn about their curriculum. Kyokushin is the most consistent curriculum but Korean Karate is more freestyle since sometimes it can look like Shotokan or Taekwondo Some taekwondo dojangs grappling comes through hapkido and some Kyokushin sensei's use judo as their grappling style.

IMPORTANT:

 

Regardless which style of karate you choose, make sure you learn to...Sweep The Leg!

Assaaaahh!!!!

Thanks for the info, much appreciated!