Mixing styles

[Guest]

Some believe mixing styles is a violation of tradition. Some believe it remove's the style's character. Others believe that if it works, then use it.

 

What do you think?

[Sho-ju]

Some believe mixing styles is a violation of tradition. Some believe it remove's the style's character. Others believe that if it works, then use it.

 

What do you think?

 

Mix it up after you have a solid base in one ryu.

[Kirves]

Most of the styles are already mixed! Originally one kata was one style. Then karateka learned several kata when they met the different masters. Usually they learned from masters living nearby and so local styles like Shuri-te, Naha-te and Tomari-te came to be and each style contained several kata. And now these styles have been mixed into ryu-ha like Shorin-ryu and Goju-ryu. And now the ryu-ha have been mixed for nearly a century. Isshin-ryu is a mixture of Shorin-ryu and Goju-ryu. Kyokushinkai is a mixture of Shotokan and Goju-ryu. And now different arts have been mixed into the ryu-ha, like Wado-ryu mixes Shotokan karate with Japanese jujutsu.

[Guest]

Ah hah! This is known to be true, but this is an opinion thread. What is your opinion of mixing styles now, since most of the styles we practice have matured? If you were an instructor (perhaps you are) and you found this great kata from another system would you add it to your own curriculum?

[Kirves]

My opinion is that the styles are never mature. Times change, people change, laws change, and so on. People like to do their thing and this shapes their teachings. Change is inevitable. That's my opinion. Edited August 27, 2003 by Kirves

[Guest]

It is my opinion that, although styles must evolve to remain viable, one should use extreme caution when introducing elements of another style into your own. The reason why a style works is because the style has solid principles that it has been built on. Now if you introduce elements into your style that do not rely on, or even worse, violate these principles, then you may just be diluting it.

[telsun]

I would not intoduce a new kata to the curriculum that I study as there is plenty to study already.

 

However I would introduce techniques from other styles to fill the gaps in the style that I teach/practice.

[karatekid1975]

I like traditional arts, BUT every school I trained at was mixed. I did TSD, Hapkido and a little Muay Thai kickboxing. My boyfriend's school (which I trained at for a while) mixes TKD and Kung Fu. My school mixes TKD, kali and other stuff. It all depends on the instructor.

 

As far as kata/forms, When I did TSD, I looked at other arts to see what kata they did. They all did the same kata! They were slightly different, but they were the same forms.

Edited August 5, 2003 by karatekid1975

[Shotokan_Fighter]

i do not think that mixing styles is a good thing, to some it may, but to me its not. I belive that a person will be a better fighter by dedicating there life to one style, instead of many different styles.

[Ti]

i do not think that mixing styles is a good thing, to some it may, but to me its not. I belive that a person will be a better fighter by dedicating there life to one style, instead of many different styles.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

 

The tree that does not bend to the wind will break, but the tree that flexes will not.

 

Always mix it up.