I have a blackbelt in Shorin Ryu. Do you guys consider that a hard or soft style of Karate? I am thinking of studying Shotokan due to the evasive footwork and long distancing. Anybody have any compare and contrast of these 2 styles, etc.
Nobody has anything? Strong style, soft style?
Circular vs Linear movements?
You guys need to take more pride in the TMA forum!
I'm also interested in Shotokan, so subd
Shorin Ryu is a Okinawan MA. Shorter stances and different blocking systems.
Shotokan is the MA Funakoshi modified for the Japanese from the Okinawan systems he trained in. Longer stances (for beginners, under 10 years) more concept of one technique to cause destruction.
This was partially in part to the Japanese distancing/mentality from kendo.
If you read Funaoshi's autobiagrophy he talks about ow he simplified his system for the Japanese as well as modifying the charactersof Karate from Chinese hand to open hand.
jrrrrr, i actually almost bought that the other day. I wish i would have now. Thanks for your post. I am coming full circle as a martial artist. Started in Karate, bit by the MMA, BJJ, UFC bug and now im back to traditional stuff.
Funakoshi modified Shorin Ryu to make Shotokan? I read that Shotokan was an offset of Shorin Ryu.
Shotokan = shorinryu + xingyiquan
Shotokan is a more "gymnsastic" shorinryu modified for the sake of athletic abilities... lower positions, higher kicks, more muscular tension...
Besides shotokan had a great problem; allmost all of the senior instructors died during WWII. There's a generational cut.
Y prefer good shorinryu
like this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fmTVMEtis0
So tonight i heard Tae Kwon Do also comes from Shotokan Karate? And Shotokan Karate came from Shorin Ryu. hmmmm
Yoshida4Life - Are you sure about the XingYiQuan connection?
It's a personal feeling
kokutsu dachi in shotokan is very diferent form the okinawan kokutsu dachi and definitely is more like an athletic Santi
Shuto uke is a fundamental technique that only makes sense if used like pichuan
The concept of kime en shotokan ios quite diferent from okinawan styles. It's more "evident"
There might not be an historical connection but some things ring a bell....
I always thought the influence in Okinawan (hard) styles was said to have come from chuan fa as opposed to an internal style like xinyi.
As I said is a personal feeling.
As if shotokan was imitating the external appearance of XYQ.
Despite being an IMA XYQ external appearance it's quite vigorous.
White crane and chineses southern styles originates okinawan karate... but shotokan is quite different form those styles... in its principles and in its form...
Mike, who is your teacher or better yet who was its founder...Shoshin Nagamine who started my line "matsubayashiryu" (pine forest), or was it Chibana who founded uummm Kobayashiryu(little forest), or was it...uumm the guy who founded Shobayashiryu(small forest)-Shimabubru?
All these are branches of Shorin ryu and pronounce their name Shorin ryu - however Japanese don't reconize this spelling, they would understand you better f you said you practiced "matsu which is "pine" bayashi, which is forest, ryu..Ect.
Also, Sajite: what is the pichuan you're talking about. Just wondering
Kokutsu dachi/back stance, is Shotokan's version of Shorin's cat stance. Where A shorin ryu guy does a cat stance, shotokan puts in a back stance.
You are right, the history is very tough to follow, sometimes you just have to accept one and stick with it, or just go with what your instructor taught you.
The Okinawan's downplayed and even hid or dropped their Chinese roots many years ago. Real tough to get anythjing concrete.
Dont believe everything you read about "history" . Writers research, Opinions added, translations misunderstood, stories, etc.,etc,etc....
In general, the history is interesting, Books are Rarely accurate.
shorin-ryu From the Shuri area of Okinawa is light and fast. Quick liner attacks. Perfect for the small fast person. The Goju styles are from ther Naha section of Okinawa, much more rooted, more circular seeming to hold mre of their Chinese roots.
These two areas are actually right next to each other and there were always fights and challenges from one district to the other. Think hometown football rivals!
Renzo's Elbow - Mike, who is your teacher or better yet who was its founder...Shoshin Nagamine who started my line "matsubayashiryu" (pine forest), or was it Chibana who founded uummm Kobayashiryu(little forest), or was it...uumm the guy who founded Shobayashiryu(small forest)-Shimabubru?
All these are branches of Shorin ryu and pronounce their name Shorin ryu - however Japanese don't reconize this spelling, they would understand you better f you said you practiced "matsu which is "pine" bayashi, which is forest, ryu..Ect.
Also, Sajite: what is the pichuan you're talking about. Just wondering
John Korab, if you google John Korab of Tower City, PA and Joe Lewis you will see the connection. John was one of Joes instructors, the man he credits in teaching him how to spar.
I keep reading different things on different sites about Shorin Ryu. The way i was taught was a distance game and when u go explode hard 100%. Nothing too flashy, hard solid basics. Stay on the edge of the distance all the time.
From my experience, Shorin-ryu had both circular (passai) and straight line (kusanku) movements. Shotokan was more direct.
It seemed that Shorin ryu focused more on body hardening and toughness while Shotokan was a more athletic style.
I'm about to move to Vegas or Calgary in 6 weeks. I've found some cool Karate places in both, mostly Shotokan and Kyokushin. 