any merit in studying two different styles of karate?

Discussion in 'Karate' started by furinkazan, Jun 10, 2014.

  1. furinkazan

    furinkazan Valued Member

    Just passing thoughts. Say you wanted to learn about the distinguishing differences between Goju Ryu and Shotokan, and had the chance to learn both at the same time, is this advisable?

    I can see it being interesting, but I wonder how much of the kata learning would be impacted by any subtle differences if they are as similar as I hear.

    Anyone studied two kinds at once?
     
  2. 47MartialMan

    47MartialMan Valued Member

    I wouldn't recommend it. I would recommend studying Goju first
     
  3. furinkazan

    furinkazan Valued Member

    I've started Goju this week actually, I suppose learning two could be difficult, more so than my other styles since they all differ in some ways, but can be crossed over in other ways.

    I guess if I wanted to understand the differences, I could just pick up a book on one of them to see a few differences?
     
  4. Fish Of Doom

    Fish Of Doom Will : Mind : Motion Supporter

    depends. the basic techniques are in mostly the same ones, but executed differently, ans have both enough similarities an enough differences that if you already have TMA experience you shouldn't have too much trouble. there are no shared kata between vanilla goju and shotokan (although SKIF has seienchin and seipai introduced at the advanced level, much as some shoto purists within SKIF like to pretend it hasn't happened :p). goju movement is perhaps a bit more nuanced than shoto movement (although good shoto movement isn't easy either), so i agree that goju first would probably be more beneficial (particularly as some of the goju nuances blend well with some shoto things).

    really though, krotty is krotty for the most part, so unless one of the two sensei has a complaint about it, and as long as you can deal with having to keep the styles separate when necessary, so it's not as big of a deal as many fear or assume.
     
  5. Ben Gash CLF

    Ben Gash CLF Valued Member

    Worked for Funakoshi ;)
     
  6. YouKnowWho

    YouKnowWho Valued Member

    Why do you want to learn 2 styles that are similar?
     
  7. furinkazan

    furinkazan Valued Member

    Curiosity to learn what makes them different?
     
  8. Dan93

    Dan93 Valued Member

    Shotokan works mostly at long range and is very linear in delivery, Goju is from what I have seen/read ( karate wise I have only studied Shotokan/Kyokushin) works at a more close range and is more circular. Waza will be similar through...

    Personally I would pick one system and cross train in a grappling system like Judo or a full contact system i.e Muay Thai as I feel the benefits of this would be greater than training two Karate systems IMO unless you have a kata fetish...
     
  9. MaxSmith

    MaxSmith Valued Member

    Judo and karate tend to compliment each other nicely. I'd eventually add BJJ to that, but that's just me :p

    The thing about Judo is that is provides a nice transition to the ground from the clinch. And instead of posting yet another Machida or Rousey clip, here's a kid who's really slick at doing exactly that...

    [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zEu7hc_9FI"]Judo Throws at Karate Tournament - YouTube[/ame]
     
  10. furinkazan

    furinkazan Valued Member

    kata isn't what really interests me really, just seeing how styles are and what differentiates and makes them similar to one another. I'm currently training in other styles at the same time (escrima for weapons, bujinkan out of interest and it being pretty well rounded in subjects, goju ryu for aliveness and striking, brazilian juijitsu for ground work, boxing for striking speed and power)

    so I'm more interested in the differences of them really, seeing what they have to offer in regards to making me more efficient in broad subjects.
     
  11. Fish Of Doom

    Fish Of Doom Will : Mind : Motion Supporter

    "kata isn't what really interests me really, just seeing how styles are and what differentiates and makes them similar to one another"

    this does not compute. kata are a HUGE part of that.
     
  12. furinkazan

    furinkazan Valued Member

    perhaps I should rephrase. Kata is all well and good, but I wouldnt run a kata start to finish in an emergency situation or in a ring. Kata are a teaching tool for the footwork and techniques for the individual to find. I'm concerned more with the techniques as individual elements. Probably comes from my time in seminars in other arts while studying ninjutsu primarily, and having lots of moments like this:

    Ok so that technique is like X that we did at class the other week, but the footwork is different. He lands differently in relation to the throw. Is this position better or worse to subdue a target, does it put the individual at greater or lower risk?

    Im a strong supporter of the 'absorb what is useful and discard what isn't' Bruce Lee attitude. That includes looking at different styles and comparing how they do things differently and if different styles do the same techniques better than what I study, so I can optimize :) That means breaking down each kata to their individual techniques, rather than as a collective sequence.
     
    Last edited: Jun 14, 2014
  13. GaryWado

    GaryWado Tired

    Depends what you want to get from your Karate training.

    If aspiring to achieve technical proficiency is your goal, then training two at a time won't help.

    If you just want to kick and punch things however...
     
  14. Hannibal

    Hannibal Cry HAVOC and let slip the Dogs of War!!! Supporter

    Do muay thai :evil: :woo:
     
  15. matveimediaarts

    matveimediaarts Underappreciated genius

    This^^ But, I'm bad at kata, so trying to learn more than one karate syllabus at a time would confuzzle me. In my experience, they're all pretty similar except for the tiny details like exactly how to make a fist or han zen kutsu. If you're exceedingly good at kata, maybe 2+ styles is good for you. Also, I've noticed that some dojos do more kumite than others. I'm not sure if that's style-specific or dojo-specific, but it's something to consider.

    ETA: if you're into competition, style is no big deal. Nobody asks you about your style (though they may ask who your sensei is/was)...they'll take your money and send you onto the mat. :)
     
    Last edited: Jun 17, 2014
  16. GaryWado

    GaryWado Tired

    Yep!
     
  17. GaryWado

    GaryWado Tired

    TBH, that's probably the one thing that is (or at least should be) consistant amoungst styles.
     
  18. matveimediaarts

    matveimediaarts Underappreciated genius

    My shihan demonstrated a few methods aside from ****o-Ryu, and I was rather surprised at how different they were. The goju fist, iirc, is done in a way that looked like it would hurt my wrist/hand if I tried it because the middle knuckle is held out slightly in front of the others. But the differences are mostly really subtle and you'd only know the difference if you had a well-trained eye for it.
     
  19. GaryWado

    GaryWado Tired

    There are different hand positions for different reasons, but that is not a style / school based thing.

    Some systems have a broader spectrum of fist formations than others within their syllabus but it does not necessarily make it unique to them.
     
    Last edited: Jun 17, 2014
  20. GaryWado

    GaryWado Tired

    I think my point is that differences in karate ryu-ha are more to do with how you move and why you move in the way you do.

    Different training modalities ie Kihon, Kata, Bunkai, Oyo, Jiyu Kumite etc., etc…. And to what extent +/- these are used in order to realise the end result.

    Rather than the shape your hand is making on the end of your wrist.
     

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