Techniques feature one knuckle punches, kicks using the big toe, spear hand that symbolically refer to Tigers Teeth and Crane's beak (moves emulating animal fighting techniques). They also loved deep stances a la Shotokan, and when teaching kata, they would prioritize pretty form, explaining the function later. It is true that it is more difficult to give individual attention to large classes. Kenwa Mabuni, the founder of Shit-ry Karate. Basically, you needpersonal attention directlyfrom asensei. Whereas the deep Japanese stance is designed for competition. Keep up your great work Jesse & don't forget to visit me in Sydney when you come to Australia. It was not the case with the original Okinawan Karate. It has nothing to do with the style. The higher Okinawan stances make so much more sense, from a joint health and fighting perspective. First of all, the movements are so damn strenuous and need lots of corrections in order to do with the correct form and proper execution. Goju-ryu () is one of the main traditional style of Okinawan Karate, featuring a combination of hard and soft techniques. I practice Shotokan, simply because that was the style that most dojo' taught when I started on my journey. Lower and longer stances are taught @JKA not merely to strengthen legs and stamina but to add to the power of a technique. Huh? If you're one of the 10%, ignore it. Whilst Japanese styles may have lost something in the translation so to speak, they have also added. Keep up with the info, it is very useful and instructive. In Wado we want to keep our options more open that is why we teach many applications for each technique in a kata. Great read! Kanryo Higaonna(1853-1915) was known as the highest authority of Naha Te. They are usually made by younger practitioners who have got it all figured out. Shotokan practiced according to the original karate-DO syllabus does have a developed grappling component, not always seen in the typical curriculum, and you know more than I on that score. The International Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate-do Federation (IOGKF) is the largest traditional Okinawan Karate organization in the world. Couldn't agree more. 10. To me the Okinawan lesson is knowing the WHY behind the HOW is what brings one to better training, execution & application of the HOW. Karate () is a martial art developed in the in what is now Okinawa, Japan. Shito Ryu focuses on hard and soft fighting techniques with low and short stances, just like Goju Ryu. Moreover, I consider the style I practice to be among the more rudimentary, IOW not the 'best' by any means. 2022 Jesse Enkamp. Many other kata stances are explored, and the footwork is discussed and explained. I watch tournaments and ask myself - how would you use that technique (what are the Bunkai?)? Karate is a popular Japanese martial arts that was originally developed on the islands of Okinawa, Japan. Ossu! Likewise, if you want to be effective at self-defense or fighting, you must practice it in a realistic way. All of my Kodo-ryu training was focused on pushing hands & kata (we spent most of our time working on Sanchin, Rokushu and Naihanchi) and their applications (in our school, these were far less about kicking, punching and striking and more to do with grip releases, Chin Na and grappling). Herschask them if they will sell you a new gi a piece at a timemaybe get the sleeves , then the rest of the jacket,and then the pants one leg at a time! Maybe that's why there's so many different karate styles--opinions on how to approach karate. samurai centuries ago. those taught this changed kata should be aware that Deep stances are usually taught to beginners. Im studding Goju-Ryu since 1997 with a japanesse sensei(shihan actually) from Yushinkan organitation, in the line of Ganzou Chojun Miyagi and his way to teach is like half japanesse and half Okinawan style, and I can understand everything you said on your article. Bunkai is the analysis and application of kata. God forbid someone's feelings get hurt. at Asato Dojo. Yet at the same time, in contrast to many others, I believe similar to you that the Shotokan karate, done well to proper standards, can be highly effective. Worth mentioning as well, as mentioned by Nagamine-Sensei in some books, are the regional distinctions of katas (Naha-te, Shuri-te, Tomari-te) which is also based mainly on footwork as opposed to what Funakoshi-sensei introduced in mainland Japan (Shorin-ryu, Shorei-ryu) based on body type back in the day. For example, aJapanese sensei will go very deep in details of a kata. Unfortunately, this is the way of Martial Arts these days! This spartan training environment actually adds to the focus of individualization over mass instruction. Japanese styles tends to perform kiba-dachi low and wide, whereas Okinawan styles use a higher and narrower version of it. Home > Okinawa karate > Styles of Okinawan Karate. To me, the traditional karate practitioner, the real question is, " how do I make my karate effective?" My cousin is still over there as we speak.