Shotokan and Goju-Ryu

[massai]

Hi everyone. I am presently studying Hapkido and hopefully will be studying Jujutsu and Judo. I would also love to learn and practice Karate. Can somebody please tell me more about Shotokan and Goju-Ryu. Which style would you recommended I study, what are the differences between these styles(basics, kata, training, etc.) and will studying a hard style affect my training? Thanks.
:bow:

"Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend"
Martin Luther King Jr.

[Spartan]

Sign your real name. For a moment there I thought you were actaully MLK's son or grandson :D

[massai]

Sorry about that :D

[OkinawaGojuRyu]

Les ,

I hold Dan rank in both Shotokan , and Goju Ryu ; So , I can give you an honest opinion . I personally would reccomend Goju Ryu . Reason being , as the name indicates , it means hard/soft style . Whereas Shotokan is very hard , & linear . Also , true traditional Okinawa Goju Ryu is very deep , not wide . We do , Kakie which is a form of push hands , which goes into different loocks , throws , etc , which would go well w/ your Hapkido ; we also do bunkai , applications of the movements from within the Kata ; Body conditioning , & Hojo Undo - exercises done w/ traditional OKinawan weights .

David Somers
www.angelfire.com/fl5/okinawagojuryu
www.okinawagojuryu.org

[Ron Rompen]

I don't have the experience that David does, but I have studied both arts (Hap Ki Do and Goju Ryu (Japanese)) and I agree that they complement each other.

However, I would strongly urge you to limit yourself to ONE martial art at a time, at least for a few years. Get to know your current art well, before trying to add something new.

One of the most difficult problems that I found when I started Goju was the chamber hand.....much higher than what I was used to, and I -=STILL=- don't do it right.

[2groggy]

I'm looking at this from another angle. Goju Ryu is all that I've ever studied. what does Hapkido have that Goju doesn't? More grappling? More throws? More joint locks? Once I get my Shodan, I'll probably look into cross training involving more of those topics.

Greg Dow

[massai]

Greg
I dont know much about Goju Ryu so I cant exactly tell you the diffrence between Goju Ryu and Hapkido. Traditional Hapkido is based on Daito Ryu Aikijutsu blended with the kicks of Tae Kyon( A traditional Korean Martial arts on which Taekwondo is based). It is considered a "soft" art and has a wide range of joint locks, throws, grappling, striking and kicking techniques. I hope this information helps you out Greg.

[potentpoefie]

wide range of joint locks, throws, grappling, striking and kicking techniques

Then I will have to agree with David. Goju will defenitely complement your training.

Been doing Goju for a long time and I must say I am a big fan. Have tried other styles and other martial arts but I always seem to get back to Goju.

[massai]

okinawagojuryu
Whereas Shotokan is very hard , & linear . Also , true traditional Okinawa Goju Ryu is very deep , not wide
What do you mean by deep?

[OkinawaGojuRyu]

Many other styles have 20+ Kata in the system , whereas in Okinawa Goju Ryu Karate Do there are only 12 . We do have other things though , that other styles do not have ; Such as Junbi Undo - traditional warm ups taken from movements within the Kata , Hojo Undo-Supplementary exercises done w/ traditional Okinawan weights , & other training devices , Kakie-push hands , Kotekitaie-Body Conditioning , & there's a wealth of information within the Kata , as well . That is why Goju is deep , but not wide .

David

[SabbathKeeper]

Then I will have to agree with David. Goju will defenitely complement your training.

Been doing Goju for a long time and I must say I am a big fan. Have tried other styles and other martial arts but I always seem to get back to Goju.

Personally, if you already have experience witha soft art I'd go with Shotokan-ryu. If you'd like a look at some of the katas email me and I upload the videos to you.

[potentpoefie]

Personally, if you already have experience witha soft art I'd go with Shotokan-ryu. If you'd like a look at some of the katas email me and I upload the videos to you.

Thanks.

But I think I will stay right where I am, thanks. I like the more traditional arts and Goju just gives this to you. Like it was mentioned before. It is a very deep syllabus. It offers me Traditional Karate, practical selfdefence (using bungai (spelling?)) and I don't seem to be lacking in the Kumute effents either. (Being a SA Goju Champ in my division and made it to the all styles SA Karate team selection tournament and am a part of the provintional team)

Not that was explicit bragging :D Sorry.

So I think Goju serves me just fine.

[massai]

Thanks alot. Your advice has been very useful. :cool:

[J4d3]

the dojo i attend is going to incorporate goju in its curriculum so i'm excited about that i've been interested in the art for a little while.we have 12 sets from naha te that have been a standard practice as well.

[OkinawaGojuRyu]

You wrote "we have 12 sets from naha te that have been a standard practice as well."
Then you've probably been doin Goju Ryu all along , since in Goju we have 12 Kata , in the system .
What part of FL are you from , I'm from Tampa , & would'nt mind checking out what you guys do.

David

[maxwell]

I don't have the experience that David does, but I have studied both arts (Hap Ki Do and Goju Ryu (Japanese)) and I agree that they complement each other.

.

Well , if one already studied the soft art (Hapkido) , why he better take another soft art (Goju Ryu) ... Well my opinion, if one have a chance to take 2 MA Class , one class should be the hard art ( like Shotokan or TKD ) and the other class should be the soft art ( like Hapkido or Aikido ) .... Hard and soft makes a complete MA
Correct me if i am wrong
:)

Maxwell Lee

[OkinawaGojuRyu]

Goju Ryu means Hard Soft style . It is a blend of hard , & soft . We block soft , & hit hard , as the ol' saying goes. I think if a person was a Hapkido stylist , they would really enjoy Kakie , which is an agreesive form of push hands in Goju Ryu , that we go into different locks , holds , throws , etc.

[CEB]

Study with the best teacher. Work out with the best dojo.

E Boyd

[Gene Williams]

Ed's right. It is the sensei and the dojo more than the style. However, if I were counselling someone who had many equally good choices available, I would send them to Goju. It has a longer lineage, a solid tradition of strong fundamentals and kata, and a balance of approaches to self defense. I do like Shotokan. I believe that Shotokan's primary contribution to karate is its emphasis on one powerful, direct technique. I also like their stances as shown in the book, "Karate-Do: The Art of Empty Hand Fighting," by Nishiyama and Brown. Nishiyama has the cleanest stances of anyone I have ever seen. I'm Shito-ryu, but I encourage all my students to buy this book and try to mirror Nishiyama's stances (except for back stance, which we do not use).

[TonyU]

I could make the same arguments in support of ShorinRyu.

[Gene Williams]

True enough. Shorin is probably closest to Shito-ryu. We train with them some. I didn't argue for Shito-ryu because I didn't want to show my style bias. Generally speaking, my experience has been that Goju has maintained their identity a little better than many other ryu. Any traditional ryu, properly taught and diligently followed will do the job.

[TonyU]

Nothing wrong with being a little biased either. ;)

[Gene Williams]

You could combine Shotokan and Goju and have "Gotokan," or "Shogoju." Then you could be a soke and have thirty seven patches on your gi, 10 pounds of gold chain around your neck, and 40 pounds of gut hanging over your belt. You could do "one touch knockouts," "ki strikes," and make up your own kata and give them dumb names like "Dragon 1." Start a school, write a book, claim a long lineage going back to Won Hung Lo, seventh son of the Yellow Dog. Get rich. Be cool. :karate:

[CEB]

You could combine Shotokan and Goju and have "Gotokan," or "Shogoju." .... :karate:

I thought Mabuni did that. :D

Ed Boyd

[Gene Williams]

Hi Ed, No, Mabuni combined Naha and Shuri kata and Itosu and Higaonna's names. I still like Gotokan. You could combine Uechi and Shitoryu and get Uechi...well, never mind. :D