Help me choose!

koreantiger81 · Blue Belt

I'm a tae kwon do stylist. I like to do I.t.f sparring. (non-olympic) In I.T.F sparring, you can punch to the head and also use kicks. well, i've moved to a new city. I can't find an I.T.F school. My 2nd choice is to look for a Karate school. I don't know much about Karate. All I know is you guys wear pants that don't fit u.

(Why are your pants to your knees? Tradition???) Anyway, what kind of style of karate do you recommend me taking? Shotokan?goru???? waido kai????
also, do you do full contact or semi-contact sparring? and do you do continuous or point sparring? :???:

[ This Message was edited by: koreantiger81 on 2002-07-22 07:53 ]

Eye of the Tiger · Purple Belt

Check out http://www.24fightingchickens.com
and go onto shotokan 101, and then click on what is Karate, and scroll down the page and gives you definitions of the different styles. Of and what do you mean pants that dont fit us?

You try saying that to a karate student and you'l see just what they can do with that style.

Taikudo-ka · Green Belt

TKD came from Shotokan, so that could be your best bet. I believe it has evolved a bit though...

Goju is very different, and much more influenced by Chinese Kung Fu. It is also a lot closer to the original Naha-Te style. More close fighting methods and stances, grappling, circular moves and footwork, etc. Some parts of the kata look almost like Tai Chi, but then the karateka suddenly explodes into action.

BlueDragon1981 · Red Belt

Check out each school and see what you like and dislike about them. By the way my pants fit me.

(actually they are to big)

Foxy Lady · White Belt

The way to choose the right Martial art is to pick the Art for himself. One must listen to his deepest instint as that is the force that will determin your true fighters force.

shaolinprincess · Orange Belt

Hey, in my Karate class our pants fit us to the ground. We also do full contact sparring. It's great. But once in a while we do a points sparring competiotion. It is a Shorin Ryu style. Wado Ryu would also be a good Karate choice.

_________________
It's what you put into it...
1st kyu-Okinawa Shorin Ryu Matsumura Seito Federation

Kensai · Black Belt

The closet MA to TKD is Shotokan, which is what General Choi based TKD on.

Personally I would go with a different kobudo, if that is what you are looking for.

Be Well

rabid hamster · Purple Belt

hmm, well personaly i wouldn't pick karate if my other art is tkd, i would probably pick an art that's much more different, but that's just me...

Taikudo-ka · Green Belt

BTW, this garbage about the pants...?

Here's the thing:

The first dogi like clothing in use was generally short - short, above the knee pants and a short sleeve kimono. This can be seen in some old photos. It gradually got longer. I think the length was extended to cover knees and elbows to protect them from grazing. The style was like modern 3/4 length pants, and a similar jacket.

I think the modern full length dogi evolved later from competition, where the long pants and jacket just looked better, more "formal".

However, for real training, many people prefer either the more traditional shorter length, or just to roll up the pants or sleeves, so they don't get in the way. It's very frustrating to try a front-kick and get your toe stuck in the end of your long, wide pants.

Then again, maybe they are just wearing a "Japanese cut" that's too short for their long western legs?

[ This Message was edited by: Taikudo-ka on 2002-07-25 00:20 ]

rabid hamster · Purple Belt

"Then again, maybe they are just wearing a "Japanese cut" that's too short for their long western legs? "

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