Isshinryu vs Tae Kwon Do?

Lupin1 · Black Belt

So I'm in the process of moving to my new job in the middle of no where (I'm actually writing this from a hotel room with two days down on my drive and two to go) and the only karate school within a two hour drive of where I'm moving is a tae kwon do school 40 minutes away. I'm not sure if I want to join as I have to do more research and look at all the factors, but if I do join, what are some of the differences and challenges I can expect going from Isshinryu and Tae Kwon Do?

sensei8 · KF Sensei

I'm of the crowd that says that Karate and TKD are more like day and night; complete opposites, and as the saying goes...opposites attract. This might or might not be the case, but, I believe that they'll, each in their own ways, compliment one another instead of detracting one from the other.

Some say that Karate is, including Isshinryu, is 50% hands and 50% kicking, and others will say that Karate is 60% hands and 40% feet, and even still more, some will say that Karate is 80% hands and 20% feet. Whereas, it's mutually agreed by TKD practitioners across the world that TKD is 80% feet and 20% hands, as it was taught to me by GM Young Ik Suh.

Having said that, I offer the following to you...

Trying to say Karate is so much hands versus so much feet is like saying all apples are the same. In the Okinawin styles there are huge variances. Some use more hands, some use more feet. Some use the majority of open hands, others closed. Some use thrusting kicks, others use snapping kicks. there are styles that do mainly circular blocks and others that use more linear blocks. There are hard styles and soft styles of karate. As you're more than aware of, Isshinryu is a blending of a harder and a softer style of karate. It is very realistic and self defene oriented, but no better than any of the others.

What I've always found unique about Isshinryu is how they employ the vertical-fist punch; thumb on top of the fist. It's a very fast punch, imho, compared to the corkscrew style punches of many Karate styles. I've also liked how Isshinryu blocks with their muscles and not their bones. One last thing that I've liked about Isshinryu is that the kicks they employ use a snapping motion instead of the thrust and follow through of many Karate styles.

Now, what I've always found unique about TKD is their many kicks; especially what I refer to a sneaky kicking. Turn around Roundhouse, Step away Roundhouse, and the Axe kick. Some of the TKD aerial kicks were the bane of my existence as well. These sneaky kicks introduced themselves to me via the way of my face, with no defense because I never ever saw these kicks until I was facing them in open tournaments in California. I mean, why not, the leg is the longest weapon, so, why not. Btw, these "sneaky" kicks haven't been my nemisis for quite along time.

TKD and Isshinryu Forms/Kata are what they are, and by that I mean, both exist within each of these styles. Now, what I don't like about TKD forms is that Bunkai isn't as evident to me as Bunkai is evident to Karate. Possibly, TKD teaches their form of Bunkai to more advanced ranks, Brown/Red/Black because I only earned a green belt and I wasn't shown one Bunkai or the like in TKD. My daughter tried ATA, and I didn't see any Bunkai form taught and the forms appeared disjointed TO ME!

Nonetheless, I'm not very well versed in either and by that I mean that I'm not a practitioner of either. Although I took tkd for a year when I was in high school; advancing to green belt under GM Young Ik Suh. I've no formal training in Isshinryu; I've studied it from afar as well as I've trained with many Isshinryu practitioners in an exchange environment, this [exchanging of ideas, theories, methodologies and the like] still continues as well as with TKD. Therefore, anything I impart here can be helpful, and if that is the case, I'm glad to have been of some help. If what I impart here is of no use to you at all; please accept my sincere apologies and discard it accordingly.

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StrangeBacon · Orange Belt

Just out of interest what types of school are they, your Isshinryu school and this new one? Large organisations or small run ones, i ask because the main difference i can think of is the style of teaching the tuition i have now in our smaller dojo is much more productive than when i did kickboxing in a large hall with maybe 20+ students.

The sticking point is usually down to the student anyway, theres lots of styles but when you boil it all down a kick is a kick and a punch is a punch, im sure if you're willing to train and keep an open mind you'll be able to do just as well.

Must have been hard leaving your old dojo due to a job though

_________________
"Get beyond violence, yet learn to understand its ways"

"Seek peace in every moment, yet be prepared to defend your very being"

"Does the river dwell on how long it will take to become the ocean..." - Sensei Bruce Payne

www.shinkido.co.uk

StrangeBacon · Orange Belt

Solid post Sensei8, posted as i was writing mine, just pipped me to the post

_________________
"Get beyond violence, yet learn to understand its ways"

"Seek peace in every moment, yet be prepared to defend your very being"

"Does the river dwell on how long it will take to become the ocean..." - Sensei Bruce Payne

www.shinkido.co.uk

DWx · Black Belt

The Taekwondo will depend on which style too. Just as Isshinryu is different from Shotokan which is different from Wado ryu, Taekwondo comes in a whole range of "styles" too. ITF style differs greatly from WTF style and the smaller styles such as ATA are totally different too. You wouldn't happen to know what the TKD is?

isshinryu5toforever · Black Belt

As someone that transitioned from Isshinryu to Jidokwan (WTF) Taekwondo, I can tell you Taekwondo will definitely help your kicks. It will help you build dynamic kicking ability, your creativity, and your leg strength. I'd say give Taekwondo a shot, with an open mind of course, and take from it what you want if you plan on going back to Isshinryu at a later date.
_________________
He who knows others is wise. He who knows himself is enlightened.
- Tao Te Ching

"Move as swift as a wind, stay as silent as forest, attack as fierce as fire, undefeatable defense like a mountain."
- Sun Tzu, the Art of War

bushido_man96 · KF Sensei

You will definitely pick up some kicking ideas in TKD. Some may not seem practical at first, but when you see how some work as counters, you will be pleasantly surprised. The lead leg side kick is also a great kick, for offense and defense.

WTF TKD competitions can fight to a knockout, and wear protective gear and chest protectors. ITF style allows hands to the head. As for applications, it will depend on the school, but for many there isn't much there. The forms are more for technique building and curriculum requirements.

I've loved it for a long time, and given a chance, you may grow to love it, too.
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kamahlthedruid · Orange Belt

Does the South Korean military ROK use wtf taekwondo? These fighters look really deadly.

bushido_man96 · KF Sensei

dwarf2 · Yellow Belt

depending on who is your teacher, they could be similar in a lot of ways and the first thing would been the language barrier, kata that you have done may be so much like poomse, that it gets in the way, also sparring would be more kicks as where the type of karate you practice might be more 50 50 with hands and feet . tae kwon do styles are different from each other too. moo duk kwan is a type within what is called tae kwon do this one i studied for years . The inventor of this style studied Taekkyon, tai chi and studied out of Gichin Funakosh's books, so there is a lot of things to see in korean arts .

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