Super new and switching styles

afrivolouscake · White Belt

Hello everyone,

I actually just started with Karate at the beginning of the semester. I took a one unit course in Shotokan Karate to force myself to get exercise and I found that I really enjoyed it. I've been looking into dojos in my area and I've found one that has several different kinds of martial arts classes (karate, aikijujutsu, kobudo, etc...) which I'm interested in (I don't have the available units to take the class again next semester). The thing is that they teach Goju Ryu Karate. I was wondering how hard it is to switch between styles (or if it won't be particularly difficult since I have so little experience in anything anyway). Thanks for any replies!
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"And this gray spirit yearning in desire
To follow knowledge like a sinking star,
Beyond the utmost bound of human thought."
- Ulysses by Alfred Lord Tennyson

Oshishinobu · Orange Belt

Spartacus Maximus · Black Belt

There is nothing to worry about when switching styles or schools early. Going from one system to a completely different one is most difficult when one has been doing the first for several years. Over time habits develop and the longer they have set in the more difficult it is to change them.

afrivolouscake · White Belt

Thanks guys!
_________________
"And this gray spirit yearning in desire
To follow knowledge like a sinking star,
Beyond the utmost bound of human thought."
- Ulysses by Alfred Lord Tennyson

cathal · Black Belt

Changing styles isn't bad. It'll give you a chance to check something new out. Maybe you'll find you have a higher aptitude for the new style, enjoy the people more, etc. THere's a lot of reasons why you may like a new dojo better. There's always the option to go back to where you were anyway.

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The best victory is when the opponent surrenders
of its own accord before there are any actual
hostilities...It is best to win without fighting.
- Sun-tzu

lowereastside · Orange Belt

Nothing wrong with switching Styles. You have to find what suits you. I went from Boxing to Karate to Self defense and finally Kung Fu with some cross training in Chinese grappling and Kali with friends. The bottom line is do what makes you happy.

Nidan Melbourne · KF Sempai

Switching Styles are fine, you will just take a little bit of time to get used to some slight differences in kihon.

The kohkotsu Dachi you are used to is different in Goju-Ryu. It is basicallly a variation of zenkutsu dachi (Deep-Lunging Stance/Forward Stance)

Spartacus Maximus · Black Belt

Although switching to a new system maybe a good idea, one should be careful not to switch too soon or too often. To gain any proficiency in one system takes time and choosing what to learn must be a well thought out decision.

ByTheWay · White Belt

Its fine, even though Karate have a lot of style the basics still same. And you are lucky that your first style is Shotokan, because the mother of Goju-ryu is Shorei-ryu. And the mother of Shotokan also Shorei-ryu. Gichin Funakoshi the founder of modern Karate-do have two teachers, the first from Shorei-ryu called Anko Asato, and the second from Shorin-ryu called Anko Itosu.
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"There's no instant strength there's only intense training" by my Sensei

"Again I say that this is as it should be. There is no place in contemporary Karate-dõ for different style. Some instructors, I know, claim to have invented new and unusual kata, and so they arrogate to themselves the right to be called founders of "style". Indeed, I have heard myself and my colleagues referred to as the Shõtõ-kan style, but I strongly object to this attempt at classification. My belief is that all these “style” should be amalgamated into one so that Karate-dõ may pursue an orderly and useful progress into man’s future." by Gichin Funakoshi

sensei8 · KF Sensei

Great responses, all!! I'd just like to add to these excellent replies, the longer ones been involved in one style, the more difficult it is to make those required changes, and accepting the new methodologies and ideologies of the new style. Not impossible, just difficult in the short and long of it all.

Good news for you is that you've not years in Shotokan, just mere months. Therefore, changing from Shotokan to Goju won't be such a big deal; you'll have no preconceived notions about either.

Good luck with Goju...train hard!!

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