The close distance helps in using both the hands and the legs and exerting more power to the strikes. Shotokan, however, lacks in all this. Therefore, when the question of self-defense arises, Kyokushin Karate, undoubtedly, has the upper hand. Fig: A comparative chart showing the popularity of Kyokushin and Shotokan Karate over a span of five years in the United States.
In the chart above, the blue line is representative of Shotokan Karate, and the red is representative of Kyokushin Karate. This picture speaks in favor of the Shotokan style, which has remained considerably more popular in the first three years.
But, if you notice carefully, we see that both are somewhat in terms of popularity in the last two years. Shotokan Karate is more comfortable to learn as it does not require as much rigorous training regimen as Kyokushin does.
It can be taught to children as well, and therefore it is more popular than the other. The rise in the trend in favor of Kyokushin Karate might be because of the fact that people are realizing that it is indeed better for self-defense and will help you escape an unpleasant situation. Shotokan Karate takes around three and a half to five years to learn. While Kyokushin Karate, on the other hand, takes approximately four and a half to seven years to learn.
This comparison is based on how much time does it take to reach the black belt. Now that we have finally arrived at the most critical question, it is important to keep a few things in mind before making a decision. If you want to go all-in and downright aggressive something, Kyokushin Karate is your pick.
Remember, it is going to be a tough one. The fighting stance in both are different. Shotokan are non to semi-contact while Kyokushin is a full-contact martial art.
It all boils down to your capacity and how much you are willing to invest. Knowing your strength and weaknesses, explore your options, and decide what suits you better. Eugene is a professional Muay Thai fighter, with several years of experience. Also, a black belt holder. He actively participates in tournaments and provides training to his students. Eugene started this blog to share his experiences with Martial Arts.
Your email address will not be published. Skip to content November 12, But did you know that Karate is further bifurcated into different styles? Oh, you did! So you are confused between Shotokan and Kyokushin forms of Karate?
Eugene Hardy Eugene is a professional Muay Thai fighter, with several years of experience. You might also like. February 7, February 20, November 2, November 6, At first, this can be quite daunting as there are roughly 11 different types of Karate, and even within those types, there are even more variations.
What may be ideal for some, may sound like hell for others. Anyway, two of the most popular and common styles of Karate are Shotokan and Kyokushin which are both very different. So, what are the main differences between Shotokan and Kyokushin? Read on to find out more. Obviously, some dojos will buck the trend and each place has its own unique take on Karate.
The Kata found in Shotokan is very different compared to the Kata found in Kyokushin. A lot of the Shotokan Kata also focuses on long range kicks, and emphasizes on speed and practicing landing one perfect kick, rather than a flurry of strikes. When practicing Kata in Kyokushin, mostly it involves techniques that are more up close and personal, rather than relying on distance.
To summarize, if you join a Shotokan dojo, you will spend more time doing Kata and a lot of this is based on speed and distance. On the contrary, Kyokushin focuses less on Kata and the forms it practices will differ. Once again, the warm ups of both martial arts differ massively from one and other. In short, a big aspect of Kyokushin involves warming up, and it can almost feel like a boot camp at times. Another common aspect you may see in Kyokushin dojos is the use of hitting a heavy bag to practice punches and kicks against.
This is just another form of warming up which will whip you into great shape. Typically, the Shotokan warm ups involve more stretching and a bit of cardio. This time is instead spent on practicing Kata. Often, Kyokushin is referred to as the hardest type of Karate, which should give you an indication as to what it involves. This meant to be from both a physical and mental perspective. The technique results in physical and aerobic fitness, improved perceptibility, body alignment, posture, and motion, managing stress, concentration, trust, and discipline.
Individuals who are overweight, inflexible, uncoordinated, or lacking self-confidence or self-discipline can significantly benefit from this style of Karate. Results should not, of course, be expected overnight, but with regular training, you will see improvements. Kyokushin was founded in a philosophy of self-improvement, hard work, and discipline. The player can train to be effective in the fight. One of the techniques taught is sparring. The method does not allow you to hit the head; the opponents will inevitably train to hit the other parts of the body with hard punches.
And since there are no gloves, when you get punched, you can feel the knuckles very well. People in Kyokushin do not necessarily spar with shin guards. The player will also learn the abilities to effectively land the strikes with both the hands and feet from a close distance.
The player can spend a reasonable amount of time learning how to use hips and move weight to maximize strength in the punches. The legs are conditioned to take punishment from a kick or a check if you fight without shin guards. But you will not be surprised at the amount of pain that a punch or a check would feel like without a shin guard. While it is a beautiful form of sport or relaxation for many people, it has a far more profound and broader significance for individuals who practice it seriously.
However, this style of Karate can be learned after years of diligent practice. The method emphasizes relentless dynamic strength and movement and destructive strikes. It was created with real-life fighting scenarios in mind, not sports competitions. Because of different factors, such as strength and flexibility, individuals may find one kata more difficult than another when learning. A karate player requires impeccable coordination, strength and concentration to perform a successful attack.
The style features a technique that offers a difficult jump that needs the practitioner to turn degrees in the air. Skilled karate practitioners also attempt to achieve a very high jump on this leap. It also involves several slower movements that need more grace and rapid relaxation, which some players may consider difficult. While it has slower movements, it requires strong stamina from a player.
It also demands a great deal of agility, power, and speed.
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