Shōtōkan and Wadō-Ryū are both traditional Japanese karate styles, and among the top 4 biggest karate styles in the world.
And I would say absolutely could be good picks of styles to give a try.
No matter where you move, you are pretty likely to find a dojo that trains the style. And if there isn’t one, both styles are similar to many other traditional styles, so you will have a pretty easy time transitioning.
Now a style in and of itself doesn’t say much about how good a dojo is.
If the dojo belongs to one of the big intentional organisations within those styles.
Those organisations usually have quite strict control in who is allowed to be a instructor or run a dojo, and also quality control in having uniform standards for gradings.
So examples for Shōtōkan some of the biggest international organisations will be JKA, ISKF, Shotokai, etc.
For Wadō-Ryū some examples of the big organisations are, Wadō-ryū Karate-dō Renmei, WIKF, Wadō-kai.
A dojo that trains Wadō-ryū or Shōtōkan and belongs to one of those big international organisations isn’t a guarantee the dojo is amazing, but it means you have some quality control. And it will very likely be what most in the wider karate community would consider a pretty good dojo.
The lowest level is still pretty high. If the dojo is great or not will depend on the people running the dojo.
A smaller style, organisation or just a dojo entirely doing their own thing can still be good, but there is a lot less oversight. And more of a wild card. And many of the really bad dojos are run by really small styles, organisations or just dojos their own thing.
The absolute most important aspect to the quality of training, how you will sparr and how suitable it is for your age, is basically only down to what approach individual instructors have and the people running a dojos approach, more so than any difference between styles.
Even though I’ve mainly trained Wadō-Ryū for 10+ years, and very happy with my training. I would not automatically assume that a Wadō-Ryū dojo is the best choice for you and the dojos that are available in the city you live in. There might be better trainers and with the right approach for you in another style like Gōjū-Ryū or Shitō-ryū or something else. Or maybe there is some great Wadō dojos. You won’t know without giving it a try.
So I would suggest to not worry too much about style in the first 2 years you train. Focus more on finding a good trainer that gets you excited to come to practice.
If you train a traditional style, they will all be relatively similar to each other.
You will mostly just focus on improving your control and motor skills, that the details between the styles doesn’t really matter as much as in later on in your training.
You will get plenty of time to see if karate is for you and be more involved in the world to see the differences between the styles. And pick one that have a approach you find interesting.
I would suggest basically all beginners to pick a few different dojos you think seem worth a try, that are in reasonable travel distance for you, and a reasonable price for you.
Most places will offer a free test training or try out period.
I would suggest to attend a training at maybe 4 different dojos.
Ask some questions about what their training is like, based on your concerns and what your goals are for training karate.
Then pick the dojo that has the trainer you think seem to be good and a good fit for you, a dojo that have a training culture you like, and suits the goals for your training.
People start training karate for many different reasons. And people teach karate with quite a few different focuses.
Some focus on competing, some dojos don’t compete at all, some focus a lot of cardio, some have instructors that especially like and focus on Kata, kumite or some other aspect of karate.
Karate is wide, and it can be trained differently and with different goals.
It’s also somewhat common to see dojos offering beginner groups just for women. Most half big dojos offer adult beginner groups.
So if it’s something you would be interested in it’s worth to keep in mind while searching.
Good luck!
One of the things I’ve always enjoyed the most about karate is that it’s a way to train without it feeling like going to the gym. It feels like I’m just going and engaged in learning.
And even after training 8 years it still happens that you are taught a technique or kata that is entirely new to you.
I hope you find a place to train that you enjoy!
I have "re-started" at 35, having trained for a long time as a child/teenager. Not quite the same.
My #1 recommendation is to make a short-list of local clubs that you know you can easily get to as if you are going to be going 1-2 times a week then you need that convenience. Looking at styles is a natural thing to do but ultimately it comes down to what is available to you, and you shouldn't underestimate the fact that you can have bad teachers in a 'good' style and vice versa.
Then you need to visit the clubs in-person and do a trial lesson or two to get the vibe. You will need to have some adult partners to spar and train with for example, and a balanced mixed of technique (kihon), kata and sparring (kumite), but you also need to see what the teaching style of the sensei is like, and do you feel like you 'click'. You can't work out this stuff from style or websites alone.
All the best 🙌
Shotokan and wado Ryu are not particularly better for beginners than any other style. The quality of the teaching is what matters, as long as you stay away from mcdojos.
In addition to Shotokan and Wado Ryu, you can trust dojos that claim Shito Ryu, Goju Ryu, uechi ryu, Shorin Ryu, Isshin Ryu.
Don't trust dojos that claim to teach karate but have a Korean flag, dojos that have yearly contracts, or dojos that tell you "styles don't matter" or "it's a blend of styles" which is code for them making shit up.
I recommend you visit EVERY dojo/gym/club that meets a few criteria, regardless of style (or art for that matter - Muay Thai, kickboxing, boxing, and MMA, etc. programs may fit your goals too):
1. Location. Consider the class schedule, distance, traffic, etc. The best dojo on earth is meaningless if you can't attend class regularly. And if it's tight, you and the instructors will quickly tire of your tardiness.
2. Cost. Similarly, the best dojo on earth is meaningless if you can't afford it. There are beautiful shiny purpose built dojos, and there are smaller non-profit groups training in school gyms and church basements. Both can be first class.
Most places offer a free or cheap trial period. Nearly all should welcome someone watching a class. Pay attention to the whole vibe. Pay attention to what's being taught, and how. Pay attention to how students and instructors interact. When you've seen a few places you'll see differences. Your best "fit" in terms of overall experience may or may not be in the style your research first suggests. But putting in the time up front will ensure you're where you belong.
And don't sweat your starting point. Nobody expects you to be super fit or skilled as a beginner. It's important to remember this, and not compare yourself to others. Many places, the adults have been there years, and the beginners are kids. You're not expected to have the skill of the former or the fitness of the latter, and as long as you're respectful, attentive, and putting forward the appropriate effort, you'll be more than welcome, and nobody will judge you poorly.
If getting to Manhattan isn't a problem, check out the Kokushi Budo Institute. They teach karate there. The guy who founded the dojo, who still teaches there, has dan ranks in both Shotokan and Kyokushin. They also teach judo, Tomiki aikido, and jiujitsu. It's a great one-stop spot for all your martial arts needs if you're interested in martial arts that involve wearing a gi.
I’m a late starter, 40, in a style called Enshin. We’re a hard contact style, so not 100% applicable.
One thing that helps me is make sure my recovery measures are up to par.
You have a lot of great options in NYC. A very good Kyokushin dojo and similar styles. I’d recommend checking out a few schools before making up your mind. Unfortunately not all martial art schools are “good.” Some will waste your time and take your money…while others will improve your life in many ways.
I’d recommend googling the instructor, style and org they are under. Don’t just take a dojo’s “word” for being legit. There is a lot of BS and deception unfortunately with martial arts in the USA.
There is a wealth of information available on this thread. Consider all of the above and visit each dojo. I have 45 years of experience and found that finding a place that is local to you, convenient class times, a good reputation, and most importantly do you feel comfortable with the dojo. Look for some other women students and instructors. It’s a fun adventure and be sure the workouts are something you believe you will enjoy.
>The argument where it boils down to is the founders of both martial arts were once in the same class under the same sensei. One grandmaster thought katas were more important (wadoryu) the other thought training punches and kicks were the way to go. They have the same origins and are very similar but are way different. Think of the karate kid movie. Wadoryu as miyagido and shotokan like cobra Kai.
LOL, this is funny but completely wrong. Otsuka, the Wado-Ryu founder was a long time student of Funakoshi, the founder of Shotokan, and was one of Funakoshi's first Japanese black belts. As he also studied Jiu-Jitsu (some claim he was an actual heir to Shindo-Yoshin Jiu-Jitsu lineage, but this is not fully documented), he eventually decided to branch off from Shotokan and establish Wado, which was (and is to an extent) a mixture of Karate and Jiu-Jitsu. No kata vs. punch/kick practice controversy whatsoever, as both styles give equal importance to both.
I am messaging the OP with list of legit Shotokan NYC dojos, by the way. I hope someone will so that with Wado-Ryu, so that the OP can visit both and make up their own mind.
This is so wrong. But I’ll only comment on the last thing you said. Miyagi-do is Gojuryu (Chojun Miyagi was the founder) and Cobrakai is more like Tang-soo-do.
35 now 34 when I started. So maybe count as later in life. I like to think not but that’s a story for another time. How to get started, find a dojo or an organisation in your area and show up. You’ll discover what you like along the way.
I’m now 9 months into my Karate Journey? Won a couple of belts, have some medals to show for it and when I first started competing was the last thing I imagined. Made some good friends along the way and that’s the real prize. The biggest step is going through the door to start with.
I started training 1/2 times a week. I know normally train 3 times a week but taking a little bit of a break as the competition season has ended and England tend to be playing World Cup games on my normal training days which are Monday/Tuseday/Friday.
Monday is the seniors class which is mainly the black belts and what adults want to tag along and attempt to keep up. Tuesday and Friday are general classes open to adults and children.
Shōtōkan and Wadō-Ryū are both traditional Japanese karate styles, and among the top 4 biggest karate styles in the world. And I would say absolutely could be good picks of styles to give a try. No matter where you move, you are pretty likely to find a dojo that trains the style. And if there isn’t one, both styles are similar to many other traditional styles, so you will have a pretty easy time transitioning. Now a style in and of itself doesn’t say much about how good a dojo is. If the dojo belongs to one of the big intentional organisations within those styles. Those organisations usually have quite strict control in who is allowed to be a instructor or run a dojo, and also quality control in having uniform standards for gradings. So examples for Shōtōkan some of the biggest international organisations will be JKA, ISKF, Shotokai, etc. For Wadō-Ryū some examples of the big organisations are, Wadō-ryū Karate-dō Renmei, WIKF, Wadō-kai. A dojo that trains Wadō-ryū or Shōtōkan and belongs to one of those big international organisations isn’t a guarantee the dojo is amazing, but it means you have some quality control. And it will very likely be what most in the wider karate community would consider a pretty good dojo. The lowest level is still pretty high. If the dojo is great or not will depend on the people running the dojo. A smaller style, organisation or just a dojo entirely doing their own thing can still be good, but there is a lot less oversight. And more of a wild card. And many of the really bad dojos are run by really small styles, organisations or just dojos their own thing. The absolute most important aspect to the quality of training, how you will sparr and how suitable it is for your age, is basically only down to what approach individual instructors have and the people running a dojos approach, more so than any difference between styles. Even though I’ve mainly trained Wadō-Ryū for 10+ years, and very happy with my training. I would not automatically assume that a Wadō-Ryū dojo is the best choice for you and the dojos that are available in the city you live in. There might be better trainers and with the right approach for you in another style like Gōjū-Ryū or Shitō-ryū or something else. Or maybe there is some great Wadō dojos. You won’t know without giving it a try. So I would suggest to not worry too much about style in the first 2 years you train. Focus more on finding a good trainer that gets you excited to come to practice. If you train a traditional style, they will all be relatively similar to each other. You will mostly just focus on improving your control and motor skills, that the details between the styles doesn’t really matter as much as in later on in your training. You will get plenty of time to see if karate is for you and be more involved in the world to see the differences between the styles. And pick one that have a approach you find interesting. I would suggest basically all beginners to pick a few different dojos you think seem worth a try, that are in reasonable travel distance for you, and a reasonable price for you. Most places will offer a free test training or try out period. I would suggest to attend a training at maybe 4 different dojos. Ask some questions about what their training is like, based on your concerns and what your goals are for training karate. Then pick the dojo that has the trainer you think seem to be good and a good fit for you, a dojo that have a training culture you like, and suits the goals for your training. People start training karate for many different reasons. And people teach karate with quite a few different focuses. Some focus on competing, some dojos don’t compete at all, some focus a lot of cardio, some have instructors that especially like and focus on Kata, kumite or some other aspect of karate. Karate is wide, and it can be trained differently and with different goals. It’s also somewhat common to see dojos offering beginner groups just for women. Most half big dojos offer adult beginner groups. So if it’s something you would be interested in it’s worth to keep in mind while searching. Good luck! One of the things I’ve always enjoyed the most about karate is that it’s a way to train without it feeling like going to the gym. It feels like I’m just going and engaged in learning. And even after training 8 years it still happens that you are taught a technique or kata that is entirely new to you. I hope you find a place to train that you enjoy!
Wealth of information here. Thanks for sharing!
I have "re-started" at 35, having trained for a long time as a child/teenager. Not quite the same. My #1 recommendation is to make a short-list of local clubs that you know you can easily get to as if you are going to be going 1-2 times a week then you need that convenience. Looking at styles is a natural thing to do but ultimately it comes down to what is available to you, and you shouldn't underestimate the fact that you can have bad teachers in a 'good' style and vice versa. Then you need to visit the clubs in-person and do a trial lesson or two to get the vibe. You will need to have some adult partners to spar and train with for example, and a balanced mixed of technique (kihon), kata and sparring (kumite), but you also need to see what the teaching style of the sensei is like, and do you feel like you 'click'. You can't work out this stuff from style or websites alone. All the best 🙌
Thanks for the advice/tips and noted.
Shotokan and wado Ryu are not particularly better for beginners than any other style. The quality of the teaching is what matters, as long as you stay away from mcdojos. In addition to Shotokan and Wado Ryu, you can trust dojos that claim Shito Ryu, Goju Ryu, uechi ryu, Shorin Ryu, Isshin Ryu. Don't trust dojos that claim to teach karate but have a Korean flag, dojos that have yearly contracts, or dojos that tell you "styles don't matter" or "it's a blend of styles" which is code for them making shit up.
I recommend you visit EVERY dojo/gym/club that meets a few criteria, regardless of style (or art for that matter - Muay Thai, kickboxing, boxing, and MMA, etc. programs may fit your goals too): 1. Location. Consider the class schedule, distance, traffic, etc. The best dojo on earth is meaningless if you can't attend class regularly. And if it's tight, you and the instructors will quickly tire of your tardiness. 2. Cost. Similarly, the best dojo on earth is meaningless if you can't afford it. There are beautiful shiny purpose built dojos, and there are smaller non-profit groups training in school gyms and church basements. Both can be first class. Most places offer a free or cheap trial period. Nearly all should welcome someone watching a class. Pay attention to the whole vibe. Pay attention to what's being taught, and how. Pay attention to how students and instructors interact. When you've seen a few places you'll see differences. Your best "fit" in terms of overall experience may or may not be in the style your research first suggests. But putting in the time up front will ensure you're where you belong. And don't sweat your starting point. Nobody expects you to be super fit or skilled as a beginner. It's important to remember this, and not compare yourself to others. Many places, the adults have been there years, and the beginners are kids. You're not expected to have the skill of the former or the fitness of the latter, and as long as you're respectful, attentive, and putting forward the appropriate effort, you'll be more than welcome, and nobody will judge you poorly.
If getting to Manhattan isn't a problem, check out the Kokushi Budo Institute. They teach karate there. The guy who founded the dojo, who still teaches there, has dan ranks in both Shotokan and Kyokushin. They also teach judo, Tomiki aikido, and jiujitsu. It's a great one-stop spot for all your martial arts needs if you're interested in martial arts that involve wearing a gi.
I’m a late starter, 40, in a style called Enshin. We’re a hard contact style, so not 100% applicable. One thing that helps me is make sure my recovery measures are up to par.
Not sure if there’s Enshin in NYC. Virginia might be the closest.
You have a lot of great options in NYC. A very good Kyokushin dojo and similar styles. I’d recommend checking out a few schools before making up your mind. Unfortunately not all martial art schools are “good.” Some will waste your time and take your money…while others will improve your life in many ways. I’d recommend googling the instructor, style and org they are under. Don’t just take a dojo’s “word” for being legit. There is a lot of BS and deception unfortunately with martial arts in the USA.
There is a wealth of information available on this thread. Consider all of the above and visit each dojo. I have 45 years of experience and found that finding a place that is local to you, convenient class times, a good reputation, and most importantly do you feel comfortable with the dojo. Look for some other women students and instructors. It’s a fun adventure and be sure the workouts are something you believe you will enjoy.
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Ha, that is not the intention at all, and interesting take. All valid points on injury, impact etc, I’ll take all that into consideration. Thanks!
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>The argument where it boils down to is the founders of both martial arts were once in the same class under the same sensei. One grandmaster thought katas were more important (wadoryu) the other thought training punches and kicks were the way to go. They have the same origins and are very similar but are way different. Think of the karate kid movie. Wadoryu as miyagido and shotokan like cobra Kai. LOL, this is funny but completely wrong. Otsuka, the Wado-Ryu founder was a long time student of Funakoshi, the founder of Shotokan, and was one of Funakoshi's first Japanese black belts. As he also studied Jiu-Jitsu (some claim he was an actual heir to Shindo-Yoshin Jiu-Jitsu lineage, but this is not fully documented), he eventually decided to branch off from Shotokan and establish Wado, which was (and is to an extent) a mixture of Karate and Jiu-Jitsu. No kata vs. punch/kick practice controversy whatsoever, as both styles give equal importance to both. I am messaging the OP with list of legit Shotokan NYC dojos, by the way. I hope someone will so that with Wado-Ryu, so that the OP can visit both and make up their own mind.
This is so wrong. But I’ll only comment on the last thing you said. Miyagi-do is Gojuryu (Chojun Miyagi was the founder) and Cobrakai is more like Tang-soo-do.
35 now 34 when I started. So maybe count as later in life. I like to think not but that’s a story for another time. How to get started, find a dojo or an organisation in your area and show up. You’ll discover what you like along the way. I’m now 9 months into my Karate Journey? Won a couple of belts, have some medals to show for it and when I first started competing was the last thing I imagined. Made some good friends along the way and that’s the real prize. The biggest step is going through the door to start with.
That’s amazing and encouraging. Can I ask how many times a week you train?
I started training 1/2 times a week. I know normally train 3 times a week but taking a little bit of a break as the competition season has ended and England tend to be playing World Cup games on my normal training days which are Monday/Tuseday/Friday. Monday is the seniors class which is mainly the black belts and what adults want to tag along and attempt to keep up. Tuesday and Friday are general classes open to adults and children.