Best Style of Karate

[JNA]

In your opinion what is the best style of Karate? NO cop-out answers like all of them are good, it just depends on the practitioner. WE SHOULD all admit that somes style give you an advantage over others. If i had to chose only one it would be Goju Ryu. It's strong and efficient with a good blend of hard and soft techniques. I was gonna choose Shorin but i like this bettter.

"The Self Defense mentality" is one of escaping from a violent encounter unharmed. "The Warriors mentality" is one of taking out the enemy as quickly and efficient as possible- Ji Ji Ke (Ji Long feng). Which one do you have?

[Dark Knight]

I know you dont want to hear it, but it depends on the person. I hold rank in Goju, along with others, and have many years in Goju. Check out Dillmans approach, I like his theorys on forms. (The theorys apply to most Karate styles.)

[shaolinboxer]

"somes style give you an advantage over others"

What kind of advantage are you talking about?

[JNA]

For example if you had Shotakan versus Tai Chi who would you place your money on. Skip all the other stuff and say they both "mastered" their styles, and that they were identical twins, best shape they could possibly be in, same genetic limitations, both had best teachers of their respective styles, Both about 40. Choose :D

[rogue]

There isn't an answer. Which style of Tai Chi? Which ryu of Shotokan? You pick what works for you and go with it.

Signed,
Rogue, Soke and Senior Grandmaster of Southeast American Brazillian Bagua Combat Chi jitsu Kempo Karate Do and Choral Society.

The only tactical principle which is not subject to change; it is, “To use the means at hand to inflict the maximum amount of wounds, death, and destruction on the enemy in the minimum amount of time."

[jungle-mania]

My preference in terms of karate would go to kyukushinkai, I have sparred with many karatekas and those from kyukushin and similar variants give me a hard time. This is not to say traditional karate styles is not effective, a ****o ryu guy gives me a hard time with his reverse punches (something most traditional karatekas are good in). But on an overall view for a hardass fighting style, kyukushin tops them all. I have yet to hear of any traditional stylists been able to stop a kyukushin fighter of the same rank. However, it was rumoured that Mas Oyama the founder was defeated by a tai chi master in Hong Kong when he was promoting his brand of karate. Coincidentally, many aspects of kyukushin come from goju-ryu and shotokan.

[Dark Knight]

"For example if you had Shotakan versus Tai Chi who would you place your money on. Skip all the other stuff and say they both "mastered" their styles, "

I have met a couple Tai Chi instructors who teach the art and not just a small portion (Forms in the park kind of training) They actually have excellent drills in Tai Chi, they use pushing hands and other drills.

Its like any style, you can practice in the air or against another warm body and learn how to make it work.

Before you generalize how a style is make sure you run across people who know it, you might be supprised at what it has to offer.

[DragonzRage]

KYOKUSHINKAI and its similar offshoots such as Seidokaikan, hands down, no questions asked! They are the only branch of karate that by and large has the ballz out full contact fighting mentality and tough conditioning/training for real fighting. They fight hard regularly and have successful competitors in many venues. They produce fighters like Filho, Feitosa, and to a lesser extent Satake. All the other more softcore karate branches have for the most part fallen into the limbo that many other traditional arts have. They train the Fred Ettishes and Minoki Ichiharas of the world. Unless you want to be a point fighter, or the guy who jumps around stage like a buffoon yelling "kiai", Kyokushinkai is easily the best. No one else in the karate world has the fierce edge that those guys have.

[Dark Knight]

Enshin Karate. Full contact no gloves

Check out the Sabaki Challenge
http://www.enshin.com/sabaki.html

Video clips are there

[CerberusXXL]

I have practiced three styles of karate, Goju ryu, shotokan, and Kyokushin.

I would have to say that Kyokushin is definitely the would pick. I don't know if it's the mentality, the training, the conditioning but I felt best with this style.
The next style I would pick would be goju ryu because it's a solid style with many useful technique.
As far as shotokan I would say it is decent and great for people interesting in sport karate.

Just my $.03

[Budokan]

Heavens, how often do we have to answer this question?

[rogue]

I guess until we get it right Bu.

[Leonidas]

D*MN RIGHT. But it's my fault, I guess i shoulda said what style do you like practicing(favorite) the most. Other people seem to understand.

[rogue]

In that case, currently it's Odo Kwan.

[phantom]

I agree that kyokushin and its offshoots are the most effective styles of karate. However, all styles have produced tough fighters. Bill Wallace, one of the best kickboxers of all time and often referred to as "the world's greatest kicker" started off studying shorin-ryu first. Benny Uriquez, arguably the greatest kickboxer of all time, started off studying shotokan and american kenpo first, and has also studied tae kwon do. I remember once reading about a cop who was a shotokan black belt, and he had successfully defended himself in street fights with his shotokan. Peace.