What you need to know about Shito-Ryu Karate before starting

Shito-Ryu was founded in 1934 and these days is considered one of the main forms of Karate. This mixes a blend of soft and hard styles as well as being big on lots of kata. Because it’s seen as one of the main Karate styles, it’s not surprising that it’s one of the most popular forms of Karate on a global scale.

However, Shito-Ryu is still not as popular as the likes of Shotokan and in some cities and parts of the world, it’s not really practiced much at all. As a result, this article will help educate readers about what Shito-Ryu is all about. This includes its culture, training style, use of kata and much more. So, if you’re wondering what happens during a Shito-Ryu class then read on.

Shito-Ryu has lots of kata

In terms of technique and kata taught, Shito-Ryu is probably the most expansive which can either be a good or a bad thing, depending on how you look at it. In some cases, you may be taught nearly 100 different kata by the time you reach black belt. This could mean you become a very versatile Karateka, or it could overwhelm you in terms of having too many options.

Ultimately, this depends on your personal preference. For instance, some argue that you should focus on a select few moves in Karate and master them. Others will claim that learning as much as possible will broaden your Karate and make you more well rounded. Really though, it’s up to the individual. If you like the sound of learning various kata then Shito-Ryu may well appeal to you. If you want to learn only a small number of kata, then it may be less inviting.

Emphasis on the cat stance

If you’ve trained Shito-Ryu then you’ll be well aware of the cat stance. Also known as the Nekoshi-dachi, this is a starting position where the back leg is bent, with the front leg pointed forwards. This term actually has very little with resembling the posture of a cat, but was instead named after the founder of the position, whose nickname was ‘the cat’.

Anyway, this stance is heavily used in Shito-Ryu which is a bit unorthodox compared to other styles of Karate which aren’t as focused on the cat stance. There’s actually a lot of attacking moves and techniques that can be performed from this stance and it’s not a bad position. However, the point is to be focused on this stance that Shito-Ryu seems to be pretty into.

And lots of bunkai

In Karate, the term for research translates to bunkai. This is an important part of all martial arts and involves trouble shooting to solve problems or querries. As you can imagine, through bunkai you can learn and progress. In fact, Shito-Ryu can take this idea pretty far at times. As a result, your classes may revolve mostly around kata and bunkai with little time for kumite.

Of course, this depends from dojo to dojo and not all places are the same. Nonetheless, it’s something to think about when training. In other words, Shito-Ryu is very reflective at times and looks inwards at itself. This differs drastically from the likes of Kyokushin which has a bigger emphasis on sparring and highlights the very different paths that can be taken throughout Karate.

Shito-Ryu is very traditional

As Shito-Ryu is one of the main forms of Karate, it’s not surprising that it has a very traditional approach. Naturally, this means lots of bowing, Japanese terminology and sometimes it can have quite a serious atmosphere. In fairness, this ideology isn’t exclusive to Shito-Ryu and there’s lots of Karate styles out there that share a similar philosophy.

Just don’t expect to be late or take whilst a demonstration is taking place, as you may annoy the sensei. Really though, this is common stuff found in most forms of Karate and formalities and culture from the earlier Japanese days have lived on and survived in Shito-Ryu. If you have quite a casual approach to training then this could be annoying. However, if you enjoy structure and discipline then you may enjoy this style of dojo.

What does Shito-Ryu mean?

In Karate, you may have heard of the term ‘Ryu’ quite a lot, which translates to ‘style’. In other words, the names are often followed by ‘style’ which is a very literal way of describing something. In terms of Shito-Ryu, the name pays homage and was founded by Kenwa Mabuni. His two masters were Itosu and Higaonna. In short, he combined the first letters of their names to coin the term ‘Shito’. Because of this, it’s merely a combination of two names, as opposed to some kind of symbolic Japanese meaning.

The literal symbol of Shito-Ryu is meant to represent unity which can be seen by a full circle. Here, the inner-lines also represent people coming together under the shared interest of Karate.

Ultimately, it depends on the teacher

Although Karate has many differing styles, ultimately they all fall under the same umbrella of Karate. Because of this, they often have more in common with each other compared to differences. For example, many Karateka believe that Shito-Ryu is pretty similar to Shotokan and they both sometimes use a point system whilst sparring.

This is certainly true but there’s also more to it than this. For instance, one teachers interpretation of Goju-Ryu may look more like Shito-Ryu compared to other forms of Goju-Ryu and so on. In brief, it really does depend on the teacher and their vision of their dojo. Because of this, it’s probably best to talk to them about their style before fully comitting to a gym contract. Or even better, if they offer a taster class then that can also be a good way to judge what the place is like.

In conclusion, Shito-Ryu has a lot to offer and there’s a reason why it still lives on today. This reason is because it offers a good representation of how Karate works. At the same time, if you’re someone that doesn’t like learning loads of kata and you like sparring a lot, then Shito-Ryu may not be the best option for you. As always in life though, it’s best to keep an open mind and see for yourself before judging a place.

If you’d like to learn more about Shito-Ryu then check out this book which has lots of detailed explanations on how it works.