What are the 4 main types of Karate?

Karate is a vast martial art that has various categories and variations that fall under the umbrella of the term ‘Karate’. Basically, there are different styles that are taught at different schools. For instance, some styles are based around spirituality more than combat and as a result do not feature any form of kumite.

Similarly, some styles will teach a lot of different kata compared to others that teach very little. An example of this could be Shito-Ryu which has the most amount of kata, whereas Gensei-Ryu has very little. Even more extreme, the likes of Isshin-Ryu also involves training with weapons which is generally not taught in other areas of Karate.

With this said, it’s sometimes different to try and understand every form of Karate under the same terminology and each different style is unique. Whilst some styles will be close in terms of teaching and technique, others may seem like a completely different martial art altogether. What makes things even more confusing is the various international governing bodies such as the JKA which has its own set of rules which may be different from a separate Karate organization.

Regardless, there are primarily 4 different types of Karate. Whilst there are several more, going through each specific, niche style would take forever so for sake of ease we will only be looking at the big 4. This includes Shito-Ryu, Goju-Ryu, Shotokan-Ryu, and Wado-Ryu. Below we will briefly discuss the specifics and nuances of each particular style and what they mean.

Shito-Ryu

Shito-Ryu is a very traditional form of Karate that places a heavy emphasis on kata and bunkai. As mentioned above, Shito-Ryu probably has the most forms of kata in Karate so if you want to learn a large variety of moves then this style may be best for you. Of course, this depends on your teacher but generally, you can expect a lot of kata here. Not only this, but bunkai is also heavily featured in Shito-Ryu. In brief, this means the analysis of moves and breaking them down, thinking about them on an intricate, mechanical level.

The idea behind bunkai is to learn why a move works, as opposed to simply practicing the move without understanding the framework behind it. Supposedly, learning this way is more optimal as it helps the student learn about other moves too. Basically, if you can learn to feel moves instead of just doing them, it can help with progression.

As you may have guessed, this means kumite isn’t as commonly featured in Shito-Ryu. You could argue that this means that Shito-Ryu is a fairly gentle form of Karate.
In terms of physical style, Shito-Ryu also has a large emphasis on speed over power. The idea here is to be quick rather than using brute force. One benefit of this is the quicker you get, the more natural power you will generate anyway. Because of this, it’s common to find Shito-Ryu focusing on footwork and generating quick foot movements to not only strike with speed but also to move around at pace. This ties in with the philosophy that Shito-Ryu is based on moving around with grace and skill. If you are after an older form of Karate that is based on analysis and speed, then Shito-Ryu may be the perfect choice for you.

Goju-Ryu

Goju-Ryu is another traditional form of Karate that originates from okinawan. Goju-Ryu is generally thought of as a mixture of soft and hard when it comes to its style within the world of Karate. For instance, depending on the dojo, it could feature a lot of kata or a lot of kumite. With this said, it’s really down to the interpretation and teaching style of each specific sensei and their vision of Goju-Ryu which means each practitioner’s experience may vary drastically per dojo, unlike other forms of Karate.

Perhaps the main feature of Goju-Ryu is its close-combat style. Unlike other forms, Goju-Ryu is based on up-close striking and grappling. This means kicks from distance are less prominent in Goju-Ryu compared to elsewhere, whereas hard punches are more common. As said, it also features grappling which isn’t always used in other areas of Karate either. Another unique trait of Goju-Ryu is its emphasis on conditioning. Some of the more traditional Goju-Ryu gyms will place a lot of weight on hard conditioning.

Because of this, you can expect a mixture of hard cardio and medicine ball style warm ups in some Goju-Ryu dojos. In some cases, Goju-Ryu can be seen as quite repetitive as it mostly focuses on a few select kata rather than using more of a widespread approach. For those after a close-combat form of Karate that offers a tough body workout, Goju-Ryu may be a good choice. Of course, Goju-Ryu can differ from place to place so make sure you check out what each dojo offers before signing up.

Shotokan-Ryu

Shotokan-Ryu is a very common form of Karate that helped the martial art go mainstream during the 80s and 90s. This form of Karate is very sports-based compared to more traditional forms of the art. In short, a lot of dojos that practice Shotokan-Ryu also partake in sports Karate and compete at Karate tournaments and competitions. Because of this, training Shotokan-Ryu will often revolve around striking and blocking that is based on point-scoring instead of more traditional forms of self-defense found in some of the other styles.

In terms of its physical features, it often involves a full-length stance. Unlike Shito-Ryu, Shotokan-Ryu often focuses on more powerful, strong blows rather than looking toward speed. For instance, instead of several, quick strikes, the idea of Shotokan-Ryu is to use one, big powerful strike instead and put the opponent to the floor. Due to this mentality, there is a strong belief in strength and athleticism within Shotokan-Ryu which is designed to breed power.

Unlike other forms of Karate, it doesn’t feature any grappling either. In brief, if you like the sound of competition and think it could be good fun as opposed to training from a self-defense angle, then Shotokan-Ryu could be an ideal choice. The good thing about this form of Karate is that it’s very widespread meaning you should not struggle to find a dojo near you.

Wado-Ryu

Wado-Ryu is a style based on speed and timing. A big part of Wado-Ryu is about deflecting and blocking strikes by moving out of the way in time and then countering with fast, precise strikes of your own. Because of this, you can expect to drill for speed and develop quick feet to help avoid strikes. Wado-Ryu also has an influence from Ju Jitsu so you can expect a degree of groundwork wristlocks, throws, and some groundwork as a result. This means, that if you want to mix up your Karate with ippons and a bit of grappling then this is a good place to start.

Of course, the main priority of Wado-Ryu is still about movement and avoiding strikes which may be a consideration for those looking towards a self-defense form of Karate. Overall, Wado-Ryu is quite rounded as it offers skills taken from other martial arts so choosing to train this may result in a mixture of appropriate combat skills.

Final thoughts

It could be argued that the biggest impact on your training is the teacher and not the style. For instance, if you have a bad sensei who is uninterested, rude or simply teaches bad technique, then this is not good. As a result, your priority should always be to seek out a legitimate dojo that is welcoming and teaches realistic Karate at the same time. Not only this but remember each teacher will have their own specific style and interpretation of Karate. For example, one dojo’s form of Wado-Ryu may differ drastically when compared to a different gyms offering of Wado-Ryu.

Even though it’s meant to be the same style, one could offer more focus on kata or kumite than the other, for instance. With this out the way, it is then up to you to choose what suits you best. With the above options available, there should be enough for everyone. Whether it’s the sports style found in Shotokan-Ryu, or the more traditional style of Goju-Ryu, it’s up to what suits you.

If you’d like to learn more about the history of Karate, then check out this book.