Families who call us often ask the same thing first: "What kind of karate is it?" Karate isn't one single thing. There are several traditional styles, each with its own history and its own way of moving. Ours is Shorin Ryu, and if you're thinking about a first class for your child or for yourself, it helps to know what that means.
What the name means
In Japanese, ryu means a school or a style. Shorin is the Japanese reading of the same characters as Shaolin, the famous Chinese temple. So Shorin Ryu is, roughly, "the Shaolin style," a nod to the Chinese roots that are part of karate's story.
Don't let that fool you, though. Shorin Ryu is karate through and through, and it comes from Okinawa.
Where it comes from
Okinawa is a chain of islands in the south of Japan, and it's where karate was born. For centuries it was the center of its own kingdom, with its royal capital at a city called Shuri. The fighting art practiced there became known as Shuri-te, or "Shuri hand."
Shorin Ryu grows out of that Shuri tradition. Two of the teachers most often named in its history are Matsumura Sokon and his student Itosu Anko. Itosu is the man usually credited with bringing karate into Okinawa's school system in the early 1900s, which is a big part of why karate spread the way it did. In 1933 his student Chibana Choshin gave his style the name Shorin Ryu, and several branches of the style carry that name today.
That's a long way from Cornwall, but it's the same family tree. When you step on our mats, you're learning one of the oldest styles of karate still taught.
What makes Shorin Ryu feel different
Every style has its own personality. Shorin Ryu is known for a few things:
- Natural stances. Students stand fairly upright and stay light on their feet, rather than sinking into long, low stances.
- Speed over size. The style favors quick, direct technique and good timing over brute strength. You don't need to be big or strong to make it work.
- Moving well. Getting out of the way and changing angles matters as much as hitting hard.
That's a big reason it suits beginners. A five year old and a fifty year old can both start with the same basics and make real progress, because it rewards practice and good habits more than raw athletic ability.
What you actually do in class
Traditional karate is usually built on three pieces, and you'll see all of them over time:
- Kihon, or basics. Stances, blocks, punches and kicks, practiced until they're second nature.
- Kata, or forms. Set sequences of movements, passed down from teacher to student. Learning and remembering them takes focus, the same kind that helps kids stay on track at school.
- Kumite, or partner work. Practicing technique with a partner, so you learn timing and distance with a real person in front of you.
At Wattie Karate that comes together in a 50 minute class. For the adults, that means kicks, strikes and pad work, drilled with a partner and on the pads. For the kids, it's real technique taught step by step for their age, with games and drills that feel like play and work like a full workout.
The part that isn't on any belt test. Shorin Ryu is a martial art, but in our dojo self-control comes first. Kids learn to manage their actions and their emotions, and to avoid a fight whenever they can. That's the karate that comes home with them.
Is it right for my child, or for me?
If you're asking whether you or your child need to be athletic, coordinated or experienced first, the answer is no. Our kids program is for ages 5 to 15, and adult classes are for anyone 16 and up, at any fitness level. Beginners are welcome, and so are people coming back after years away.
We teach in developmental stages, with smaller milestones along the way, so there's always a next goal you can see. That's what keeps students motivated for the long run, and it's how a first class turns into a black belt one step at a time.
A few words you'll hear in the dojo
- Dojo
- The place where karate is practiced. Ours is at 1110 Paul Street, in the back of the Maplewood Plaza.
- Gi
- The white karate uniform. You don't need one for your first class: comfortable clothes you can move in are all you need.
- Kyoshi
- A senior teaching title given to an experienced, high ranking instructor, like our Head Instructor, Kyoshi Dave Wattie.
- Senpai
- A senior student who helps teach the students coming up behind them, like Senpai Phil.
Want to know more about the room you'll be training in? Read about our dojo, meet your instructors, or see what happens at your first class.