Most suitable striking art for short and stocky guy

Sansara said:
Well i am at a styles crossroads here, need some advice in what style i should be focusing on

I trained a lot of time in Shotokan, but i really got tired of all the kata and such non sense and i dont see me getting back to that. Unfortunately they focus too much on traditional training methods that not only are boring to practice but also not very useful. A pity. Then i had a small experience with kyokushin.I loved the leg kicks but i hated the fact that they dont punch the head, that makes sparring just a contest of pain endurance. Also, going to kyokushin training makes you feel that you are in an army bootcamp.

Nowadays i got back to boxing, after starting it long time ago and stopping after one year because i didnt had the time. I really like boxing, but it seems to me that it is really an uphill battle to spar taller opponents.

So, is boxing the most adequate striking art for a short stock guy? Maybe i just need a little more practice, i still have some habits from shotokan that dont translate well to the big-gloves small space environment boxing provides.
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You're doing the wrong Karate. Shotokan and Kyokushin are modern Japanese styles. Try traditional Okinawan Karate. Practically ALL Okinawans are short and stocky people, they designed the art to suit them best. The Japanese made so many changes it looks almost nothing like the original.
 
Hotora86 said:
You're doing the wrong Karate. Shotokan and Kyokushin are modern Japanese styles. Try traditional Okinawan Karate. Practically ALL Okinawans are short and stocky people, they designed the art to suit them best. The Japanese made so many changes it looks almost nothing like the original.
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So Okinawans were manlets?
 
Sansara said:
Well i am at a styles crossroads here, need some advice in what style i should be focusing on

I trained a lot of time in Shotokan, but i really got tired of all the kata and such non sense and i dont see me getting back to that. Unfortunately they focus too much on traditional training methods that not only are boring to practice but also not very useful. A pity. Then i had a small experience with kyokushin.I loved the leg kicks but i hated the fact that they dont punch the head, that makes sparring just a contest of pain endurance. Also, going to kyokushin training makes you feel that you are in an army bootcamp.

Nowadays i got back to boxing, after starting it long time ago and stopping after one year because i didnt had the time. I really like boxing, but it seems to me that it is really an uphill battle to spar taller opponents.

So, is boxing the most adequate striking art for a short stock guy? Maybe i just need a little more practice, i still have some habits from shotokan that dont translate well to the big-gloves small space environment boxing provides.
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mma striking
 
There are short champions in every sport - they just have to posses an edge athletically or tactically.

If I was to pick a martial art, it would probably be BJJ or Wrestling.
 
Hotora86 said:
You're doing the wrong Karate. Shotokan and Kyokushin are modern Japanese styles. Try traditional Okinawan Karate. Practically ALL Okinawans are short and stocky people, they designed the art to suit them best. The Japanese made so many changes it looks almost nothing like the original.
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This sounds interesting, man! Would you give some more details? I have always thought that these styles give advantage to the taller persons, because of the straight strikes, sweeps and the attacking area- above the waist.
 
Adnan Adil said:
This sounds interesting, man! Would you give some more details? I have always thought that these styles give advantage to the taller persons, because of the straight strikes, sweeps and the attacking area- above the waist.
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"straight strikes, sweeps and the attacking area- above the waist" is more or less a description of sports Karate and Shotokan offshoots. Okinawan styles put more focus on in-fighting, close distance, limb control, joint locks and throws. And a solid gedan barai to the nuts. ;)

Check out this page by our very own @BudoNoah :
http://www.karateobsession.com

Also, for real "old-school" Karate application check these YouTubers:
https://www.youtube.com/user/practicalkatabunkai
https://www.youtube.com/user/wlbushido
https://www.youtube.com/user/ScottsdaleAZKarate
https://www.youtube.com/user/EastWestFightingArts

You will be amazed by how different this all looks compared to your run-of-the-mill sports Karate dojo!
 
Hotora86 said:
"straight strikes, sweeps and the attacking area- above the waist" is more or less a description of sports Karate and Shotokan offshoots. Okinawan styles put more focus on in-fighting, close distance, limb control, joint locks and throws. And a solid gedan barai to the nuts. ;)

Check out this page by our very own @BudoNoah :
http://www.karateobsession.com

Also, for real "old-school" Karate application check these YouTubers:
https://www.youtube.com/user/practicalkatabunkai
https://www.youtube.com/user/wlbushido
https://www.youtube.com/user/ScottsdaleAZKarate
https://www.youtube.com/user/EastWestFightingArts

You will be amazed by how different this all looks compared to your run-of-the-mill sports Karate dojo!
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Thanks for the information, man! I always have thought that actually Shotokan is close to those older styles. Now I see that the difference is much bigger than I have expected. By the way I know that those Okinawa styles are made for defense of the local people against the japanese. The local people weren't allowed to carry weapons, while the conquers were allowed. And from there I know that in those styles you rely on heavy, decisive, fast strikes from distances. So that's why I expected those styles to be more suitable for taller persons. :)
 
No such thing as "what" is better, only "how" you end up fighting. Even within a discipline, a fighter's mental disposition (cautious, vs reckless, aggressive vs calculating) and physical makeup (height, reach, strength, explosiveness, etc.) will affect how they engage with their opponent.

If you don't know, drop in on a few different gyms and arts and 'find yourself.' It's not a shortcut, but it sure is worthwhile.

I thought the art with the most weapons was the best art for a while, and then the realization that practicing 10,000 techniques once was not as powerful as practicing one technique 10,000 times (or however Bruce Lee was quoted as saying it).
 
As wilddeuces said
wilddeuces said:
..........

I thought the art with the most weapons was the best art for a while, and then the realization that practicing 10,000 techniques once was not as powerful as practicing one technique 10,000 times (or however Bruce Lee was quoted as saying it).
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.

I agree with this, because training too many techniques makes the things harder not only for your opponent, but for you, too. You might be very unpredictable when you have big arsenal, but most of these moves will be lousy, because you haven't practiced them enough. From other hand, if you practice too much technique and don't spend much time for the other aspects of the training you risk to be very fragile and also you won't have enough experience (due to less sparring time).
 
Historically, shorter guys have had more success at HW boxing than HW kickboxing

See Mike Tyson, Frazier, Tua etc
 
Adnan Adil said:
Thanks for the information, man! I always have thought that actually Shotokan is close to those older styles. Now I see that the difference is much bigger than I have expected. By the way I know that those Okinawa styles are made for defense of the local people against the japanese. The local people weren't allowed to carry weapons, while the conquers were allowed. And from there I know that in those styles you rely on heavy, decisive, fast strikes from distances. So that's why I expected those styles to be more suitable for taller persons. :)
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Unfortunately those are all myths which most modern Karateka believe in and I did so as well in the past. In fact:
  • Shotokan is a post WW2 modern Japanese style, far removed from the original Okinawan Karate
  • Karate was NOT invented or used to defend against armed Japanese or any armed opponents for that matter
  • the weapons ban was neither new not unusual for the time
  • "fast strikes from distances" is a staple of Kendo-influenced Japanese Karate, not the original Okinawan styles

Thread discussing how Kendo influenced Karate:
http://forums.sherdog.com/threads/kendo-the-shift-in-karate-mentality-and-competition.3731269/

The final thought of the thread on page 4:
"Gigō's kumite (fighting) style was to strike hard and fast, using low stances and long attacks, chained techniques and foot sweeps (taken from old style Kendo and Judo). Integration of these changes into the Shotokan style immediately separated Shotokan from Okinawan karate."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gigō_Funakoshi

Further reading on the weapons ban:
http://zhkarate.com/?page_id=2248
http://ryukyu-bugei.com/?p=7283
 
Hotora86 said:
Unfortunately those are all myths which most modern Karateka believe in and I did so as well in the past. In fact:
  • Shotokan is a post WW2 modern Japanese style, far removed from the original Okinawan Karate
  • Karate was NOT invented or used to defend against armed Japanese or any armed opponents for that matter
  • the weapons ban was neither new not unusual for the time
  • "fast strikes from distances" is a staple of Kendo-influenced Japanese Karate, not the original Okinawan styles

Thread discussing how Kendo influenced Karate:
http://forums.sherdog.com/threads/kendo-the-shift-in-karate-mentality-and-competition.3731269/

The final thought of the thread on page 4:
"Gigō's kumite (fighting) style was to strike hard and fast, using low stances and long attacks, chained techniques and foot sweeps (taken from old style Kendo and Judo). Integration of these changes into the Shotokan style immediately separated Shotokan from Okinawan karate."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gigō_Funakoshi

Further reading on the weapons ban:
http://zhkarate.com/?page_id=2248
http://ryukyu-bugei.com/?p=7283
Click to expand...
Hotora86, thank you very much! Now I know so much more for the karate styles. I have humble experience in kyokushin, but honestly I have never known much about the other styles. :)
 
Adnan Adil said:
Hotora86, thank you very much! Now I know so much more for the karate styles. I have humble experience in kyokushin, but honestly I have never known much about the other styles. :)
Click to expand...
Glad to help. To understand Karate in-depth you have to become a bit of a historian / archaeologist - there are so many forgotten secrets to unearth! It's fascinating.

Luckily we now have people like Patrick McCarthy and Iain Abernethy doing the research and spreading the wisdom.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrP5pmdeV9ZTv5oGgtqoI6A
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSj2QtVA86RVWDXXSnP0PkA
 
Hotora86 said:
Glad to help. To understand Karate in-depth you have to become a bit of a historian / archaeologist - there are so many forgotten secrets to unearth! It's fascinating.

Luckily we now have people like Patrick McCarthy and Iain Abernethy doing the research and spreading the wisdom.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrP5pmdeV9ZTv5oGgtqoI6A
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSj2QtVA86RVWDXXSnP0PkA
Click to expand...

Oh, you helped me a lot, be sure in that! And luckily we have people not only like Patrick McCarthy and Iain Abernethy, but like you, too! Thanks one more time! :)
 
In-fighting Boxer, with low kicks.

Combined with Judo it'd make for a dangerous combo.
 
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