Shotokai Shotokai Red River Campaign Category="Karate"Shotokai is a style of Karate, named after the Shotokai, a group brought together by the family of Gichin Funakoshi after his death in 1957, to look after the arrangements for his funeral. At this time differences of opinion on the teaching of karate between Funakoshi, and other practitioners of Shotokan Karate connected with the Japanese Budo Association, meant that it was considered inappropriate for the latter to make the funeral arrangements. The word comes from 'Shoto', the pen name of Funakoshi - literally translated as 'pine waves', and 'Kai' meaning group, therefore Shoto's group. The Shotokai was composed of practitioners of Shotokan Karate who were close to Funakoshi and shared his philosophy how it should be taught, and the name Shotokai came to represent the style of these practitioners.

The Style

Shotokai karate differs from much of Shotokan in that it rejects competition altogether, feeling that it compromises the style and aims of Karate. Kata are generally the same as other forms of Karate, although Shotokai often emphesises slow flowing movements rather than the sharp snappy movements of other styles. Kumite 'sparring' in Shotokai is practiced with full strength attacks, and is tightly controlled in terms of who is attacking and defending and the attacks that can be performed in order to reduce the chance of injury.

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