As a martial arts school there are key differences between karate and taekwondo. Karate is a predecessor to Taekwondo, and in fact the founder of taekwondo and general Choi Hong-hi, was actual a student of Gichin Funakoshi the founder of our style Shotokan Karate. This is an important fact, because taekwondo and karate both have similar characteristics in culture and in some of not most movements. The easy answer to a very complex question is that taekwondo primarily focuses on kicking and kicking variations with its attack. It also influences fighting methods on its sport as an Olympic sport. Karate in its simplistic manner, primarily focuses on linear attacks such as the straight punch and long stances.

In its base, Shotokan was based off one shot one kill. This is based on one factor that one hit would be accurate and you should be able to hit and get out of range of the opponent immediately. Shotokan as a martial arts is considered by most martial artist as a “Hard” style where in other martial arts such as Kung Fu as “ Soft/Flow Styles”. Shotokan focuses on long linear attacks and long range defenses that focus on timing, distancing, and quick angles to create distance upon the attack. Due to various cultural changes such as karate tournaments and other influences such as boxing, karate has learned amazing timing, and accuracy in order to be a great art to learn to defend yourself.

As a martial arts school in Las Vegas. Our goal when teaching karate for kids or adult martial arts is to create a comprehensive curriculum at our karate school. Our base is Shotokan karate, but there are other types of fighting methods that are very important in Self defense classes. We teach many concepts that help our students become more versatile. This includes Jiu Jitsu, Kickboxing, some taekwondo, and various martial arts concepts throughout the years you are with us. We also teach Kobudo ( Weapons). We offer a wide range of martial arts, so you as a student become well rounded black belt in our martial arts academy.

There is some truth to this, that traditions of the arts any art for that matter doesn’t really teach you how to fight. But as instructor, there are many benefits to this. Sure, will it teach you to become the next UFC champion? Probably not, lets be honest here. However, teaching traditions and meditation helps with long term benefits and mindset. Not all of you will want to be professional fighters, and that’s ok. Traditions also create unity, and a more systematic approach, to learning it so everyone can learn something to defend themselves. Martial arts is more of a life style than becoming a champion. Which some might not agree with, but as a champion myself everyone is a champion in different aspects of their lives or careers and people are born with different talents and skills. Tradition also creates moral code, ethics and principles to help practitioners understand we live by a code and stick to it to live better lives and become better people in general.
Learning traditions help with long term, eventually becoming your mindset there fore you keep it part of your life. Therefore, you will always know how to fight because of the life style you lead. Some of these traditions are from Gichin Funakoshi teachings other are from our school that help with long term mindset to train for life.

The short answer is No.
The long answer is it all depends on how much you know and what your teacher has taught you. I get this question a lot and people tend to get confused and sometimes concerned about this. There are some schools that care about belts, and some don’t care about ranking which is great and bad at the same time. For us, I guess were in the middle. Ranking is important for us, because I need to see what you know in the curriculum and what your capable of. This can be many factors such as,
• What Katas you know
• What movements your capable of
• How well you fight
• Is your belt the same level as ours?
• How is your technique
I realize saying this as instructor can sound cocky and seem arrogant but let me make my point. As a martial arts instructor our job is to ensure you become a great martial artist. In my experience as a teacher, I have seen some black belts who have never sparred before and I have seen some colors belts who should have been black belts long ago. This can also get complicated too depending on the student or member who transferred over from another school. Especially from the same Shotokan school the teaching can vary from school to school slightly.
• What are the variations in your school ?
• Are you out of state or local?
• Are you still training at the other school ? This is important because it might create habits that might be good or bad.
• Is it really Shotokan or another art?
• Will you accept our cultural differences at our school to what your used to?
• Are you a good training partner to others in our school?
With all these factors, that are usually easily to be looked at, we consider these through long term and short term factors so we know where we can start you at. Or sometimes speed you up through.

Karate primarily focuses on striking and Jiu Jitsu focuses on grappling or grabbing. These are both different forms of self defense both in its beginning and its end. However, most schools understand that both concepts are equally important to learn in fighting. Any martial arts school understand this including ours.
The age old argument of which is better, in my opinion always depends on the person.

Hikite or Pull Back Hand, is this Useful? Doesn’t seem like it. But a lot of arts do this why?
I get this question a lot, and there is a lot of skepticism for this. Which is great because I guess the answer is based on what works for you. Many arts especially traditional arts from Asia use the pull back hand a lot in not just in karate, but Kung Fu and many other arts as well most likely.
Many fighting arts don’t agree with this hand position because it can leave your face or your body open for an attack and that answer is plenty enough to be that it is useless in fighting. They are not wrong. So why do it?
After studying this myself, this is part of our “ Kihon” or basic training to learn the following factors of what the pull back hand does to benefit your martial arts training with us. Hikite teaches us the following in my opinion,
• Extension of the body to reach the opponent by using opposite ends.
• Generating mechanisms in your body to create speed and power
• An exercise to help create hip rotation and snap.
• Develop explosive movement
With me, will you use Hikite in a fight. Maybe or maybe not. Its hit and miss but it’s a great exercise to develop your training so you improve your skills.
What Makes Shotokan Karate punch work? What should I do?
Simple. Punch them first. Don’t hesitate and make it simple. The end.

I get this question a lot, and there is a lot of skepticism for this. Which is great because I guess the answer is based on what works for you. Many arts especially traditional arts from Asia use the pull back hand a lot in not just in karate, but Kung Fu and many other arts as well most likely.
Many fighting arts don’t agree with this hand position because it can leave your face or your body open for an attack and that answer is plenty enough to be that it is useless in fighting. They are not wrong. So why do it?
After studying this myself, this is part of our “ Kihon” or basic training to learn the following factors of what the pull back hand does to benefit your martial arts training with us. Hikite teaches us the following in my opinion,
• Extension of the body to reach the opponent by using opposite ends.
• Generating mechanisms in your body to create speed and power
• An exercise to help create hip rotation and snap.
• Develop explosive movement
With me, will you use Hikite in a fight. Maybe or maybe not. Its hit and miss but it’s a great exercise to develop your training so you improve your skills.
What Makes Shotokan Karate punch work? What should I do?
Simple. Punch them first. Don’t hesitate and make it simple. The end.

Lets keep it simple and to the point.
• Strengthen legs and endurance
• Increases range of motion
• Increases flexibility
• Increases distance
• Increases footwork and attack space.
• Creates better hip rotation and snap

Yep. Your right. It doesn’t.
But hear me out again, there is something about uniformity and traditions that changes an art as a whole. Having a gi Separates us form the other arts and culture. Its creates a vibe and tradition that many arts don’t do and helps us understand why this helps with our training. Having the uniform, also creates professionalism and puts our traditions in perspectives.
It my early years, I did this too. I used to teach my classes in Blue Jeans! Haha. Super unprofessional and very bad. At least for my kid students, this created chaos and parents didn’t trust my ability to lead. I would teach in shorts or whatever I wanted. Not to knock other arts, but being In gym clothes that is not uniform can create problems and kids become riled up. It can also create distractions especially if it’s a strong graphic Tee or a message that can be distraction to the class.
Wearing the uniform, not only creates uniformity, but also keep traditions in tack and helps people feel like they are part of something more. Which is what the Gi does and it also aligns with the Japanese culture and since we are a Japanese art, it makes sense we train In them.