7 Great Styles of Karate Martial Arts

Actually there are many flows of karate in Japan, and was spread in worldwide, including Indonesia. There some was into the "big 4" and some not of the Japan Karate Federation (JKF).
Big 4 flow

1. Shotokan-flow
   Shoto was the pen name Gichin Funakoshi, Kan can be interpreted as building / construction, so it can be translated as University Shotokan Funakoshi. Gichin Funakoshi was a pioneer who brought the science of karate from Okinawa to mainland Japan Island. Shotokan is a flow accumulation and standardization of various universities in Okinawa karate ever studied by Funakoshi. Adhering to the concept of Ichigeki Hissatsu, is a movement to kill the opponent. Shotokan uses horses low and hard punches and parry. Shotokan movement tends to linear / frontal, thus Shotokan practitioners dare to compete directly with the punches and parry the opponent.


2. Goju-ryu-flow
   Goju means hard-soft. This flow technique combines hard and soft techniques, and is one of the colleges of traditional karate in Okinawa that has a long history. With the increasing popularity of Karate in Japan (after the entry into Japan Shotokan flow), the flow is brought to a Japanese Goju by Chojun Miyagi. Miyagi updating a lot of these techniques into the flow stream Goju-ryu that now, so many people who think Chojun Miyagi the founder of Goju-ryu. Adhering to the concept that "the real battle, we must be able to receive and reply to blow". So that Goju-ryu emphasizes breathing exercises SANCHIN or base, so that the karate fighter can deliver a powerful punch and take a hit from the opponent without getting hurt. Goju-ryu using the defense that is circular and meeting fun doing combat.


3. Shito-ryu-flow
   Shito-ryu stream famous for playing KATA expertise, proven from many KATA taught in Shito-ryu flow, ie there are 30 to 40 KATA, more than the other streams. But that was recorded in Japan there are 111 words along with the bunkai. For comparison, Shotokan has 25, Wado has 17, Goju has 12 KATA. In the fight, a Shito-ryu Karate flow can adjust to the conditions, they can fight like Shotokan karateka frontal flow, and the flow distance as Goju meeting.


4. Wado-ryu-flow
   Wado-ryu Karate is a unique school because it is rooted in the martial art of Shindo Yoshin-ryu Jujutsu, a stream of Japanese martial arts techniques that have joint locks and throws. So Wado-ryu Karate in addition to teaching techniques are also taught joint locks and throwing techniques / dings Jujutsu.
   In the fight, a Wado-ryu Jujutsu uses the principle that workers would not complain frontally, more use of defense that is flowing (not a hard defense), and sometimes use jujutsu techniques such as dings and leg sweep to knock the opponent. However, in the championship game of sport, the flow of Wado-ryu karate are also able to adapt to the existing rules and playing without using the Jujutsu moves.

Not Big 4 flow

1. Kyokushin-flow
   Kyokushin is not included in the Japan Karatedo Federation huge 4. However, this flow is very well known both inside and outside Japan, and also contributed to popularize Karate throughout the world, especially in the 1970s. Flow was founded by Sosai Oyama Masutatsu. Kyokushin name has meaning the highest truth. This flow adopts Budo Karate, where the practitioner-practitioner is required to do a full-contact brave kumite, which is unprotected, and attacked frontally, to explore the true meaning of martial arts of karate and trains the soul / spirit warrior (budo), flow This is also commonly known as one of the toughest karate school. Unlike most karate school that has focused on the sport, the game introduced a system in which no direct contact and the outcome is determined by points, Kyokushin still cling to the traditional system, seen from the kumite championship game systems that implement Kyokushin full contact fight and may make Knock Out (KO) the opponent. This flow Nishi apply kumite (kumite 100) as the ultimate test, which tested karate kumite do 100 in a row without losing. Sosai Oyama himself has done kumite 300 people. It is common for practitioners of this genre to perform Kumite 5-10 respectively.


2. Shorin-ryu-flow
   This flow is the flow of the original Karate came from Okinawa. Founded by Shoshin Nagamine based on the teachings of Anko Itosu Yasutsune, a karate teacher of the 19th century who also is a teacher of Gichin Funakoshi, founder of Shotokan Karate. Understandable that Shorin-ryu movement has much in common with Shotokan. A striking difference is that the Shorin-ryu also teach a variety of weapons, such as Nunchaku, Kama and Bo Rokushaku.


3. Uechi-ryu-flow
   Karate stream flow is the most receptive to the influence of Chinese martial arts, as the creator of this genre, Kanbun Uechi, learn martial directly in Fujian province in China. Therefore, the movement of the flow of Uechi-ryu Karate is very similar to the martial arts of Fujian flow, especially flow Baihequan (White Stork).