Aren there different styles of karate?
Years ago, karate was taught in secret to one or two students at a time, who had proven their character was worthy of learning a deadly fighting art. You could not “buy” lessons, even if you were able to find a teacher. Each instructor taught things a little differently. About a hundred years ago, karate began to be taught openly. Karate techniques became more formalized and the styles received names. This led to the many styles of karate that exist today. There are eight major syles of karate – four Okinawan (Shorin-Ryu, Okinawan Goju-ryu, Uechi-ryu and Isshin-ryu) and four Japanese (Shotokan, Shito-ryu, Japanese Goju-ryu and Wado-ryu). When the founders of these styles died, their senior students continued teaching their own students in a way true to that of the founder. This lead to separate organizations, each with its own leaders taking responsiblity for what is taught and whom is authorized to teach and to grant rank.
