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Am from the North London Shotokan Club

Shotokan is a style of Karate. Training is usually divided into three parts: Kihon the basics, Kata forms or patterns of moves, and Kumite Sparring. Techniques in kihon and kata are characterized by deep, long stances that provide stability, enable powerful movements, and strengthen the legs. Shotokan is often regarded as a 'hard' and 'external' martial art because it is taught that way to beginners and coloured belts to develop strong basic techniques and stances. Initially strength and power are demonstrated instead of slower, more flowing motions. Those who progress to brown and black belt level develop a much more fluid style which incorporates grappling and some aikido-like techniques, which can be found in the black belt katas. Kumite techniques mirror these stances and movements at a basic level, but are less structured, with a focus instead on speed and efficiency.

Beginners will learn the:

Stances
Kiba dachi - Side or straddle leg stance
Kokutsu dachi - Back stance
Zenkutsu dachi - Front or forward stance

Punches
Choku Zuki - Straight punch
Gyaku zuki - Reverse punch
Oi zuki - Lunge punch

Kicks
Mae guri - Front Snap kick
Yoko geri keage - Side snap kick
Yoko geri kekome - Side thrust kick

Basic Blocks
Age uke - Upper rising block
Gedan barai - Downward block
Shuto uke - Knife hand block
Uchi uke - Inside block
Ude uke - Outside block

Sparring
Gohon kumite - Five step sparring
Ippon kumite - One step sparring

Kata
Taikyo-kyu (the first Kata) - The first cause

The movements, also with high defensive counters which my sensei have told me in the Shotokan club and fighting with no weapons.

i currently train in shotokan and find it to be an interesting style.

and true there isnt much to weapon forms but you can easily implement a weapon into the forms. being weapons are just an extension of your body.

great to see people having a intrest in the martial art i have heard alot of complaints about it being a run away martial art
(thanks machida.) but evrything he has said is very true surprised he didnt mention the basic horse stance sense its used in traditional shotokan.

SoulessExsistance, Kiba Dachi is Horse stance. The other names are all just different names for it. Kiba dachi runs in almost all far eastern martial art, though it may be by some different name.

in our assc. we call the first kata we learn heian shodan. thats all i have to say for now^^

The real difference from a few differences is the snap at the end. At first, the punch comes from the waist, hand extending. As soon as the elbow stops brushing against the ribs, the hand starts to spin, ending with the knuckles horizontal, the shoulders straight, and the punch at: chin level, to the solar plexus, or to the belt area.

Hadoken!!!!