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Post by kensei on Dec 27, 2013 13:00:15 GMT
Dingman Sensei often says that once you understand Karate (get your black belt) you need to start studying Karate and pick a Kata to learn. Each shodan should focus a few months on each of the 15 Kata after Bassai dai (So, Kanku, Jion, Jutte, Empi, Hangetsu, Tekki 2-3,and Gankaku). Then at Nidan you should pick three kata to study as a focus for your studies in Karate.
The first of the three should be one that compliments you mentally and physically. I had Kanku Dai picked for me by a sempai because of me being way to analytical and thinking way to much. She said that Kanku dai would either flush that out of me or make me nuts…either way I would stop thinking so damn much about the details after a while. That and it has all the basic moves you need in Karate, its like a catalog of Shotokan movements.
The second Kata I picked was Nijushiho because it defines some very specific body dynamics that I like. It shows opposites well and it works the hips and rotation as well as the spring in the body that creates power and whip like movements of the whole body. When I do Nijushiho I just feel like my body is working the way Karate wants it to.
My Third Kata however has been a bit of a back and forth. I started doing Sochin, but it just did not feel right for me, and I associated it with a senior that I used to train with who turned out to be a real horrible human being. Then I moved onto Jiin, but it again did not feel right. So, about five years ago I started doing Meikyo. It was kind of my “Spiritual Kata” and I liked the focus that it gave me when training. But as of late I have been thinking of changing it to Bassai Sho as it also has a lot of the body movements that I like and that make me feel like my body is moving with proper power development.
I am at an impasse and I am working both Meikyo and Bassai sho to see what Kata kind of “wins out”. Now to be clear, I do all 26 kata (some much better than others) and have even dabbled in Goju Kata to see if my body likes the movement dynamics…which I have no idea because I only know four of their Katas well enough to “dance through them”.
The start of 2014 will be a time to focus on Bassai Sho for me. I am going to really focus on it and see if it becomes one of my 3 focus Kata to finish out my triad of Kata.
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Post by garage on Dec 27, 2013 15:57:10 GMT
Who gets on with Sochin?
The opening move is slow then the next 2 times it is normal speed. Of course I have seen the opening move used in photographs so many times, I begin to think it is done slowly to get a good picture. After the 6 knife hand blocks that kick sequence is always filmed from behind and every time I have asked no reply or different ways.
Hangetsu is the only kata that has any ibuki breathing like goju ryu, I wonder if the breathing has been left out of Tekki, Nujushiho, sochin to make the differences between shotokan and goju ryu clearer, to prove a point.
I think the kata fit all body types and you pull out the stuff that works for your body and the others you do to understand other body types.
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Post by Bob Davis on Dec 27, 2013 17:57:49 GMT
Even Sochin is tending toward de-emphasising the breathing techniques, in my experience (which is a shame I think). Agreed, I picked Empi for my kata back at 1st kyu and, as a guy who was 6'3" and 220lbs at the time was told it wasn't for me because "it is a light flowing kata for small people" (I did it anyway ) and to me it's still one of my favourites and works very well for a big guy (I think). Nijushiho was the first kata I ever studied in depth as a practical, applied kata with a full set of self devised 2 person drills rather than just an exercise in performance and body mechanics and form, and on that basis is also still on my favourites list some 10 years later.
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Post by jimlukelkc on Dec 28, 2013 10:49:12 GMT
For some years now I have focused on tekki shodan/naihanchi. So many applications packed into a relatively short sequence it is infinitely more sophisticated than it first appears. It remains my main study but I have found great merit in kanku dai, nijushiho and bassai.
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Post by th0mas on Jan 2, 2014 9:49:10 GMT
Happy New year everyone! What would have surprised the me of 20 years ago is that I have spent the last 5-10 years focusing on the Heian's. Rather than trying to get under the skin of the Nijushiho's and Gojushiho-sho's of this world I have made a concerted effort to go back and re-assess our foundation kata. The main reason for this was the rather unpleasant niggle in the back of my mind that I had kind of missed something... I am firmly in the camp that believes the Heians were developed by Itosu as a teaching aid and consequently understanding the fighting principles from these five kata are fundamental in the study of the rest..(an Itosu retrospective if you like.. ) Outside of the heian's Bassai and Empi have been my focus - personally I don't like Sochin (even though I chose it for my Nidan) Cheers Tom
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Post by Bob Davis on Jan 2, 2014 10:19:40 GMT
I would have to agree with that Tom. On the back of spending some time with both Ian A. and Dave Hazard, who have very different takes on "applied" kata (but both very effective it seems ) I've been back to the Heians to work up from first principles again. The bulk of our "Tuesday Playday" sessions has been based around the Heians for the last 6 months, and probably will be for most of this year as well (if my body can take the battering ) Although I am spending some time in my solo sessions on Bassai Sho, on the off chance that I'm made to grade again at some point (will avoid that for as long as possible however )
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jeffcapstick
Member
When your temper rises, lower your fists. When your fists rise, lower your temper.
Posts: 10
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Post by jeffcapstick on Jan 7, 2014 9:03:26 GMT
Even Sochin is tending toward de-emphasising the breathing techniques, in my experience (which is a shame I think). Agreed, I picked Empi for my kata back at 1st kyu and, as a guy who was 6'3" and 220lbs at the time was told it wasn't for me because "it is a light flowing kata for small people" (I did it anyway ) and to me it's still one of my favourites and works very well for a big guy (I think). Nijushiho was the first kata I ever studied in depth as a practical, applied kata with a full set of self devised 2 person drills rather than just an exercise in performance and body mechanics and form, and on that basis is also still on my favourites list some 10 years later. Hi Bob! Your Empi looked pretty good to me when we were drilling the bunkai together down in Swindon a couple of months ago!! I think the classification of certain kata being suitable for certain body types has been taken way too far. Although there are possibly certain generalisations, there are far too many exceptions for the classifications to hold any real weight, in my opinion. All the best for 2014 and beyond. Jeff
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Post by th0mas on Jan 12, 2014 8:49:25 GMT
Hi Jeff
I would agree with your statement, looking at a kata holistically and declaring that it is good for big people or bad for thin people etc, is based on its asthetic or "how it looks when performed" rather than it's component functions. What is important are the underlying combat principles in the kata and how you apply them in any particluar conflict situation.
How Bob would execute a take down at his majestic 6"lots' will be different to how my mate paddy, at his perfectly formed 5"andabit', would take down the same opponent - but both would undertake to achieve the same aim if they were executing the same tactical Lesson.
As an aside - When I interpret kata bunkai I prefer to talk about outcomes rather than techniques "kick knee here to drop them" or "pull arm now to unbalance". For example in Heian Yondan for the sequence Uraken-side snap kick-Empi - I would say "Kick knee now" rather than specify a maegeri or kikomi or side snap kick etc, mainly because the outcome is about dropping your opponents head so that you continue to dominate and then are able to finish with a strike to the head. You may not even need to kick at all..
Cheers
Tom
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jeffcapstick
Member
When your temper rises, lower your fists. When your fists rise, lower your temper.
Posts: 10
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Post by jeffcapstick on Jan 12, 2014 13:03:24 GMT
Hi Jeff I would agree with your statement, looking at a kata holistically and declaring that it is good for big people or bad for thin people etc, is based on its asthetic or "how it looks when performed" rather than it's component functions. What is important are the underlying combat principles in the kata and how you apply them in any particluar conflict situation. How Bob would execute a take down at his majestic 6"lots' will be different to how my mate paddy, at his perfectly formed 5"andabit', would take down the same opponent - but both would undertake to achieve the same aim if they were executing the same tactical Lesson. As an aside - When I interpret kata bunkai I prefer to talk about outcomes rather than techniques "kick knee here to drop them" or "pull arm now to unbalance". For example in Heian Yondan for the sequence Uraken-side snap kick-Empi - I would say "Kick knee now" rather than specify a maegeri or kikomi or side snap kick etc, mainly because the outcome is about dropping your opponents head so that you continue to dominate and then are able to finish with a strike to the head. You may not even need to kick at all.. Cheers Tom Hi Tom I like your approach to talking about outcomes rather than techniques. It certainly prevents "label-disease" and I think leads to better, more pragmatic analysis of the kata. Kind regards Jeff
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