Which is/are your favourite Kata?

General discussions on Wado Ryu karate and associated martial arts.
WadoAJ
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Re: Which is/are your favourite Kata?

Post by WadoAJ »

]
OK. I thought you were talking about a "standard" rhythm in which sequences of a kata should be performed.
It seems sometimes just repeating in the same rhythm can over time alter the mechanics that should be present, so maybe better to avoid rhythms of sequences and learn rhythm of moving the body instead. To replace outer rhythm with inner rhythm.[/quote]

I See what you mean. Of course there is à general rhythm. I tell my students that for now They have to follow The rhythm that i instruct And that later on They can develop their Own. We are probably on THE Same page here.

AJ
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wadopaul
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Re: Which is/are your favourite Kata?

Post by wadopaul »

I like Pinan Shodan -& Chinto. Also like Naihanchi but i'm never really happy with my performance of it either.
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Re: Which is/are your favourite Kata?

Post by wadoka »

wadopaul wrote:I like Pinan Shodan -& Chinto. Also like Naihanchi but i'm never really happy with my performance of it either.
As a reminder, please sign your posts with your name. You can do this by editing your signature for all posts.

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oneya
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Re: Which is/are your favourite Kata?

Post by oneya »

claas wrote: OK. I thought you were talking about a "standard" rhythm in which sequences of a kata should be performed.
It seems sometimes just repeating in the same rhythm can over time alter the mechanics that should be present, so maybe better to avoid rhythms of sequences and learn rhythm of moving the body instead. To replace outer rhythm with inner rhythm.
I am having a little disquiet with your comments here claas, here for instance:
It seems sometimes just repeating in the same rhythm can over time alter the mechanics that should be present,
Have you considered perhaps that altering the mechanics may be part of the function of kata and in doing so may take the practitioner to a different level of comprehension? The kata that we see and are taught are omote kata which is, after all, only one aspect of kata and, as I understand its purpose, one should expect changes in our understanding of its function.

And here:
To replace outer rhythm with inner rhythm.
Again with the disquiet I'm afraid but even tho I wrestle with it and think I understand, it does just stand there a little defiant and a little too esoteric.

oneya
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oneya
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Re: Which is/are your favourite Kata?

Post by oneya »

Thanks for the PM claas.

Changes to full name and location disclosure on this forum have been mooted for over a month now, as I understand it this is to enable full and honest discussion on wado ryu without fear or prejudice. As far as I am concerned this is very timely and a sign of our growing maturity and responsibility as representatives of wado ryu and for this reason I prefer not discuss this post any further via the PM. However as you are still considering the changes, I will wait until you decide one way or the other.

I will post this on the current thread as a courtesy to the other members.

oneya.
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majin29
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Re: Which is/are your favourite Kata?

Post by majin29 »

I've begun learning Pinan Yondan and its by far my favourite kata. I love the Chinese influence in the circular motions and open hand techniques (though it could be debated whether these stem more from the Shindo Yoshin Ryu origins of Wado). One of our senior instructors likes to teach with a heavy emphasis on practicality- meaning application of these kata. Personally I love this style of instruction as it helps contextualize the movements.
David Coscina
AG1
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Re: Which is/are your favourite Kata?

Post by AG1 »

David, as you continue practicing Wado and your level of understanding increases your personal preferences of kata will evolve. I now enjoy practicing katas I once did not care for much, such as Rohai. I'm sure you've heard over and over that kata must be practiced properly, but what does "properly" mean? Suzuki Sensei offers some guidance in his six principles of kata which you can read here http://wikf.com/principles%20of%20kata.php
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Arturo Girona
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Gusei21
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Re: Which is/are your favourite Kata?

Post by Gusei21 »

AG1 wrote:Suzuki Sensei offers some guidance in his six principles of kata which you can read here http://wikf.com/principles%20of%20kata.php
Regards,
HI,
I was just having an offline discussion with a dear friend of mine about Suzuki Sensei's kata comments.
There is a lot there in what he wrote and some of those sayings are extremely sophisticated and go into internal powerland.

I realize that the folks out there who really understand this stuff are reluctant to talk about it for various reasons.
One being that they feel most people are not ready to hear this stuff. They are not developed enough to integrate this into their practice and any premature attempt to play with this stuff will only hinder your training especially if you don't have a teacher who can guide you.

But having said all of this I think it might be fun to take a crack at a few and totally deconstruct it and lay it out on the operating table.

I want to start with Balance. Funny how he writes 'balance' for the Japanese bit as if we don't have a word in Japanese for that concept.
I sit here now and am trying to think of a Japanese word....and the funny thing is that I can't. I can't think of a word that equates to the Western word 'balance'.
In Japanese we can come up with phrases to express the concept of balance but one word that equates to balance? Can't think of it.
Not sure if that has any cultural implications or not but nevertheless.

So this thing called balance. Why the heck is it important. It doesn't make any sense. If you are balanced then you can't move! The last thing you want is to be in a state of balance. If you are balanced you will get killed. Just tattoo 'itsuki' on your forehead...
What good is balance? It stops you from doing a face plant. It gets you good scores in dumb kata competition. But it has no martial value.

(I say all of this with tongue in cheek...for you non native speakers I am just playing...)

What is balance? Being equally weighted on both sides of a fulcrum?

You can't move unless you first unbalance yourself. In order to move from point a to point b you have to first unbalance to move...then you go to a state of balance. So it is a constant motion of going from balance to imbalance back to balance. That is basic movement. So saying that you have to have balance in kata does not make any sense.....or does it?

Folks...the answer lies outside the box....get your mind off balance.

P.S. In terms of internal power, this concept of BALANCE is extremely profound. It is fundamental to any work done in that realm.
But I am talking about BALANCE, not balance. :)
I also wanted to add. There is not one correct answer. There are a multitude of things behind the concept of BALANCE that somehow all come together to create a martial body.

Back to work.
Bob Nash
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Re: Which is/are your favourite Kata?

Post by wadoka »

The usual way to view being balanced, that we grow up with, is being set, being in a comfortable position, very inward.

If we think of our balance as being equally outwards in all directions, as if our tipping point is poised to go in all directions equally, then we are balanced on the verge of chaos/movement as opposed to being set and immovable.

Sorry, just had a couple of glasses of fizz.
kyudo
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Re: Which is/are your favourite Kata?

Post by kyudo »

Gusei21 wrote: But I am talking about BALANCE, not balance. :)
I remember my sensei explaining 'stable instability' in kata Naihanchi. Another interesting way to refer to -probably- the same concept.
Igor Asselbergs
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