All Wado Karate Forum

Is there really such a thing as running kata backwards? Ive been told it's a way to fully gauge whether you know a kata.
There is also running kata, starting on the right side. I can understand the importance of this. A practitioner shouldn't favor one side. But backwards seems to escape my grasp of understanding. Is this a common practice or just a myth that may have snuck in?

**Edited to reflect a proper grasp of the English language. Sorry for my clumsy thumbs on a tiny phone. **

Hi kman7

I have done kata in reverse i.e starting pinan kata to the right first and going from there, but never starting at the end and going backwards. But its not a regular thing with us

shep

we've done this. it was explained as taking you out of your comfort zone and to simulate stress and your reaction to it. we didn't do much of it and i strongly recommend not doing it close to gradings...

karateman7 wrote:Is there really such a thi g as runnjng kata backward? Ive been it's a way to fully gauge whether you know a kata.
There id also running kata, starting on the right side. I canjnderstand the importance of this. A practictioner shouldn't favor one side. But backwards seems to escape my grasp of understanding. Is this a common practice or just a myth that may have snuck in.

I have come across this before, but in a very roundabout way.

Years ago there was an article published in UK magazine Traditional Karate, it may have been by the late Shotokan practitioner Steve Cattle. In the article he mentioned that he’d heard from Shotokan master Kase that some of the old Okinawan kata were deliberately constructed backwards to hide their true meaning. At that time I had an interest in the Okinawan forms of the kata, but all the same tried an experiment; I ran Pinan Sandan in reverse, it was just out of curiosity and I suppose supplied a different perspective.

I am now wondering if it is entirely wise of me to resurrect this piece of long lost folklore as it may grow legs and who knows where it might run to. Imagine all those Bunkai types getting hold of the concept and threading it into their own teachings like it’s manna from heaven…..’secrets of the old masters revealed!’

Tim

Well if you're going to start it might be as well to start with Naihanchi.

oneya

**Original post edited to reflect a proper grasp of the English language. Sorry for my clumsy thumbs on a tiny phone. **

oneya wrote:Well if you're going to start it might be as well to start with Naihanchi.

oneya

Ooh, that would make it start with a strike, kinda goes against the principles of kata :p

andyb28 wrote:Ooh, that would make it start with a strike

That would actually be a pull, in a reversed kata.
Which makes me wonder how you do a reversed kick...
And do you apply reversed take downs (pick-ups) in the kaisetsu?

:-)

andyb28 wrote:

oneya wrote:Well if you're going to start it might be as well to start with Naihanchi.

oneya

Ooh, that would make it start with a strike, kinda goes against the principles of kata :p

Hi Andy,

It is 1 AM here and you're gonna have to explain that for me.

oneya

Andy, don't fall for the "karate ni sentenashi" myth.