Karate_Dad

Now's the perfect time to practice your kata for the comp then. As most posts have pointed out kata take a long time to perfect. Once you have "learnt" a kata it does not get thrown away never to be done again. You will be doing the very same kata you are so tired of at black belt level and beyond. Why don't you in your own time learn the next kata so by the time your class does the kata you know the basic moves. Try and find out what the possible bunkai moves are the the kata you are doing. Can you do the kata backwards (from finish to start)? How fast can you do the kata making sure you can do the complete moves. There are many way to keep your interest in a kata. Have you made a video of you doing the kata. Nothing like self critisism to improve a kata.

Thanks pers. Regretfully not.

I think he was but that was a lonnnng time ago. Happy to say before my time.

Okay I'm a little confused... Nothing new there but... the Kake Geri is the "hook kick" Similar to Mawashi geri but striking with the heel. Pic here This is not to be confused with the Kakato geri or heel/axe kick often used by TKD practitioners. This is the technique that is being discussed. Fumikomi Geri, the Stomp kick or stamping kick is found in Tekki Shodan. So, OrionRyu are we talking about the correct thing? I suspect it's either the Kake Geri or Kakato geri the former I believe to be the more difficult one to execute. The Kake geri does have the illusion of a change in direction that you refer to.

Let's see we grade 3 times a year there are 10 kyu's then it's a little over 3 years. Of course the little guys/gals take a little longer as they have a stripe for each Kyu. QED. I am glad however that Bushido_man96 points out the importance laid on the Black Belt. What must be remembered is that the Black Belt or more importantly Shodan is just the FIRST step in a long Karate career. To my mind too much emphasis is made in the BB. Yes it is a big milestone but but no means the most important. Sorry Wagnerk my post was slow but pretty much echoes what you said.

Thanks. The link below details the list of Shotokan 6th dans and higher in the Western World. Nice to see the large number of South Africans in the list across the Shotokan affiliations. http://www.shotokanworld.com/htmls/DanRankings.htm

Thanks Bushido_man96 . Great looking forum and seems very popular. I'm sure I will learn a lot from this forum. Cheers

To answer the original question.... you don't. The Shitei Kata (Heian Shodan to Heian Godan and Tekki Shodan) are used for 8 kyu to 3 kyu. Sentei kata (Kankudai, Jion, Bassaidai Empi) are used for 2 kyu to Shodan. Thereafter you select your Tokui (favourate) kata. So now you know what to spot for your next grading.