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Opinions on Shotokan Katas


cathal

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Wow there certainly seems to be a few that are being tossed around. Hangetsu seems to be the most voted for so far. Any one else?

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The best victory is when the opponent surrenders

of its own accord before there are any actual

hostilities...It is best to win without fighting.

- Sun-tzu

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Hands down the answer is Kanku Dai. Why its a combo of the 5 Heian kata and the tekki series. Its a very long kata and works on both offense, defense, jumping, throwing, punching, kicking, odd strikes, etc. IMO Kanku Dai is the ROOT kata of Shotoakn.

 

Others

 

Bassai Dai - anytime you see it you know its a shotokan school. Very powerful and great focus on hips.

 

Sochin - I love this kata but Shotokan students rarely pricatice the sochin stance except for the kata. So I would not say its good pick.

 

Hangetsu - see Sochin

 

Gichin Funakoshi said the big 4 Shotokan kata were Bassai Dai, Kanku Dai, Jion and Empi. I agree....

(General George S. Patton Jr.) "It's the unconquerable soul of man, and not the nature of the weapon he uses, that ensures victory."

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My choice would be Tekki (Naihanchi), as it was a favourtie of the masters who made karate what it is today. Although Kanku-dai would be a close second. Note that the heins are derivative from kanku not the other way around. and similarities to tekki are coincidental - they evolved almost compeltely seperately.

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What philosophies would you be referring to? I don't completely understand the question? Each Kata is part of the overall philosophies and have a different purpose of something to learn.

 

Please elaborate for clarity.

 

- Killer Miller -

I am wondering if there is any one kata that you think most represents the training and philosophies of Shotokan?

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Well that is definitely why I was asking the question, Killer Miller. To determine if there was any one kata that seemed to personify the philosphies of our style. Although I'm certain that this may be an elusive decision as there are many opinions being expressed here. Perhaps there could never be?

.

The best victory is when the opponent surrenders

of its own accord before there are any actual

hostilities...It is best to win without fighting.

- Sun-tzu

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I think that all Shotokan kata have elements and philosophies of Shotokan kata in them - that's why they are Shotokan kata IMO, because they reflect the aspects and traditions of our style. If they didn't incorporate the philosophies of Shotokan then there would be no need to have them as part of the Shotokan kata canon. That's probably why we're getting so many different answers - because all these kata reflect what shotokan is about (although, it is interesting to note that Hangetsu and Kanku Dai appear quite a bit).

 

As an opposite question, which Shotokan kata do you think LEAST reflects the 'traditions and philosophies' of Shotokan. Basically, which do you think would be the least-missed kata if it was dropped from the Shotokan kata list? :?

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