Your favorite katas and why

[karatelok]

When I was yellow or green belt, I d/l some kata video from a USA website

 

In one of them, is UNUS

 

Then it become my ALL time fav.

 

It is the first kata I saw that lay down, I just WOW to every steps, the 4 direction punch, knee kick, and the spinning jump.

 

and Now, after watching more and more kata video

 

(especially UNUS)

 

I finally understand the kata, and know how to perform(although never do I)

 

then I just found my 1st UNUS video that insprited me actually wasn't something GOOD....

 

Unbalance, leading stand, weak kick, inconsisent speed...etc

 

then I understand that actually I had learn this kata from observation.

[Killer Miller]

Did you mean the kata "Unsu?"

 

- Killer -

When I was yellow or green belt, I d/l some kata video from a USA website

 

In one of them, is UNUS

 

Then it become my ALL time fav.

 

It is the first kata I saw that lay down, I just WOW to every steps, the 4 direction punch, knee kick, and the spinning jump.

 

and Now, after watching more and more kata video

 

(especially UNUS)

 

I finally understand the kata, and know how to perform(although never do I)

 

then I just found my 1st UNUS video that insprited me actually wasn't something GOOD....

 

Unbalance, leading stand, weak kick, inconsisent speed...etc

 

then I understand that actually I had learn this kata from observation.

[Kumite988]

I think he means unsu. It is one of the most difficult katas I have ever performed, EVER. I wouldn't recommend trying to learn it from a tape.

[Omega14]

I think he means unsu. It is one of the most difficult katas I have ever performed, EVER. I wouldn't recommend trying to learn it from a tape.

 

For Unsu, one can probably follow the general movements of the kata by watching a video closely. However, many movements may be performed incorrectly. This is especially true of the 360 degree jump. To often, I see the move performed in a unrealistic manner, where the movement is overly exaggerated. Ironically, a lot of the senior instructors I know shun the kata because so many karatekas practice it for the "appeal" rather than the applications. Then again, some people say that the older instructors are just jealous cause they can't perform the jump properly anymore .

[Killer Miller]

Unsu is very difficult to perform - although I still see many do this kata in tournaments. I've only seen a few karate-ka give this kata any justice in tournaments. It almost always is sloppily performed... I never would have recomended this kata to anyone unless they have "perfect" technique. This doesn't mean not to practice and learn the kata, just don't use it as one of your tournament katas. It could make you look 10 times worse that you know you look when performing it.

 

BTW, I love this kata. However, I would never use it in a tounament unless I was in perfect condition at the time and my technique felt really tight! Also, the judges are far more critical of you when performing Unsu and will look for the slightest error, versus other kata where many errors are overlooked.

 

- Killer -

[Omega14]

Unsu is very difficult to perform - although I still see many do this kata in tournaments. I've only seen a few karate-ka give this kata any justice in tournaments. It almost always is sloppily performed... I never would have recomended this kata to anyone unless they have "perfect" technique. This doesn't mean not to practice and learn the kata, just don't use it as one of your tournament katas. It could make you look 10 times worse that you know you look when performing it.

 

BTW, I love this kata. However, I would never use it in a tounament unless I was in perfect condition at the time and my technique felt really tight! Also, the judges are far more critical of you when performing Unsu and will look for the slightest error, versus other kata where many errors are overlooked.

 

- Killer -

 

I see it quite often at general karate tournaments. However, I haven't really seen it at shotokan tournaments. I wonder why...

[Aiko87]

I use unsu as one of my tournament kata and don't find many problems with using it. It is a difficult kata to learn, because of its many angles. I think that the worst part of using unsu in a tournament is that if you mess up at all on the jump, even if you do a perfect kata otherwise, you'll lose. Then again that goes for any kata with a jump. Well anyway sticking to the subject my favorite katas are heian sandan (since I had so much difficulty learning it in the beginning), empi, gojushiho dai, and unsu.

 

Aiko

[1st KYU]

seiunchin, sanseiryu, basadai. basically all my more recent katas are my favourite.

 

i like seiunchin because its is rather long, intense, it has slow movement then bursts...its also one of the few katas with the goju exchange.

 

sanseiryu, short and quick, lots of kicks and fluent movement.

 

basadai, wich i am still learning..about have way through, i am starting to like. its a foriegn kata to my style (shotokan i belive?).

[isshinryu5toforever]

I like Chinto for the speed and balance necessary. It was also a kata I used in competition with pretty good success. I like Sanchin for the focus it takes to perform it properly while being tested. I also like Sunsu, because it is the only kata that Master Shimabuku created.

[Sridhar]

Unsu a monster of kata

 

but the power of kata is really to be used as massive that like blowing up a thug

 

but my all time favorite is Matsumura Bassai Dhai, Seipai, Nippaipo

 

In seipai a rythmic flow of movements ups and downs in speed Crane stanes abt 18 open hand technic really fine kata