tonfa kata

[ninelivesarentenough]

does anyone know a tonfa kata that they'd be willing to type out for me? before telling me to ask my instructor, let me say that i have. tonfa hasn't reached our school yet, it's in the process of being intigrated into our weapons class, but we're short on katas to teach. the head instructor said that if i learn a kata, i can teach it. if anyone wants to type one our or has a link to one online it'd be great.

[Shorin Ryuu]

Hmm.

 

9 foot pole --------- me (on the other side, not touching)

[Shorinryu Sensei]

I don't know of any links, but try a google search and see what you get.

 

Do you have any concept of how much work and thought...not to mentioin finger cramps it would take to type out a whole kata in detail?

 

My best suggestion would be to take an empty hand kata and add the tonfa to it.

 

Hey Shorin Ryuu...you getting chicken in your old age?

[Shorin Ryuu]

Darn. I guess old age and treachery always beats out youth and exuberance in the end.

 

I have a video of Mikio Nishiuchi explaining the tonfa basics and he includes some exercises, drills, bunkai and even a tonfa kata (which is pretty simplistic so it would be easy to copy ... I mean learn). You can buy it online I'm sure. Just type in his name and "mastering the tonfa" (or something like that) and you'll hit sites that sell his videos. They're decent for learning the basics, anyway.

 

Lucky for you, I had already actually typed out the tonfa kata after watching the video a couple of years ago. I'll just email you the word file, if you don't mind. Unfortunately for you, its only an outline without the various moves being described too much in detail. Maybe you can use it, maybe not. From what I hear, it's a Matayoshi tonfa kata.

 

It does concern me that you would learn a kata via the web or video and then be trusted to teach it to a class. Even if you were able to copy a kata perfectly, it wouldn't be the same.

 

It is situations like these that make me glad I'm in an established organization. Not raining on your parade (or your instructors), but just my thoughts on the matter.

 

----me----- (somehow all over the nine foot pole now)

[Taku-Shimazu]

I could type one up but it would take me a while, 2 weeks approx.

 

Want me to do it for you?

 

Taku.

[ninelivesarentenough]

to taku - yes.

 

to shorin ryu. trust me we're established but you can always be more established you know? we're established in the sense that we have a lot to offer and our curriculum came from a higher institution that's been around for forever and a half, but we're just still finding ways to develop. it's not like we're just taking whatever we can get a hold of and using it, don't let me give you the impression that we don't have standards, but if i come across a great kata online, why waste it because i didn't come across it in person?

[Sauzin]

grumble...grumble …gahhh!

 

<----!DISCLAIMER! The following is just a personal opinion----> The value of kata does not exist in what move comes in what order. The moves (highblock, step, lowblock, step punch, turn swing) are almost irrelevant. It is the manner by which the movements are done that makes the kata. While the movements do matter, they only matter because of the means by which they are performed. The purpose of the individual moves is entirely lost without the idiosyncrasies and details of their performance.

 

It is not possible to convey the meaning and manner of the movements through just text. You have to see it, experience it, and practice it systematically. What that last part means is you have to learn it in a certain manner. One specific step at a time with guidance. The end result is not otherwise obtainable. This is the nature of real kata.

 

I would seriously suggest making up your own kata before incorporating a kata that you only have a text description of. Study video tapes, books, and pictures of the weapons use then design defenses based on your studies. The movements would match their application and performance better this way. You would understand what you were doing because you designed the movement and in the process of designing it you would likely learn more then interpreting a text description.

 

A "legit" kata cannot be learned from solely from a text description. You will be impersonating movements without meaning and those who could verify the legitimacy of your kata would think very poorly of your instructor. Better again to make a kata from scratch that can be judged on its own merit.

 

I am not encouraging making up kata as a good idea in general. But it's a comparably better option then learning a kata from a text in my opinion. The only option that would provide you with results worth your time is to find an instructor. But you already know that.

[Taku-Shimazu]

OK I've nearly got it all down but i've got alot of work at the moment and training so it will be a little while longer, but don't worry its on its way!

 

(Tonfa Kata)

[ninelivesarentenough]

:') that's all i have to say!

[SaiFightsMS]

You can always try to use your tonfa doing an empty hand kata you already know. That will help you to explore the applications for your empty hand katas as well as work on your weapons skills.