What do you think is the most important kata to learn?

[Samurai Shotokan]

I think Heian Shodan is the most important to learn because it has all the basics in it but i will get people who disagree with me on this. I know all kata's have different fundementals in them but which one do you think helps you in everything ??

[Sauzin]

The one your sensei is teaching you at the moment.

If you are looking for what kata is the most broadly applicable or best all around I think this is going to be highly subjective. Really in any traditional kata you can find more than enough to do what you will need to do in a fight. It's really just a question of how you want to peel the apple. There's a million different ways, and they all peel the same apple.

[Grenadier]

They are all important, but the most important ones are the first ones that you learn, such as the Taikyoku series, etc. These first stepping basic kata are the ones that the more advanced ones are built upon, and are also great fall-back forms when you need to go back to the basics.

[Ted T.]

Heinan shodan has no reverse punch in it, so I woudln't rate it.

Each style has a signature kata for that style - work up to learning it.

[granmasterchen]

hmmmmmmm, this may make you think a bit more....

all the heian/pinan katas were recently found to be derived from one very very very long kata....long name that i can't remember off the top of my head....

anyway, some great instructor, possibly funakashi-san broke the forms up to be learned in segments easier.......actually i dont think it was funakashi, he just switched the order around, originally after the breaking into 5 forms, heian 2 was the first of the heians...and heian 1 was actually the second...

anyway the point is that all five of those katas originally derived from one, long kata, so if you take the combination of all five of those forms, and take the original, I may say that that original kata was very very vital to learning basic techniques, combos, applications and breathing.....just think...all five were one....apparently the tekkis/nihanchis were as well.

[NinTai]

I would have to agree that all kata are important as each teaches different principles.

anyway, some great instructor, possibly funakashi-san broke the forms up to be learned in segments easier.......actually i dont think it was funakashi, he just switched the order around, originally after the breaking into 5 forms, heian 2 was the first of the heians...and heian 1 was actually the second...

anyway the point is that all five of those katas originally derived from one, long kata, so if you take the combination of all five of those forms, and take the original, I may say that that original kata was very very vital to learning basic techniques, combos, applications and breathing.....just think...all five were one....apparently the tekkis/nihanchis were as well.

If my memory serves me it was Itosu that developed the Heians for the school system, hence the term "school boy karate".

I belive he took pieces of other kata, Kusanku, Passai etc. and broke them dowm into simpler combinations so that it was easier to learn.

As to the question posted.

I tend to favor Sanchin and Naihanchi.

I can't remember which Uechi instructor said it but the comment was:

"All is in Sanchin"

And Mutobu felt that Naihanchi contained all that was needed to survive a confrontation, if you mastered it of course.

Edited May 13, 2005 by NinTai

[AnonymousOne]

The most important Kata to practise is the one that is the most difficult for you to do

[P.A.L]

it's hard to choose one but if i have to then i go with one of the Sanchin katas.

[AnonymousOne]

Sanchin has some benefits but it doesnt provide all round fighting skills like other Kata and neither does it develop fast twitch muscular development

[parkerlineage]

I'm asuming we're all talking about the species of kata here, so I'm going to throw in a random new one, here.

If you had to chose a single AK kata to learn, it would be Long Form 4. That said, I say that the most important kata is: all of them. He who cannot do Short Form 2 should not touch Long Form 6 (for those of you who don't know, I'm comparing 7th Kyu to 2nd Dan). If you can't do your basics, you can't do your advanced material, end of story. I hate it when high ranks say: "It's been so long since I've done the basics, I don't even know if I can remember them."

If you can't even remember them, you need to stop what you're doing and re-remember them. Period.

Peace;

Parkerlineage