Too many kata

[SANCHIN31]

How many kata in a system is too many? I have heard of styles with upwards of 20+ kata. Can anyone truly expect to really learn (meaning bunkai) that many kata and be proficient in them? Would it not be better to concetrate a few kata and really be able to learn them? By learning I don't mean perform them well, I mean to actually be able to apply the bunkai. The true bunkai,not the multiple opponent blocking overhead strikes bunkai.

Goju has twelve,but IMHO I still think that's too many.

[cheeks]

i think there can be such a thing as too many katas my karate has over 10 as far as i know. my kung fu has only 6 empty handed and 3 weapons. wing chun has 3 empty handed and 3 weapons.

i think that as long as you are still being taught the techniques behind the kata, then this is not too much of a problem, however if you start collecting katas then its a worry

[ninjanurse]

Less IS more.

[octopic]

A different question might be, how many kata are too many to learn in a specific period of time? Right now, I have 15.5 long forms (only half-way through one) in my style. I'll need to have 17 down for my sandan test. However, it has taken me 14 years (with some time off in the middle) to get to this point. If you're trying to learn a new form every month, you're never going to really know the forms. If you're getting 1-2 new forms a year, that's not too much in my opinion.

[Sauzin]

It is definately possible to have too many kata. It doesn't remove the effectiveness of the art, but it does make some things a lot more difficult. Right now I know around 70 kata.

[y2_sub]

I think having 20+ katas is not that bad , my sensei always says that a student must focus on the bunkai of ONE kata that suites him the most .

[papaschtroumpf]

Shotokan has about 25 katas (count varies by a few depend who you talk to and how they count).

The founder of Shotokan Karate thought that 3 years per kata was about right, I'll let you do the math...

The question is now how many katas, but how often you learn a new kata. I'm pretty sure I won't learn all of them in my lifetime, and I'm certain I won't master them all in my lifetime.

It's nice to have a choice though...

[SaiFightsMS]

In the enthusiasm of learning an art most want to eagerly learn new kata's. And actually get bored doing the ones they know over and over.

Then as one progresses and begins to really learn the uses and applications of a kata they see how much more there is to the kata they thought they already knew. At that point one often goes back to earlier kata and really begins to spend serious time working them.

[karatekid1975]

Less IS more.

I totally agree. I learned the 8 in WTF TKD (before BB). And Heidi showed me just a little that I didn't know about these forms. I was like, "Wow!" There is more to these forms than you think (I wasn't even shown the bunkai ... well I was shown, but not much ... which I hope she shows me soon ). Technique-wise, it is harder than you think. It takes a long time to learn just the technique. I have a lot of work to do. What she showed me is enough to keep me busy for a LOOOOONG time.

[SANCHIN31]

I think having 20+ katas is not that bad , my sensei always says that a student must focus on the bunkai of ONE kata that suites him the most .

That's good advice,but then the question comes up of why do a kata if you don't study the applications?