Books used as supplements to learn Kata

[pegasi]

what books do any of you use to help learn kata. I use Mas Oyama's Best Karate series, as recommended by my sensei. Any other preferred books out there?

[Shorin Ryuu]

I personally find books to be generally less helpful in learning kata simply because kata isn't just about the end position but everything that happens in between can be even more important in many cases.

Consequently, I find videos more of a helpful aid. Of course, I've relied mainly on instruction to learn my kata (I've learned kata from videos, which was helpful in getting the gross pattern down but only in cases where I knew I would have an instructor to weed out whatever silly bad habits it gave me), but I think using videos to see how others do kata is a useful tool to enhance rather than learn kata. As such, simply copying what others do isn't the main thrust of such an exercise; it is reasoning or experimenting to find out why they do it one way that allows you to gain the most from it.

[italian_guy]

I agree with SR videos are better then books, I have many videos by Morio Higaonna (I do Go Ju ryu) and lots of other clips downloaded from the net. They are very useful. Of course they are supplements mostly useful where you start to learn a kata then you must put into practice their advices (some are not only execution clips they also give advices) and that you can do only by doing lots of repetitions.

[TheDarxide]

From Beginner to Black Belt by Gursharan Sahota [sic]

I find the sequence pictures useful for remembering what techniques there are in a kata, i wouldn't use them for actually learning them though.

[papaschtroumpf]

what books do any of you use to help learn kata. I use Mas Oyama's Best Karate series, as recommended by my sensei. Any other preferred books out there?

I have those too but I prefer video also. If can also google for "single page diagrams" the summarize the katas, thoe are good as a kick reminder of the sequence of moves when you're first starting to leran it of if you haven't practiced it in a while (you do practice all your katas all the time don't you? )

[kitsune_no_tama]

I personally find books to be generally less helpful in learning kata simply because kata isn't just about the end position but everything that happens in between can be even more important in many cases.

Consequently, I find videos more of a helpful aid. Of course, I've relied mainly on instruction to learn my kata (I've learned kata from videos, which was helpful in getting the gross pattern down but only in cases where I knew I would have an instructor to weed out whatever silly bad habits it gave me), but I think using videos to see how others do kata is a useful tool to enhance rather than learn kata. As such, simply copying what others do isn't the main thrust of such an exercise; it is reasoning or experimenting to find out why they do it one way that allows you to gain the most from it.

let it be known that henceforth, there be no more questions to the function of a kata video, as shorin ryuu doth answer well. great job!

[G95champ]

Shotokan karate - G. Funakoshis book karate do kyohan is very good to learn kata by.

[ialwaysgethit]

The Jka and WKf provide some good books and also the one you mentioned is a good book, but all i would say dont try to learn from them, use them as a reference as my expeiance from people learning from books, they only give the finished product and not how to get there,

good luck

[Pacificshore]

I have books on katas, but I prefer to use videos to supplement as well. However, the books help me understand the proper angles with still pictures. Sometimes in the video it is difficult to distinguish angles.

[ialwaysgethit]

yes i also use video, of many people, from competitions, to masters, to club and association collegues.

Books are good for direction, and also the spelling and what moves are, helpful for when you teach it lol..