How many Kata's till sho dan (1st degree) in your system.

[srv]

8 katas till shodan.

3 basic technique katas +

Naihanchin,

Sanchin

Tensho

Seiunchin

Saifa

+ a freeform kata with a bo.

[jaymac]

Just talking forms, we have to know 5 Heian kata, 2 Tekki Kata, 2 Bassai Kata, and 1 Kanku Kata. This however, is only a small part of the test required for Shodan. As a student, I have never approached my instructor on when I believe I am ready to test for any rank. It is always and should always be his decision.

[rs_coble]

16 katas, mix of chinese kenpo forms (Chinese long and short forms) and ryu-kyu( Shodan,Nidan,Sandan,Seisan,Passai,Kusanku-i think is how the last one is spelled.)

[Sensei Rick]

I am still watching this topic, and find all responses very useful. please keep em coming.

[Kaminari]

Well, by the time the students in my dojo reach testing time for shodan, they know anywhere from 30-45, maybe more kata, and they choose a certain number of them to perform. I think it's less than ten, maybe around 5 or so, but then again, I'm not sure, as my friends don't really talk about their tests for shodan much. I know that you also have to do some kumite, but I'm not sure as to how much.

Speaking of which, that reminds me of a story my sensei once told me about a guy testing for his shodan a few years ago. One of the testers asked him to perform a kata of his choosing. The guy shrugged, and performed Kihon kata dai Ichi, the first kata we ever learn. Well, he just went through the motions, sloppily, and he failed the test right there. Because the kata had less complicated movements and techniques, the instructors expected much more and were able to find more flaws. I just thought that was an interesting story.

[SigungWhite]

In the Molum Pai Kung Fu System we teach One form per rank level

Wing Chun Concepts Silum Tao

Bak Mei Basic Walking Form

Basic Praying Mantis Bak un Dao do and interpretations

Advanced Choi li fut Ginger fist Kuen

Advance Praying Mantis Bong Bo, Dao quan shaun

Advance Bak Mei 9 Step push

Advance Systems Cross fist

then Weapons

Tiger Fork

Sabre

Double Daggers

Bo

Sai

Tonfa

Tim White

Director

Molum Kung Fu

[Sensei Rick]

One of the testers asked him to perform a kata of his choosing. The guy shrugged, and performed Kihon kata dai Ichi, the first kata we ever learn. Well, he just went through the motions, sloppily, and he failed the test right there. Because the kata had less complicated movements and techniques, the instructors expected much more and were able to find more flaws. I just thought that was an interesting story.

I'm gonna try that, I want to compete in a tourney using my first kata, and keep doing it till I get first place, then Ill do the second kata.

[Sensei fighter]

As I always thought - it's not the quantity that matters but quality.

Several years ago I new all the Katas of Shotikan (not including forms from Taiji Chuan and Shaolin) for 7th Dan. - Shotokan practitioners know that further Dans are rewarded for contribution -

The point is that I just don't understand the meaning of higher Kata, even though I gained my NiDan already.

As a result - do one Kata and be the best at it rather then make 20 useless.

Anyway Sensei is not looking what Kata you perform but how you perform it.

[italian_guy]

Hello, Goju ryu here.

Taikioku jodan,chudan,gedan.

Gekisai Ich, ni

Sanchin,Tensho

Saifa,

Seyenchin,

Shisochin.

Total of 10.

[ps1]

In Chuan Fa there are 3 (very long and complicated) animal forms and 2 weapon forms to earn what you would call first degree black belt.

In Karate: 9 empty hand and 2 bo.

Of course there are other requirements. But that's the number of kata required for each system (Poekoelan and Kwanmukan respectively).