Bassai Dai

[Shui Tora]

^ You are right there Jaymac... When I do Bassai Dai, the second move i pause for about 2 seconds, then turn into uchi uke really fast. We all put different timings into our kata... And trying to explain them in a forum is hard (not saying we shouldn't try...)

Practice, Practice, Practice (haven't I heard that word loads before! )

Glad you like site!

[Killer Miller]

jka_guyana, from what you are describing, your stances are definately too long. This is always a typical and big error with Bassai Dai. Go slow and generate a stance no longer than two shoulder widths long. With heals flat, your front knee should extend to, but not past the front toe. Do it slow a couple of times, just the phrase you are having trouble with, then do it as fast as you practically can with the only focus mentally being correct stance - forget about everything else for the moment. Do this until it is programmed into muscle memmory. Then do the entire kata. slow and then fast. When you hit another difficult point, break it down and do the same slow/fast process until you get down the entire kata.

Note: The easiest way to find your trouble points is to do the kata as fast as you can. Your weak points of your kata will stand out every time when you do your kata at this speed. Then you start with the first weak point, do the slow/fast routine for muscle memmory, move on to the next weak point until the slow and fast tempos of the kata look "exactly" the same with the exception of the speed. The timing of a kata never changes regardless of the speed its done at, just the tempo changes and everything should still look the same! Carefully watch the Kanazawa kata videos and you will see this technique is also well demonstrated.

- Killer -

[AnonymousOne]

Anybody got any tips on how to do this kata (bassai dai) and make me exert my full potential in it? I do Shotokan. I am a member of the JKA. The name of my Sensei is Amir Khouri 5th Dan. The name of our chief examiner is Frank Woon-A-Tai 7th Dan. He is based in Canada. His team is third in the world and I am honored to be under the command of this prestigious black belt. Here in Guyana the karate is not as popular as in other countries but it is going places. I am a brown belt 2nd kyu. We do not use stripes though.

In Guyana this is how we do it:

white>yellow>orange>green>purple 1 and 2>brown 1, 2 and 3>black etc.

I plan on becoming one of the highest in the country of Guyana and I really want to incorporate Karate into every Guyanese citizen when I become of that status. I have grading in November. Just for the records this post was made in July 2006.

Our club membership is divided into children and senior. I am a child of 13. I will become an adult when I am 14. Which happens to be October 31st. I am not very boastful about it but I am one of the best Shotokan 2nd Kyu's in my country. I'd like to become the very very very best I can be.

Will you please offer any tips and technical advice on the kata named: Bassai Dai? Thank You very much in advance!

To be 100% honest with you, I dont think someone your age should be tackling that Kata.

Bassai Dai in our school is the main Kata for Shodan examination.

You can't sit for Shodan in our school (Shotokan derivative) until you are at least .... at least .... 18 yrs old. And every rarely does anyone ever achieve it.

To achieve Shodan for us, apart from everything else, you have to beat 3 brown belt adults (first kyu) in contest as part of your examination.

This ensures a good level of competency in kumite skills. Mainly because we choose the very best brown belts as opponents in the examination.

I dont believe a 13 yr old child has the capabilty of performing that successfully.

Likewise Kata has to be applied properly. Its no use just knowing the movements. You have to be able to apply power, speed, timing and co-ordination etc to the techniques contained therein. A 13 yr old child does not have the physical attributes to perform that Kata at Shodan level.

I am sorry but this is true.

[Killer Miller]

AnonymousOne, Bassai Dai is a Brown Belt kata in JKA - even at 13 yrs old. He's fine learning Bassai Dai... In fact, I've personally taught that kata to 13 yr old kids, and they have performed that kata as good, in some cases better, than many adults. JKA harps on perfection of technique early on, so when they reach Brown Belt, they do quite well with these types of katas - even at 13.

- Killer -

[Sohan]

This is 11 year old Kevin Guzman, from one of our related Shorin-ryu dojos in Dallas TX. This page has three videos of his kata performance for his Shodan test. Upon viewing this, I hardly think 13 is too young to learn Bassai forms, nor do I think a child should be discriminated against for Shodan promotion based on his age--if the kid can do it, he can do it.

http://www.okinawankarateclub.com/promotions/YouthTestShodanFebruary2006/index.htm

With respect,

Sohan

[bushido_man96]

I agree that children should have the opportunity to be advanced students, if they are capable of the task. As far as having to fight 3 people to earn a black belt, I am not sure about that. Are there rules to the fighting? Do they fight all at once?

[cathal]

Some tips I have learned, from Master Woon-A-Tai himself no less, were quite helpful. The first bit was on the hips. Make sure that you have this basic move down to generate your power. Remember that in our system Bassai-Dai is a speed Kata so don't waste your energy on making it look as powerful as Jion.

Timing is also a factor, it can't look too rushed, in other words don't sacrifice technique for speed.

Bunkai. Master Woon-A-Tai's bunkai on this kata is very common sensical and practical. Try to develope your own interpretation of the bunkai but definitely practice his. It has really helped to improve my performance.

Finally, spirit is a big factor. If you display a high level of spirit, kime, etc. then you'll do fine. Master Woon-A-Tai said that when in class an instructor will give you hints, etc on the level of spirit by shouting the name of the kata, the numbers of the steps (ich, ni, sun etc) but when you do the kata you must relay your level of spirit and enthusiasm by your very movements, and in your kiai.

For the rest I'd consult your sensei.

[jka_guyana]

arigato..i just had a class with sensei woon-a-tai...he is now trying to get more instructors for Guyana..he is currently employing an instructors certification programme on the black belts...even though i am 2nd kyu i still attend these classes....i am preparing for when i have to do it next year. Thank you for the technical advice so far.

[AnonymousOne]

AnonymousOne, Bassai Dai is a Brown Belt kata in JKA - even at 13 yrs old. He's fine learning Bassai Dai... In fact, I've personally taught that kata to 13 yr old kids, and they have performed that kata as good, in some cases better, than many adults. JKA harps on perfection of technique early on, so when they reach Brown Belt, they do quite well with these types of katas - even at 13.

- Killer -

Well that would depend on the standards and expectations of the school. I realise in the west things are not as high a standard as it is in Japan in many cases, I am very sad to say (I lived there for 2 years).

A child simply doesnt have the muscular abilities to performadvanced Kata as what our school expects. Today many schools are happy just to have people perform the movements in order with little consideration of the bigger picture.

But that is the way of the world....

[jka_guyana]

With respect to your seventh dan: Killer Miller

I HAVE the muscular abilites to perform Bassai Dai. If not, I dont think the higly respected and talented JKA member by the name of Frank Woon-A-Tai who has in addition to is the leader of the third highest karate team in the world would have me performing this "advanced kata".

In Guyana we may have a small league of Black Belts, but their caliber is of the highest quality and under the tutorship of Sensei Frank Woon-A-Tai, it is to go further. And may I say, Sensei Frank Woon-A-Tai is also a guyanese. He has been performing Bassai Dai since my "tender" age and now he has turned in to being one of the best in the world.