If you practise Kata... This is how it ought to be done

[bushido_man96]

I agree, from a competition perspective, a fantastic Kata! Hence why he is the champion.

As to it's practical use, I'm not quite so convinced. Many moves were exadurated for the point of flashy and fast movements, but the actual speed along the practical line of travel was slow.

Not to say that it wouldn't be effective, but just saying the the focus was more on flashy than simple and effective.

All in all, a competition Kata.... and a fantastic one at that.

An instructor of mine once told me that he did his form for testing a totally different way than he did it for a tournament.

[RichardHangHong]

From a demo/kata to music point of view, but there's one person I know of who does it miles better, Jean Frenette. There's a few of his music demos on YouTube

[juey palancu]

I personally didnt like Valdesi's empi, for the same reasons stated above by Jiffy, Killer Miller, etc.

I did like his ganakaku, shown in youtube also, very much.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_XQ--WU8ZM

Well, it was still a little macdojoish in some flashy sequences of incomplete hand movements but the execution of those side kicks from the crane stance was VERY good. I wish I was that athletic.

However, if I was going to do the movements of Gankaku in a fight for my family's life, this is how I would like to do it. Notice the VAST increase in power and focus going from Valdesi to Kanazawa. Call me a traditionalist, if you like, but Kanazawa's kata puts a lot more fear in my heart.

also look Kanazawa's empi: WOW that's power.

[Brandon Fisher]

Kanazawa Sensei's kata is amazing at least in my opinion. His kata is more like the way I practice kata not exact but close, however his is by far better.

[bushido_man96]

Kanazawa Sensei's kata is amazing at least in my opinion. His kata is more like the way I practice kata not exact but close, however his is by far better.

His katas were very nice, too.

[Killer Miller]

Kanazawa was a great Karate-ka and Sensei. However, I really never cared for his Kata though...

- Killer -

[bushido_man96]

I did like his ganakaku, shown in youtube also, very much.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_XQ--WU8ZM

Well, it was still a little macdojoish in some flashy sequences of incomplete hand movements but the execution of those side kicks from the crane stance was VERY good. I wish I was that athletic.

What is "Macdojoish" about it? Is it just because someone wants to compete, or because someone is willing to give a demonstration for show? I am having trouble understanding the definition here.

[Brandon Fisher]

Killer,

I am curious what don't you like about Kanazawa Sensei's kata?

[juey palancu]

bushido,

What's mcdojoish about it is the flashy, fast sequence of incomplete hand technqiues shown in Valdesi's gankaku video. Doing incomplete technhiques to appear faster than you really are is one of the hallmarks of a mcdojoish performance

Killer,

You cant deny Kanasawa's kime and execution in those kata videos, can you? The're right there to see!

[bushido_man96]

bushido,

What's mcdojoish about it is the flashy, fast sequence of incomplete hand technqiues shown in Valdesi's gankaku video. Doing incomplete technhiques to appear faster than you really are is one of the hallmarks of a mcdojoish performance

Killer,

You cant deny Kanasawa's kime and execution in those kata videos, can you? The're right there to see!

So you are saying because he does a modified version for competition that it is mcdojoish?