Bassai-Sho

[Sensei Tom OBrien]

I love Bassai Sho, not as much as I love Bassai Dai but I feel as though Sho is the neglected sibling of Dai. I don't understand why Bassai Dai is taught before Sho. Bassai Dai means 'storming the large fortress' & Bassai Sho means 'storming the small fortress'. Looking at it logically you would think that Bassai Dai would be the more advanced kata but that is not the case. No one seems to have a good reason for it either. It's just the way it is. Anyway I took home a silver medal with Bassai Sho last Sunday at the AAU karate tournament. The history of Bassai Sho is interesting also. Think of someone who was constantly beaten with a stick, pole or bo & devised a way to take the weapon away. I like the slow/fast aspects of the form.

Thanks,

Sensei Tom

[bushido_man96]

Bassai Sho Examples:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLjbEyvvufg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GQu9N0e8SQ

- Killer -

I thought that all of these kata were done very nicely. It was fun to watch. It looks like a very interesting form.

[Shotokan-kez]

Sensei Tom, it's really cool you love the kata like me and congrats with the silver medal. My sensei is doing a bo course next year with bassai sho so im looking forward to that!

[Sensei Tom OBrien]

Shotokan-kez, I love Shotokan & I love Bassai Sho. Shotokan is such a pure basic style. Straight forward go right thru you system. The stances are such that you can build a house on them & that’s exactly what you do. You build on those stances. We had a saying last week at the tournament - "Gyaku zuki all day long". That bo course sounds like it will be a lot of fun. I had seen those film clips of bassai sho & used them to critique my own kata. Technology is great we can all benefit from it.

Thanks,

Sensei Tom

[Shotokan-kez]

Well yeah i'm very excited about the whole thing. I have never even held a bo, or any other weapon. I hope i don't knock anyone's head off

[JWLuiza]

I love Bassai Sho, not as much as I love Bassai Dai but I feel as though Sho is the neglected sibling of Dai. I don't understand why Bassai Dai is taught before Sho. Bassai Dai means 'storming the large fortress' & Bassai Sho means 'storming the small fortress'. Looking at it logically you would think that Bassai Dai would be the more advanced kata but that is not the case. No one seems to have a good reason for it either. It's just the way it is. Anyway I took home a silver medal with Bassai Sho last Sunday at the AAU karate tournament. The history of Bassai Sho is interesting also. Think of someone who was constantly beaten with a stick, pole or bo & devised a way to take the weapon away. I like the slow/fast aspects of the form.

Thanks,

Sensei Tom

Generally Dai and Sho reference versions of the form, not the "size" of the form. Generally, IME, the Sho forms tend to be taught AFTER the dai versions (bassai, kanku). While the Sho forms (except for Gojyushiho) may have fewer moves, they tend to have more subtle moves than their Dai counterpart.

[Sensei Tom OBrien]

John, Thanks for shedding more light on the Dai/Sho dilemma. I’ve also seen documentation explaining that Sho means lesser & Dai means greater. I like both of these kata for different reasons. Like you said, having to do with some of the more subtle moves.

Thanks Again,

Sensei Tom

[P.A.L]

John, Thanks for shedding more light on the Dai/Sho dilemma. I’ve also seen documentation explaining that Sho means lesser & Dai means greater. I like both of these kata for different reasons. Like you said, having to do with some of the more subtle moves.

Thanks Again,

Sensei Tom

I think this is what they believe in Okinawan Shuri-te, the lesser and greater versions, in shorin ryu we allways learn sho before dai version of the same kara.

passai sho

kusanku sho

passai dai

kusanku dai

[Shotokan-kez]

Isn't that funny then, that i have learn't kanku dai, bassai dai before bassai sho

[patusai]

I have learned a version of Bassai/Passai ane we referred to the kata as Patusai