Nijushiho

[Shotokan-kez]

Hey guys. Since getting my bb i am having to learn Nijushiho. I have been doing it since may and i just cannot grasp it! The part after the two thrust kicks to the left and right where you have to twist your arms and hands and step forward, and the part at the very end where you do that turn and again the arms and hands twists. Sensei does this kata at least twice in each session, i'm sure he's doing it for my benefit because i am struggling with it, yet despite this i still find it hard. I am entering my first comp next month and i'm dreading that they may ask me to perform this kata. I think i'm the only bb in our club that struggles so much with this kata . I am also learning Jitte but i don't find that half as difficult.

I think i lot of it now is that i know so many kata's and they are all running around in my head and i'm feeling bogged down with them all. Does or did anyone ever struggle getting this kata right? I have a great demonstration of it on my pc but the guy who performs it does it slightly different to us, which is very annoying.

I know there aint a lot you guys can do but i just thought i would vent my frustration on you all because you are all such good listeners.

Kez

[DWx]

I don't actually do any form of karate and I didn't know what that kata looked like so I looked it up on YouTube and came across this. Looks like the dude is pretty good, he does it "normal" speed first, then does it slow so you can see all the moves and then he does it with the camera looking at him from behind, may help you:

When I can't get a form into my head, I break it down as much as possible and then using a video (or another person if I can) I take bits out and do them over and over again until its ok.

I'm sure you'll get it in the end just gotta keep at it!

[bushido_man96]

I like to segmented practice when first learning a form. First, I get it all memorized. Then, I start at the beginning, and break everything down, like Danielle says, and that way I only worry about putting 5 or 6 moves together and getting them right. Once I feel comfortable with that section, I move on to the next. Here is the key, though; once you start working the next section, on your last run for the day, do the first section like you have been, and then do the next section added on. It may not look as solid as the first section, but at least that way you keep up on all of it, and can begin to think about linking them together.

Good luck with it Kez! Keep plugging away, and you will be fine!

[Shotokan-kez]

Cheers for the clip danielle, it's great he is awesome. Yes i agree with both of you. At times i just keep concentrating on the arms and hands twists, finally get it right, go through the whole kata and forget it again lol it's like grrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!! But i think how you have descibed Brian is the best, i'll let you know how i get on.

[Samurai1725681514]

hi Shotokan-kez,

I know bought katas: nijushiho and jite. With jite I didn't have any problems but at the begining of nijushiho, well i had problems too. I learnd nijushiho by segments and with all that i had problems with my kata but then after many trainings i started to memories the hole kata ... then i had a problem that not all man consider it important but if you ask me it is so i didn't finnish the kata from were I started so that was my last problem and it took me some trainings to finish it at the same place ... some of my positions were to large and others were to small... then I tried it again and everything was (almost) perferct ... I say almost because you know, you always learn new things in karate and you never reach a stage were you can say: ,,OK, now I am perfect, the best, in Karate so I do not need so much training i can have 2 trainings / week instead of 3 "... at the first time I hated nijushiho but now it is my 2nd favorite kata (the first is empi)...

In conclusion: if you train a lot and focus you will understand a lot more easier everything in karate just be patience...

Samurai.

[Shotokan-kez]

Thanks samurai i do understand where you are coming from, starting and ending in the same position, the stances and turns ect. Difficult but like you say everntually you get it. And yes like you right now i hate it, and i dont like that because i love kata.

[Killer Miller]

I didn't really have any issues with the outside movements or the mechanics of Nijushiho, but fully understanding the inside movements was a little difficult. You have to practice Nijushiho slow a lot, visualizing application of the kata, then maybe the 5th one full speed so you can merge the inside and outside movements together.

- Killer -

[Alpacinator1]

That's interesting. I'm learning it at the 6th kyu, and you're learning it at black belt? Also, I learned it slightly differently than it is shown in that video.

[pers]

That's interesting. I'm learning it at the 6th kyu, and you're learning it at black belt? Also, I learned it slightly differently than it is shown in that video.

You are better off to concentrate on perfecting Heian katas ,that will serve you well when you want to test for shodan .

Nijushiho is a great kata and extremely difficult to perform and to understand .

[Ajay]

Hi Shotokan kez,

I presume that the point in the kata you are talking about, you have just done the yokogeri/tsukamiuke to left & right and are still in kiba dachi. Now, twist the body into a left front stance (if you were the centre of a big clockface, you would be pointing towards 10.00 with your left knee) at the same time wist your right hand in a clockwise direction until your open palm is facing upward, then step forward, still heading towards 10.00, into a right front stance and make a double palm heel strike, left hand high, right hand low. Now make a turn into a left front stance (again if you were in the clock, his time you would be facing 4.00) make a right hand ridge hand, arm fully extended with the left arm straight out behind and palm up.

Bring the back foot to the front foot (feet together) and bring the back of left hand sharply under the palm of the right hand. There is a Kiai a this point. Hope this helps!

Ajay