Kanku-Sho

[Shotokan-kez]

Hey everyone. Just wondered what everyone's take was on this kata. My main problems with this kata is the jump, not the jump where you land in shuto-uke but the second rather big jump. As a rule do you actually have to kick your hand and how high does the hand have to be? Also i find it difficult to jump straight back up again without losing balance a little.

I also tend to go into Kanku-dai, especially when you do the side snap kicks on either side.

So what do you all think of this kata, and how long did it take you to get that jump right!

[sensei8]

It's a wonderful Kata; powerful start to finish. I love it as well as I also love Kanku-dai. Fun...fun...fun!

On to some of your questions/comments...

My main problems with this kata is the jump, not the jump where you land in shuto-uke

Yeah, this jump is much easier than the second jump. I concur!

but the second rather big jump.

This second jump is an introduction to another big jump in another Kata...UNSU! The jump/landing in Unsu, imho, is a much bigger jump than the jump/landing you're refering to here in Kanku-sho.

As a rule do you actually have to kick your hand

Yes!

and how high does the hand have to be?

Chest high! As you know, just before this jump, your bring your left hand 180 degrees at chest high, ever so slight pause, then, JUMP...cresent kick your left hand with your right foot. Key, TRY, to be at YOUR chest high when executing the cresent kick. If not chest high, get it as high as you can, but proper training to achieve the desired height is essential.

Also i find it difficult to jump straight back up again without losing balance a little.

The more you practice this, as in anything, the easier it becomes. Just get up...and yes, it's just that simple. Watch your posture on the way up because any leaning this way or that way will cause you to lose your balance in that given direction. Also, watch that your feet don't get tangled while getting up, your feet shouldn't get tangled up, but, one never knows.

I also tend to go into Kanku-dai, especially when you do the side snap kicks on either side.

I don't understand as to why because the following seguences that follow the side snap kicks aren't the same, not even close. It's possible that your brain doesn't want to continue in Kanku-sho because of the up and coming BIG jump, therefore, your brain wants to do Kanku-dai where there's no jumps to do at all, except with the little flying front kick at the very end! I'm spit-baling here as to why you go from Kanku-sho into Kanku-dai at the side snap kicks.

So what do you all think of this kata, and how long did it take you to get that jump right!

I love Kanku-dai and Kanku-sho both equally!

It took me a couple of months to get the jump right. Why? Getting the jump is one thing, getting the proper height in the jump to turn, kick, and land is another. My Dai-Soke got us to the proper height by stacking mats until we achieved the proper height consistently. Then, he moved the mats away and had us go at it. I must tell you, when my brain realized that I had no cushy mats to land on, my brain said..."No mats!" SLAM into the floor with the grace of a hippo. Once my brain got ok with no mats, I was flying with the birds...with an occasional THUD. GET THE PROPER HEIGHT...it's downhill from there!

How did it feel to you when you did the landing your first time? It freaked me out! Why? The ground was coming up fast and I wasn't! Banged my knees up alot because I used my knees to absorb most of the impact. Flying is easy, landing takes skill!

Kanku-dai VS Kanku-sho...Which one LOOKS easier? Which one IS easier?

Kanku-dai LOOKS easier and Kanku-dai IS easier, imho!

[Shotokan-kez]

Thanks for that sensei. Great advice. I love Kanku-Dai, it's one of my favourites along with Jion. The reason i think about kanku-dai when doin the snap kicks is because i keep wantin to go into those strikes/blocks that come next I concentrated on Kanku-Dai a lot because of my nidan grading and it was one of my chosen Katas. So it's still fermented in my brain lol.

I will keep at Kanku-sho, i have seen the Unsu jump but not yet tried the kata...as you state fun fun fun

[bushido_man96]

All I can offer for advise is to break it down. Break it into the component parts, and work each, adding the next dimension as you feel more comfortable.

Work the crescent kick to the hand a lot, and then work into the lift-off phase. Once that feels good, work into the landing, and putting it all together.

Also, slow down at first, and make sure you get everything placed out right. This should help your standing after landing, too.

[Shotokan-kez]

Thanks Brian

[bushido_man96]

Anytime, Kez.

[mudansha]

Hey everyone. Just wondered what everyone's take was on this kata. My main problems with this kata is the jump, not the jump where you land in shuto-uke but the second rather big jump. As a rule do you actually have to kick your hand and how high does the hand have to be? Also i find it difficult to jump straight back up again without losing balance a little.

I also tend to go into Kanku-dai, especially when you do the side snap kicks on either side.

So what do you all think of this kata, and how long did it take you to get that jump right!

We spent two classes perfecting the little parts of Kanku sho and I was having this exact issue with the second jump.

My sensei broke it down and two things helped me greatly:

First:

Don't think of it as a jump. It is not like the first jump, or the jump in empi. In those katas, the center of rotation is vertical. In this particular jump, the center of rotation is your "core" and your core is not vertical, it is closer to horizontal. The farther you lean forward, the easier it is. Lean way forward, closer to horizontal than vertical.

Second:

Many people place the left hand too far UP. your arms and shoulder should not be in line. The left arm should be BACK, not just up.

[pers]

Kanku-sho is my favourite kata these years , I love the grace and power of this kata .