Wankan! Boring, Forgotten, and/or Misunderstood?

[sensei8]

Why isn't this Kata, Wankan, performed much, if at all, at any tournaments, yesteryear or today?

Yes, it's the shortest Kata, but, it's a powerful Kata, it's an advanced Kata. The Bunkai of this Kata are stunning with its dynamic sequences of attack and defense.

No, Wankan isn't as exciting to watch as Unsu is, but, it's message shouldn't be lost with the misunderstandings of this powerful Kata by the untrained Karateka's.

Perhaps, it's just me, but, I'm slightly perplexed as to why Wankan is being ignored by the Karateka masses!

[isshinryu5toforever]

My guess would be that there are too few kicks for most people, it's short, and judges these days seem to respect flash over power.

It's a bit like the problem with sanchin and naihanchi. Performing either one of these kata in competition probably wouldn't place you well, unless you got permission to perform sanchin with someone there as an assistant to "test" you. Both kata are difficult to perform correctly, to show intent in, and to make look good, which is precisely the reason you won't see them in competition. I suspect that is the problem with Wankan as well.

[bushido_man96]

Forms that look more complicated/technical on the surface tend to be the ones that are performed more in tourneys. Wankan may be very complex, especially when digging into the bunkai, but a tournament performance of a kata isn't usually about the bunkai; its about the technical performance, and therefore, a percieved difficulty level.

[sensei8]

So, from what you two are saying, I need to be from Cirque du Soleil!?!? What a sad epitaph for the martial arts!

[sensei8]

From what I'm seeing at the big tournaments, is that there's NO pure traditional divisions anymore...anywhere!

Possibly, there is a pure "traditional" division out there after all...still! Not at the Grand Nationals or at the AKA Grand Nationals, but, somewhere. Maybe, AAU Karate Nationals.

Here's a link to the AAU Karate Nationals Kata rules...

http://aausports.org/sprt_Karate.asp?a=pg_Karate_Handbook.htm

Under Part 4 - KATA Competition, Article 12. Kata...

I particularly like rule 12.11 Official Schedule of Katas. Why? Wankan is amoung the Kata's listed under rule...12.11.1.3 AAU Shotokan TOKUI KATA! Moreover, everything under rule 12.11 is solid and to my liking for what I'm use to and to what's missing, imho, at the Grand Nationals and the AKA Grand Nationals and the like.

The Kobudo Kata at the AAU is equally solid!

[isshinryu5toforever]

AAU tournaments just aren't popular though. I grew up doing Karate, and I never knew when the AAU tournaments were. I knew every time the AKA Nationals or the Diamond Nationals (the Diamonds especially, I grew up an hour and a half from Minneapolis) were coming up.

I think another reason the traditional division is quickly dying is because we don't have a governing body for traditional Karate in the United States. I'm not talking about the many political organizations that exist in every single style. I'm talking about an organization that can act as an umbrella for these styles. One that can standardize rules for kumite and kata. I'm not talking about changing any kata at all, just standardizing tournaments. Like I said in the other post, a traditional karate association would be the way to go. If you could get enough important people to sign on, it could change the face of traditional competitions in the United States. It needs someone with a little more political clout than myself however haha.

[bushido_man96]

I think another reason the traditional division is quickly dying is because we don't have a governing body for traditional Karate in the United States. I'm not talking about the many political organizations that exist in every single style. I'm talking about an organization that can act as an umbrella for these styles. One that can standardize rules for kumite and kata.

Hasn't the WKF done this?

So, from what you two are saying, I need to be from Cirque du Soleil!?!? What a sad epitaph for the martial arts!

No, I'm not saying that at all. I'm just saying that there are some katas that are percieved as having a higher degree of technical difficulty in performing, and so those forms will naturally get geared more towards competition.

I could take Chon-ji hyung to a tournament, and I have no doubt that I would knock the snot out of that form. I could nail it, no problem. No kicks, only punches, blocks, and front and back stances included. Now, if someone in my division does Choong Moo hyung, and knocks it out of the park, as well, then who should be rewarded? The black belt who did the white belt form and knocked it out of the park, or the black belt who did the black belt form and knocked it out of the park? That's the analogy I was trying to make.

[isshinryu5toforever]

The WKF did do that, but I don't think they're currently active int he United States. If they are, they aren't very well established. Most of the Karate associations in existence are the ones pushing XMA and such forward.

As far as the difficulty of the form, Wankan is a difficult kata. It's intermediate to advanced if I remember right. It's just not a very pretty kata. It's technically difficult. Technical difficulty just doesn't seem to be rewarded these days.

Also, in both ITF and WTF competition don't competitors have to perform the form appropriate for their belt level? They don't have to, but it is strongly encouraged. I've only competed in WTF tournaments, but I thought the same was true of ITF as well.

[bushido_man96]

As far as the difficulty of the form, Wankan is a difficult kata. It's intermediate to advanced if I remember right. It's just not a very pretty kata. It's technically difficult. Technical difficulty just doesn't seem to be rewarded these days.

Ah, thanks for clarifying this. I do agree with what you say here, as far as "pretty" katas go.

Also, in both ITF and WTF competition don't competitors have to perform the form appropriate for their belt level?

Yes, they do, in my experience. I was just using the previous analogy to make my point, that's all.

[sensei8]

AAU tournaments just aren't popular though. I grew up doing Karate, and I never knew when the AAU tournaments were. I knew every time the AKA Nationals or the Diamond Nationals (the Diamonds especially, I grew up an hour and a half from Minneapolis) were coming up.

I think another reason the traditional division is quickly dying is because we don't have a governing body for traditional Karate in the United States. I'm not talking about the many political organizations that exist in every single style. I'm talking about an organization that can act as an umbrella for these styles. One that can standardize rules for kumite and kata. I'm not talking about changing any kata at all, just standardizing tournaments. Like I said in the other post, a traditional karate association would be the way to go. If you could get enough important people to sign on, it could change the face of traditional competitions in the United States. It needs someone with a little more political clout than myself however haha.

I hear ya' and I agree with ya'. Shame though!