I really need some help getting the more advanced kata back into my head!!!

Can anyone recommend any books with black belt kata in it so I can study at home easier and jog my memory?

Yes, "Karate Kata Applications" by Aiden Trimbel and Vince Morris.

Shotokan, simple, great Bunkai.

Many thanks

Yes, "Karate Kata Applications" by Aiden Trimbel and Vince Morris.

Shotokan, simple, great Bunkai.

Yes I would second that, also Enoeda Sensei has 2 books out with kata and Kihon for each grade. Also look at Sensei John Burke for Kata books.

ISBN

0 7136 4311 0

0 7136 4312 9

0 0918 0938 X

0 9550 3403 5

Cheers, I ordered volume 2 of Karate Kata applications, £5.99 from ebay, simples

When I was studying Shotokan as my main art, these are the two books that I used:

The Shotokan Karate Handbook: Beginner to Black Belt

Shotokan Karate Handbook: Advanced

Both written by my sensei at the time and

Karate Kata Applications

for the bunkai.

I also have and use the following DVD:

Kancho Hirokazu Kanazawa -Shotokan Karate Kata

One thing that I would recommend is getting the book/DVD that is more inline with your "branch" of shotokan, as there are slight variations in the kata's (comparing the main two: "JKA" branch and the "skkif" branch), while I've been to and studied with "both" branches, my main stream as it was, was the SKKIF (as Sensei Kanazawa was one of the instructors that my sensei studied under.)

As far as a visual break down of Shotokan kata, Nakayama's "Best Karate" seris is very good. Nothing about application or anything else, just a well done, multi-photo break down of the movements with notes on the timing of the kata.

Here's a link to one of the series:

http://www.amazon.com/Best-Karate-Vol-5-Heian-Tekki/dp/0870113798/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1347194077&sr=8-8&keywords=M+Nakayama

The Best Karate series by Nakayama is an excellent series. They are inexpensive and you can select the volume you want based on the kata you need to remember. They even contain tips on bunkai.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Best+Karate

If you get the used copies, they are extremely inexpensive.

My favorite is "Karate the Complete Kata" by Kanazawa. Most of the kata books I have seen only have the final positions, but this one also gives intermediate pictures and short paragraphs on how to transition from one position to the next.

I find John van Weenen books very helpful. He has a number of volumes available!

OSU