Do you have a "tokui" (specialty) Kata?

[bushido_man96]

I am reading (thanks to DWx ) Rob Redmond's book, Kata, The Folk Dances of Shotokan, and on pp 50 - 51, he relates the idea of having a "tokui" kata, or the one kata that you specialize in. This is the form you do that Redmond says you would have particular skill in; perhaps the one you are known to perform, given the chance and the choice.

Redmond puts it this way: "This will be the first kata that you stop becoming and start making into you."

I know we've had some varying discussions on forms practice in general, and I thought, what the heck, why not throw this direction in there, too!

So, do you have a form that you feel you specialize in? For me, it would have to be Ge-Baek. Its a second degree form for my school, and I always loved doing it, I could really rock it out with a lot of power, and I had my best tournament placings ever with it. My best testing so far, when I tested for my 3rd dan, this form was a requirement.

This form's movements seem short and compact to me, and I feel I can deliver every ounce of power my short, stubby, round body can muster into it, and I am exhausted upon completion, and feel like I really just rang somebody's bell.

Yeah, Ge-Baek is my form.

What is your "tokui" form? Even if you aren't a high rank yet, and feel you've grown to enjoy one particular form above all the others, please share it with us, and why.

[Wastelander]

I would say either Seiunchin or Naihanchi Shodan for me, but I hadn't really thought about it too much. I am used to the idea of tokui waza from judo (mine is harai goshi) but never thought to really apply that to kata until I read Mr. Redmond's book a while back. Seiunchin I thoroughly enjoy simply by performing it, and it is one I have only just scratched the surface of in regards to bunkai, while Naihanchi Shodan is something that I perform without thinking of the movements because I am constantly focused on the applications.

[DWx]

Great topic

Ge Baek's a nice once. Although I think I'd like it more if I wasn't sick to death of it It's a 1st dan one in my school so guaranteed we'll do it a coupla times per session and we almost always end up doing it when we do team patterns too.

This form's movements seem short and compact to me, and I feel I can deliver every ounce of power my short, stubby, round body can muster into it, and I am exhausted upon completion, and feel like I really just rang somebody's bell.

agree with you on that one! It's definitely a power form and all the turns are great for really throwing the blocking arms out.

I don't know what my touki kata would be... Of the 3 I'm learning at the minute (Choi Yong, Sam-Il and Yoo Sin) hands down I'd do Yoo Sin any day but it just doesn't feel like I've made it mine yet. Maybe Choong Jang. I guess for similar reasons you said for Ge Baek bushido_man96; the whole thing's about really strong arms and compact movements.

[bushido_man96]

I'll tell you this about Yoo Sin, DWx: it will never, ever, be my form. Its my current form, and I just can't stand doing it. I like the first half of the form, but the second half is just a pain in the butt for me.

[Kuma]

Sanchin kata will always be my favorite kata to perform. I usually practice it a few times a day, and feel it has many benefits beyond the physical. I'm often called out in class to demonstrate it, so I guess that means I perform it well. For being so simple visually, it's so complicated internally and I'm always learning something new.

[ninjanurse]

Haven't found it yet but I am partial to Sipjin. Of the systems I have studied it is a favorite...a close second being Chung Moo 4. I find them both to be rather

eclectic while maintaining a traditional feel....which suits my personality to a tea.

[DWx]

I'll tell you this about Yoo Sin, DWx: it will never, ever, be my form. Its my current form, and I just can't stand doing it. I like the first half of the form, but the second half is just a pain in the butt for me.

Really? Its not great but I don't mind it that much. Any bit of the 2nd half in particular? I can never get the U-shape punches through to the waving kicks to look any good. Don't mind the rest of it that much though. Feels great to slam out the knife hand blocks at the end when I'm done The other options for me at this grade are Choi Yong with all the horrible consecutive kicks or Sam-Il which always seems too short and like there isn't much new material there to me.

[bushido_man96]

I'll tell you this about Yoo Sin, DWx: it will never, ever, be my form. Its my current form, and I just can't stand doing it. I like the first half of the form, but the second half is just a pain in the butt for me.

Really? Its not great but I don't mind it that much. Any bit of the 2nd half in particular? I can never get the U-shape punches through to the waving kicks to look any good.

Yeah, starting with the U-shape punches, our style actually has a knee level side kick thrown in after each U-shape punch. From there to the waving kicks and blocks, and into those dastardly crescent kick-hand slap to side kick rot. It never has flowed well, and I don't know if I will ever get it to flow well. Its like I'm cranking along, popping and snapping techniques, and then, I go into clunky slo-mo once I hit that section of form.

[Chunmonchek]

I don't have a tokui kata, as I was taught, and I teach, that you should not have any favorite kata, but should practice all. Choosing a favorite can cause one to neglect the others, or result in imbalance in the art.

It follows that your "favorite" kata at any given time should be the one you perform the worse.

One kata concept that I do think wise is Masanobu Shinjo's Rule of Three.

[bushido_man96]

I don't have a tokui kata, as I was taught, and I teach, that you should not have any favorite kata, but should practice all. Choosing a favorite can cause one to neglect the others, or result in imbalance in the art.

I think there are many of those who strictly cling to the idea of preserving all the forms feel this way. But before Funakoshi's standardization of the katas, it wasn't always this way. Its one of the notions Redmond points out in his book, too. I don't really think having a favorite will imbalance the art, either. I think by determining that one should not pick a favorite is in a way limiting free thinking.

It follows that your "favorite" kata at any given time should be the one you perform the worse.

I disagree here. Like I mentioned earlier, Yoo Sin is my current form, and probably my worst black belt form, for sure. I do it the best I can, but if I have a choice, I won't do this form for any kind of demonstration. It does need more attention at this point in time, but that doesn't mean it should be my favorite.

One kata concept that I do think wise is Masanobu Shinjo's Rule of Three.

I'm not aware of this rule. Could you elaborate on it for us?