Which Kata Best Demonstrate the Core of your Practiced style

[Nidan Melbourne]

hmmm i feel like it is seisan is one the core kata from Goju-Ryu.

Otherwise it is Sanchin is a core kata.

[Spartacus Maximus]

Usually, but not always, the first kata taught excluding kihon is the "core" kata. Although I have some knowledge of Goju ryu from observing it and exchanging with exponents, I do not practise it. Some schools may have Seisan or Sanchin first but both of these are fundamental in Okinawan Goju ryu I have visited.

[Davis]

I read the work of Kenwa Mabuni on this subject and his observations correspond with mine.

One only needs to know 2 or 3 kata to understand the art. The rest of the time is spend with partner work and striking practice.

That Mabuni, who was a living library of kata, would say we only need 2 or 3 kata to master our art is informative.

Now this happened for me because my instructors live thousands of miles away from me and my local instructor forgets the kata, he is now a 6th dan in another art. So he teaches me how to move.

My kata are: Seipai, Seunchin, Matsumora Ro Hai, Bassai Dai, Kushanko Sho, Tensho and I do the basic pinans.

Its not the number of kata you know, its how deeply you know the one's you have.

I also object to the idea of Bunkai. Bunkai is knowing how to move, its not "what to do if the opponent does X".

[Lupin1]

I think Seisan is the core of Isshinryu as it's the first Isshinryu kata and the one people spend the most time on.

However, I'd say Sunsu showcases Isshinryu the most. It's the last empty hand kata and is the only kata unique to Isshinryu. It contains pieces of all the other seven Isshinryu kata (Seisan, Seiunchin, Naihanchi, Wansu, Chinto, Kusanku, and Sanchin) plus a few movements unique to that kata which the founder of Isshinryu thought essential to his system.

[Karate_John]

I was taught, and mostly agree that both Sanchin and Tensho are the core of Goju. Sanchin being "Go" and Tensho being "Ju".

[Zaine]

I would have to say that the defining kata for me is Chinto. As Kusotare mentioned there seems to be a build up in many of the core kata to Chinto (via the Pinans, Naihanchis, etc).

[Patrick]

I have split the discussion of bunkai and whether or not it is about "learning how to move," onto its own thread, so that this thread can be focused on its original goal.

If you'd like to follow the other discussion, please head over here: Bunkai = Knowing How to Move?

Thanks,

Patrick

[pers]

in my opinion Kankudai is the one kata that demonstrates the core of my style which is shotokan since it contains many moves from other katas such as heian katas and so on .

But in order to do kankudai well one needs to learn the hian katas and tekki shodan first .

kanku dai is one of my favourite katas along with Hangetsu and kanku sho .

[LeighSimmsMA]

in my opinion Kankudai is the one kata that demonstrates the core of my style which is shotokan since it contains many moves from other katas such as heian katas and so on .

But in order to do kankudai well one needs to learn the hian katas and tekki shodan first .

kanku dai is one of my favourite katas along with Hangetsu and kanku sho .

Hi Pers!

I like your comment and it seems like we have very similar kata practices. The Heians, then Tekki Shodan and then Kanku Dai.

Interestingly, I have taught Kanku Dai and Tekki Shodan to students who I have limited time with (due to their locations overseas). I have noticed that they have not in any way suffered from not knowing the Heian Kata first. In some ways it is easier for them to learn one longer kata (Kanku Dai) than the 5 smaller forms.

[pers]

in my opinion Kankudai is the one kata that demonstrates the core of my style which is shotokan since it contains many moves from other katas such as heian katas and so on .

But in order to do kankudai well one needs to learn the hian katas and tekki shodan first .

kanku dai is one of my favourite katas along with Hangetsu and kanku sho .

Hi Pers!

I like your comment and it seems like we have very similar kata practices. The Heians, then Tekki Shodan and then Kanku Dai.

Interestingly, I have taught Kanku Dai and Tekki Shodan to students who I have limited time with (due to their locations overseas). I have noticed that they have not in any way suffered from not knowing the Heian Kata first. In some ways it is easier for them to learn one longer kata (Kanku Dai) than the 5 smaller forms.

Hi ! good to read your post , you have picked the right aproach if you have limited time with some students of yours , ideally though learning and mastering hian katas is very important , apart from set of moves they help develop the student's mind level by level .

I think it would be ideal for a good progression in reaching shodan level to go through the process of spending 3 to 6 months on each hian katas going through the grading , they are very important to building a solid foundation to karate .

karate is learned with emphasis on strong foundation ,first like building power and focus , gradually getting softer and softer going pass brown belt .

it is mostly from shodan and above that their kime would get shorter and shorter ... a fraction of what it used to be , meaning their body is soft and thus very fast ! the faster you are the more powerful you are .

but the process in getting there is to first learn to make kime with each technique and as most of us did it the hard way and spend too much time since it is a learning process and would not happen over night for most normal people .