Kata

[The Pred]

At your dojo, do you guys just do kata specific to your style. Or do you also practice katas from other martial arts styles?

[Spartacus Maximus]

Defined styles tend to a set curriculum of kata. However, not all dojo practise all the kata. Shito-ryu is a good example. The high number of kata in that system makes it difficult to include practise them all and every dojo will have a few that are not taught.

Instructors teach what they know as well as what they like. If one teaches something from another style it is a question of experience and personal taste. It can also be part of the curriculum established by the founder. Kyokushin, for example, has kata from shotokan and Goju ryu because the founder trained both of these. They may differ slightly, but are still very close. Sanchin is one such kata.

Gekisai/fukyu kata are practised by the majority of dojo across all styles represented in Okinawa from what I have seen so far. My first instructor taught shorin ryu, but retained a Chinese form learned from a Kung fu expert. Unfortunately it is long forgotten and I cannot recall the name or origin. Only that it was very difficult because of the different movements that were completely foreign to karate.

[CDraper]

So far just from our style.

[The Pred]

Defined styles tend to a set curriculum of kata. However, not all dojo practise all the kata. Shito-ryu is a good example. The high number of kata in that system makes it difficult to include practise them all and every dojo will have a few that are not taught.

Instructors teach what they know as well as what they like. If one teaches something from another style it is a question of experience and personal taste. It can also be part of the curriculum established by the founder. Kyokushin, for example, has kata from shotokan and Goju ryu because the founder trained both of these. They may differ slightly, but are still very close. Sanchin is one such kata.

Gekisai/fukyu kata are practised by the majority of dojo across all styles represented in Okinawa from what I have seen so far. My first instructor taught shorin ryu, but retained a Chinese form learned from a Kung fu expert. Unfortunately it is long forgotten and I cannot recall the name or origin. Only that it was very difficult because of the different movements that were completely foreign to karate.

We practice geksai but also wansu and naihanchi

[sensei8]

Strictly from Shindokan Saitou-ryu, as founded by Fuyuhiko Saitou, Soke, Judan.

I've learnt/trained in many kata's from outside of the Shindokan circle, and I'll teach those kata's as applicably necessary at my own dojo. But when I'm at the Hombu, I don't stray away from our core Kata's!!

[The Pred]

Strictly from Shindokan Saitou-ryu, as founded by Fuyuhiko Saitou, Soke, Judan.

I've learnt/trained in many kata's from outside of the Shindokan circle, and I'll teach those kata's as applicably necessary at my own dojo. But when I'm at the Hombu, I don't stray away from our core Kata's!!

How many core kata's do you have?

[Wastelander]

Aside from our system's kata, we occasionally teach other kata. My Sensei and I both know several kata from other systems. We've taught Sanchin, Tensho, Seiyunchin, Wansu, Enpi, Rohai, Seisan, Rokkishu, and Hakutsuru. There may even be others that I can't think of right now. These aren't kata that we regularly teach, though--just when they would fit someone in particular.

[Lupin1]

We mix kata.

Isshinryu only has 8 empty hand kata and even the very first one is fairly difficult and advanced (in fact, in other systems that study it, it's not learned until the Dan ranks). Because of that we added three more basic kata to be learned at white belt and the Isshinryu kata aren't started until yellow belt. We also do a slightly modified Saifa from Goju between the first and second Isshinryu kata as it's much shorter than Seiunchin but the horse stances prepare the student for that kata.

We also study a few more kata from other styles along the way just to add some well-roundedness. So pre-black belt, in addition to the eight empty hand Isshinryu kata, the student will have studied Fukyugata Sho from Matsubayashi-Ryu, Kozai from the Okinawan school system, a modified Ananku from Shorin-Ryu, Saifa from Goju-Ryu, Supple Dragon from Pai Lum Kung Fu (thrown in there as the first brown belt kata to throw a new brown belt off his guard and force him to start moving and thinking differently), Nijushiho from Shotokan, and the Horseman Footsoldier's bo staff form and the Hidden Stick short stick form from Bando.

[Nidan Melbourne]

We primarily only focus on our curriculum kata for goju. But occassionally we will dabble in some kata from other styles. We have done Empi & Jion (Shotokan), Bassai Dai & Nipaipo (Shito-Ryu), Anan & Paiku (Ryui-Ryu).

Sometimes we do the variations from the taikyoku kata. Such as jodan ni, chudan ni, mawashi ni. Also we do gekesai san which we hardly ever teach

[JR 137]

I'm a big fan of kata, but I have to say it - I think most schools do too many. Seido's kyu kata syllabus -

Taikyoku 1-3

Pinan 1-5

Sanchin

Gekisai Dai

Yantsu

Tensho

Saiha

Plus 4 Seido kata that are developed by Tadashi Nakamura. That makes 18 if my math is accurate. At nidan and up, there's 1 or 2 for each dan level, which is far more appropriate IMO. Shodan has 3 kata required, but 2 of them are shorter kyu-like in number of steps (Gekisai Sho and Seido 5), plus Seiunchin. I don't think there's any empty hand kata after 4th or 5th dan, but that's just speculation.

I'm a fan of less is more, but I fully understand why the kyu ranks have these kata. They're very good kata IMO and do a great job of preparing students for yudansha kata. The Pinan kata are great for preparing for Kanku, as the Pinan kata were reportedly developed by taking Kanku (aka Kusanku) apart and making it simpler for beginners. The non-Pinan kata such as Tensho and Saiha are my favorites, so no complaints there either. I shouldn't say this, but I just do the Seido specific kata just because of syllabus. I put 100% physical effort into them when I'm doing them, but my heart nor my brain are fully into them.