I personally love kata and I have found myself in a love affair with a few over the years. Bassaidai will continue to be my personal stone to shine but I have had quite the flirtation with empi, jion, hangetsu, gankaku and now nijushiho. While I love all my kata and hangetsu has a very special place in my heart I am feeling a strong attraction to nijushiho. I just love the flow of the kata and as I practice it I feel our love grow lol. SO the question is what has your ear at the moment or have you had a long term love affair with one kata in particular. Please share.

Lately, Tawada Passai (which we call Passai Dai), has been the kata I find myself the most drawn to. Prior to that, I really had a thing for Seiyunchin. Of course, Naihanchi is every present in my mind, since everything is Naihanchi

Naihanchi for the last 6 months. I'm really trying to get the most out of it conditioning wise (4-5 times in the morning and the same in the evening) and I'm enjoying learning naihanchi bunkai from different styles.

I'm wado we learn the pinan kata, then kushanku followed by naihanchi. It's said that Ohtsuka considered it one of our most important kata so I've asked to learn it out of sequence and alongside the earlier kata to which my sensei kindly agreed. I'm already starting to see the benefits of daily practice.

I feel it's an under appreciated kata.

Naihanchi Shodan I do at least twice a day, and Higaonna no Sanchin which I do at least three times.

Right now though, when it comes to advanced kata I would say Seisan is my focus. I find the dynamic really forces one to apply the principles found in Naihanchi but also Sanchin, and the techniques are very much to the point with regards to application, which somewhat suits my build and temperament. However, I am having a bit of a kakei-kumite phase at the moment, and taking a harder look at Kyusho-jutsu, and I am finding interesting comparisons from the kata to such things. So Seisan just seems to be flavouring or coming into focus with what else has taken my fancy at the moment.

Love everything about Kata. Right now, Pinan Shodan (Heian Nidan) has my attention right now because I just learned some Bunkai and most of its history!

Awesome, yeah Naihanchi/tekki is a main stay, the simplicity belies the true complexity of the kata. in Shotokan we focus on the hip vibration of each movement sending a shock through the tech. these small movements are difficult to time right and I find my self working tirelessly to get it just right. OSU!!!

The kata I've had the shortest is shisochin.

My Saifa is my weakest.

The kata I've had the shortest is shisochin.

My Saifa is my weakest.

is there one one you just love to train?

At the moment Jion and Wanshu are receiving my focus as I require them for when I sit my Shodan later in the year. Also sharpening up all my Pinan Katas for the same reason. My favourite though, has to be Chinto, I think it's a beautiful Kata to watch and when you perform it right, it feels great. It's one that can go wrong very easily though.

Mo.

I'd go with Chinto as well. Pinan Yodan is wonderful. Naihanchi i love/hate it must be the most technically difficult kata!