Kata Guides

Shotokan Karate International Kata Volume 1 - Hirokazu Kanazawa

The third of Sensei Kanawaza's books on karate first published in 1981. Sensei defines kata as "the legacy left by masters who created these techniques through gruelling practices, personal encounters, spiritual and emotional experiences." The book is written in English, Japanese, French and German.

Sensei provides a clear ethos for kate - "The shodoka  (calligrapher) creates art form on white paper with sumi (black ink), likewise Budoka (exponent of the way of martial arts) expresses his personality with his techniques. When performing a Kata, to remain calm and with a clear mind , we must always concentrate and maintain our "Ki" until the last movement . We should co-ordinate the mind and power in each movement with proper breathing."

Volume 1 includes descriptions of the five Heian (Pinan) Katas, Tekki Shodan, Bassai-dai, Kanku-dai, Enpi, Sochin, Meikyo, Ji'in and Gojushiho-dai.

Best Karate 5: Heian, Tekki by Masatoshi Nakayama

This volume is one of a series by Masatoshi Nakayama presenting all karate and "kumite" practiced by the Japan Karate Association. Each chapter contains photographs of an instructor of the Association executing a certain technique. Kata, the formal exercises of karate training, were the essence of practice in Okinawa and China, and are the core training method even today.

Detailed here in 1500 sequential photos are the five Heian and three Tekki kata, mastery of which is necessary to attain first Dan. Demonstrated by the author and Yoshiharu Osaka.

Masatoshi Nakayama carries on the tradition of his teacher, Gichin Funakoshi, the Father of Modern Karate. Long professor and director of physical education at Takushoku University, his alma mater (1937), he was chief instructor of the Japan Karate Association from 1955 until his death in 1987. A ninth degree black belt and a familiar face at tournaments, he was among the first to send instructors overseas and to encourage the development of karate along scientific lines.

Best Karate 7: Jitte, Hangetsu, Empi by Masatoshi Nakayama

This volume is one of a series by Masatoshi Nakayama presenting all karate and "kumite" practiced by the Japan Karate Association. Each chapter contains photographs of an instructor of the Association executing a certain technique. Kata, the formal exercises of karate training, were the essence of practice in Okinawa and China, and are the core training method even today.

The three kata in this volume are on the Japan Karate Association recommended list and are notable for the sticklike use of the arms--Jitte, the circular movements of hands and feet coordinated with breathing--Hangetsu, and easy, agile movements, combined into continuous techniques--Empi.

Masatoshi Nakayama carries on the tradition of his teacher, Gichin Funakoshi, the Father of Modern Karate. Long professor and director of physical education at Takushoku University, his alma mater (1937), he was chief instructor of the Japan Karate Association from 1955 until his death in 1987. A ninth degree black belt and a familiar face at tournaments, he was among the first to send instructors overseas and to encourage the development of karate along scientific lines.

Best Karate 9: Bassai Shō, Kankū Shō, Chinte by Masatoshi Nakayama

This volume is one of a series by Masatoshi Nakayama presenting all karate and "kumite" practiced by the Japan Karate Association. Each chapter contains photographs of an instructor of the Association executing a certain technique. Kata, the formal exercises of karate training, were the essence of practice in Okinawa and China, and are the core training method even today.

These advanced kata may be selected for testing above shodan level. The techniques in Bassai Sho, using sword hand, ridge hand and tiger mouth, make good defenses against stick attacks. In Kanko Sho are many counter-attacks to the upper level. Chinte has unique techniques, the rarely seen tateken, and is especially valuable for women's self-defense.

Masatoshi Nakayama carries on the tradition of his teacher, Gichin Funakoshi, the Father of Modern Karate. Long professor and director of physical education at Takushoku University, his alma mater (1937), he was chief instructor of the Japan Karate Association from 1955 until his death in 1987. A ninth degree black belt and a familiar face at tournaments, he was among the first to send instructors overseas and to encourage the development of karate along scientific lines.

Best Karate 11: Gojūshiho Shō, Gojūshiho Dai, Meikyō by Masatoshi Nakayama 

This volume is one of a series by Masatoshi Nakayama presenting all karate and "kumite" practiced by the Japan Karate Association. Each chapter contains photographs of an instructor of the Association executing a certain technique. Kata, the formal exercises of karate training, were the essence of practice in Okinawa and China, and are the core training method even today.

The three advanced kata in this book are a challenge to the performer's level of maturity. From the smooth and flowing movements of Gojushiho Dai through the transformations in the equally long Gojushiho Sho to the serene and mellow Meikyo kata, both the techniques learned in the basic kata and more sophisticated tactics call on the deepest reserves of balance, coordination, timing and technical skill.

Masatoshi Nakayama carries on the tradition of his teacher, Gichin Funakoshi, the Father of Modern Karate. Long professor and director of physical education at Takushoku University, his alma mater (1937), he was chief instructor of the Japan Karate Association from 1955 until his death in 1987. A ninth degree black belt and a familiar face at tournaments, he was among the first to send instructors overseas and to encourage the development of karate along scientific lines.

Karate Kata Applications by Aidan Trimble and Vince Morris

The one constant feature of karate training, at all levels, is the Kata. These are formal, technical sequences which are the basis of all proper practice. This volume covers the first 13 Shotokan Kata, with each move fully illustrated and accompanied by an investigation of the Kata's application.

Understanding Kata and Bunkai - Karate's Grappling Methods by Iain Abernethy

This book looks at Karate's grappling techniques and principles - as recorded within the Karate katas (forms) - and shows how they can be realistically applied in a fighting situation. Karate's close range methods have largely been neglected since the advent of modern competition. If you wish to practice karate as an effective system of fighting - you need to read this book!

Karate's Grappling Methods covers the following topics: Understanding Kata & Bunkai, The role of grappling in self-defence, Close range strikes, Throws & takedowns, Ground fighting, Chokes & Strangles, Arm locks, Leg & ankle locks, Neck wrenches, Finger locks, Wrist locks, Fighting dirty?, Combinations and Live grappling drills. Karate's Grappling Methods contains approx 400 easy to follow black and white photographs.

The information contained within this book will enable you to practice Karate as the effective and complete art that its founders intended it to be. If you want to know what kata is really all about, you simply have to get this book!

Bushi Jutsu by Darren Westwood and Andrew Paskin

Bushi-Jutsu, The Science of the Warrior bridges the gap between the Kata of old Okinawa, following the influence of the feudal Japanese militia and that which is taught in today's dojo as 'effective' self-defence. The distressing reality, for most Kata bunkai students, is that there is very little 'real' application in the world today, outside Japan. That which is taught as 'bunkai' tends to be Monkey See - Monkey Do - very few really understand the highly technical and effective nature of this 'secret' part of karate. This book doesn't just uncover the brutal nature of karate Kata application, it literally rips the shroud of secrecy from around it and cleaves the mystery from it. A pragmatic, gritty and realistic analysis of Kata bunkai.

Bunkai Jutsu by Iain Abernethy

Bunkai Jutsu is extremely well done. Iain Abernethy is one of the few authors who truly understands and is able to communicate that martial arts are at their core about combat. Kata is not dance practice nor is it aerobic training (though that may be a legitimate side benefit of performing it). It is the fundamental basis of a fighting art. Bunkai are the kata applications practitioners can use for real-life self-defense. Abernethy provides an easy to read approach to understanding and utilizing these applications.

If you know how to decipher them, all aspects of fighting can be found in kata, including kicking, striking, grappling, strangling, pressure point techniques, and throwing applications. The contents of this impressive tome include a brief history of Kata, a treatise on the nature of real fighting, Iain's rules of bunkai (how to figure out what the Kata is telling you), pre-emptive striking, entrance and exit techniques, ground fighting, the "true" use of blocks, the purpose of stances, kata-based sparring, and much more. This is all stuff you can use in real life combat. The section on vital points is illuminating.

Iain Abernethy holds a godan (5th degree black belt) in applied karate from the British Combat Association, one of the world's leading groups for close-quarter combat and practical martial arts. He is also a yodan (4th degree black belt) in Wado-Ryu karate (English Karate Governing Body), a member of the Combat Hall of Fame, and a former national level kata judge in the UK. He is the author of four books on applied karate: Bunkai-Jutsu: The Practical Application of Karate Kata, Throws for Strikers: The Forgotten Throws of Karate, Boxing, and Taekwondo, Karate's Grappling Methods, and Arm-Locks for All Styles.

Five Years, One Kata: Putting Kata Back at the Heart of Karate by Bill Burgar

This book gives the reader a unique insight into an five-year study of a single Kata (Gojushiho). It shows the depth that is waiting to be discovered by the close study of kata, covering a range of subjects including:

•  imagery

• the psychology of confrontation

• the common acts of physical violence

• vital points and how to exploit them

• the methodology for the break-down and understanding of Kata

• the applications of the Kata

• the principles of karate and how to apply them

• the applications (in detail) for each of the movements of Gojushiho

• the major variations of each application

• objective measurements regarding their practicality and

• how to link the applications together

The author also explains how to undertake your own study using a single Kata of your choice, and how to build a training regime based on the Kata. If you have ever wondered what Kata is really all about then this book is for you. When karate was a secret art, practiced in the back yards of Okinawa by a few dedicated masters and their disciples, it was usual to train in a single Kata for many years. A master of karate would know just one, two or possibly three Kata. Through the deep study of those few Kata the master karateka would possess a complete self-defence system, he would be well versed in the underlying principles of karate and he would have a memory aid which would map out his complete training regime. Over the last century the practice of a single Kata has disappeared from karate practice. The deep understanding of a few Kata has been replaced by the superficial understanding of many. This book shows you in great detail how to recover that understanding and how to put Kata back at the heart of karate

Kata and the Transmission of Knowledge in Traditional Martial Arts by Michael Rosenbaum

The purpose of Kata training is not to become bound by the form, but to transcend the form itself. This book explains how the use of Kata and prarranged training rituals evolved. It examines the relationship and similarities between Kata, dance and poetry and how these mediums were used to transmit martial knowledge in both Europe and Asia.

Hitchin & Stopsley Karate Clubs

www.freetime-club.co.uk

Hitchin: hkc@freetime-club.co.uk

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This page was last updated on 19/04/2006

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