Volume 1, Issue 12 Kata Unlimited April 2004 Welcome to the 12th issue of Kata Unlimited. I would like to say I was happy to be writing this edito- rial, but sadly, I have some bad news to impart and I find it quite difficult to do so. Already, your heart may sink with anticipation of what may be coming. Let me allay your fears and say straight away that I will continue to produce this newsletter, but I’m afraid that there are to be some major changes. The main problem has been that the revenue generated from the subscription fees is not enough to sus- tain the kind of effort I have put in over the last 12 months. The problem is one of a lack of interest gen- erally, with numbers of subscribers being the problem. Subsequently KU will not be sent in the post after this issue. I will be continuing to produce Kata Unlimited (in a different form - see article on page In association with: 12) but any further issues will only be available to registered members and then, only via the web site. For the small minority of you who do not have the internet, please accept my humblest apologies. www.practical-martial-arts.co.uk Inside this issue: Kaze Arashi 5 Ryu An Ending & 12 a Beginning - By Steve Chriscole No Holds 15 Barred Karate - By Simon Keegan Kata Unlimited Page 2 I’m pleased to say that a number of you who read KU have So what is to become of KU? Well, it ceases taking money been very supportive and I thank you for all the kind words in payment, and becomes a hobby and not a business (and in some cases, deeds). But despite all the good will in (retrospectively, maybe I should have started it that way). I the world, the time it takes to produce KU and the costs will produce it quarterly, and the content will vary. I will be incurred require a basic minimum of regular new subscrip- including my own articles in future along with those others tions to maintain the output. In case you wonder, probably that are sent to me. I will continue to include application the only monies I have taken out of the kitty has been 2 or based articles in the same vein as before, but there will be 3 tanks-full of petrol and the odd working lunch (and I diversity (see page 12 for more on that). don’t eat at the Ritz!) The rest has been ploughed into ad- vertising, equipment and consumables (paper, ink, toner So may I offer both my great thanks and also my apologies etc) and general running costs (stamps etc). to you all at the same time. I have enjoyed the last year. I hope that you don’t feel cheated. Don’t forget that you all The very expensive online purchasing system will cease at have access to 12 months worth of Kata Unlimited, so eve- the end of March, as will the equally expensive magazine ryone has got value for money. Don’t forget that Kata advertising. From now on, new subscribers will come only Unlimited will be back, but the next new publication won’t through your own efforts to introduce the newsletter to be at least until the end of August. See you then. others. For my part, I will continue to promote KU as best I can, but this can only be in a low key (zero cost) way. Regards, I have agonised over the last few weeks as to how I should Steve Chriscole (Editor, Kata Unlimited) go forward with KU, given there has been but 2 new sub- scribers since Christmas. It seems that the vast majority who are interested in purchasing relevant reading material have already done so. The others all buy the usual publica- tions found in the high street. Moksou The Kata practiced in Tokyo (c. 1936) has been carelessly changed, and in some cases completely disintegrated. In Okinawa during the old days students spent years meticu- lously learning a single kata or two. That custom in Tokyo had changed to the pointless practice of accumulating many Kata without ever understanding their respective applications. The practice of Kata has been reduced to stiff and lifeless postures, without tai-sabaki or ashi-sabaki Master Choki Motobu, talking with Shoshin Nagamine - Quoted by Vince Morris from “Tales of Okinawa’s Great Masters (Trans. Patrick McCarthy) Volume 1, Issue 12 Page 3 26 Poolway Place, Coleford, Gloucestershire. www.HACHIMON.co.uk GL16 8DF. Mobile : 07905 143569. “Here to Serve The Discerning Traditional Martial Artist” Email : [email protected] Videos – Discounted & Limited Quantity Marked ** Books Aragaki Seisan ** Vince Morris £20.00 Shotokan, Precise History Harry Cook – New £75.00 Seminar Sampler No 2 ** Vince Morris £20.00 Way Of The Warrior – Vol 1 Harry Cook £15.00 Kanku Dai ** Vince Morris £20.00 Way Of The Warrior – Vol 2 Harry Cook – New T.B.A Masters Of The Martial Arts Tyne Tees TV £15.00 Five Years, One Kata Bill Burgar £25.00 Stand Still, Be Fit ** Channel 4 £15.00 Cracking The Kata Code Tony Anessi £28.00 Ryukyu Kempo Forms 1&2* George Dillman £30.00ea Secrets Of Uechi Ryu Karate Alan Dollar £45.00 Tomari Bassai ** George Dillman £50.00 Hist & Trad Of Okinawan Kar Tetsuhiro Hokama £25.00 Naihanchi – Level 2 ** George Dillman £30.00 75 Downwards Blocks Rick Clark £16.00 75 Pure KO’s ** George Dillman £55.00 Dim Mak’s 12 Deadly Kata Erle Montaigue £20.00 1985 Masters Show ** George Dillman £22.00 Ess Of Okinawan Karate - HB Shoshin Nagamine £25.00 Loubet Ju Jitsu Phillips Loubet £20.00 The History Of Karate Morio Higaonna £40.00 Judo Atemi Geremia Zilio £20.00 Bubishi – Martial Arts Spirit Alexander,Penland £30.00 Juko Ryu Ju Jitsu Bryan Cheek £20.00 Overlook Martial Arts Reader Randy Nelson £15.00 Power Ju Jitsu Bryan Cheek £20.00 Insights Along Warriors Path Chris Parker £7.00 Okinawan Kenpo Seikichi Odo £20.00 Three Budo Masters John Stevens £12.00 Karatedo Shinshinkan Minoru Yasukara £20.00 Shotokan Book Facts 1, 2, 3 ea Layton, Randall, £13.00 Heian 1 – 5 ** Russell Stutely £20.00 Okinawan Karate Mark Bishop £15.00 Tekki 1 – 3 ** Russell Stutely £20.00 Zen Kobudo Mark Bishop £10.00 Bassai Dai / Sho ** Russell Stutely £20.00 Ancient Okinawan MA 1, 2 ea Patrick McCarthy £11.00 Players To The Game ** Russell Stutely £20.00 You Or Him, He’s Got A Knife Vince Morris £15.00 Tai Chi Erle Montaigue £15.00 Kyusho Secrets Vince Morris £25.00 JKA Shotokan Vol 1 & 2 ** Joel Ertl £20.00ea Dictionary Of Martial Arts Louis Frederic £18.00 Ed Parker Kenpo (NTSC) Jose Maria Gutierez £20.00 Angry White Pyjamas Robert Twigger £8.00 To order any item, forward payment to the above address. ** Shotokan Karate – Advanced Training Methods ** Please add £2.50 P & P per item to the above prices. New 4 Video Series by Harry Cook - £107.50 inc P&P Cheques payable to: Phil Morris (Mail Order Only) Kata Unlimited Page 4 Letters Dear Editor, Future generations of martial artists may remember us as the instructors who were brave enough to challenge what With regard to your experience practicing kata, where you they had been taught and think for themselves. The bunkai say that you tried training all the Heian kata one after the generation anyone? other and then after the point of exhaustion they suddenly Kata Unlimited has done its bit. I have done my bit and take on a whole new feeling. continue to do so. Let every other reader of this do the I know your personally have a great love of kata applica- same. tions, but as in your article you say you were just practising the movements without thought of the applications and Simon Keegan then you reached a state of relaxation where everything felt just right. Thanks for that Simon. I would like to add to his comments This concept is known in Spanish sword fencing as by saying firstly that Kata Unlimited is continuing for the "Duende", it comes originally from Flamenco dancing foreseeable future. Exactly what form it will take, is open to (there is a new book out about the concept called 'In Search debate over the coming months. of Duende' - I haven't read it but it looks interesting.) The idea is that while the two people are either dancing or I agree that there is a core of people in the UK and abroad sword fencing the steps and precise movements that they who are doing some ground-breaking work. What we have training so precisely, suddenly are forgotten and the should also be mindful of is that despite the vast majority of whole process becomes something more than instinctive. martial artists being involved in sport based systems, there A different part of the brain takes over and the body moves are those dedicated practitioners who continue to practice almost involuntarily and in a way that transcends what the good, solid self defence training as part of their normal conscious mind was capable of making it do. regime. They are only a small minority, and from what I Regards, have seen, they don’t make a “song and dance” about it. They just get on with it. Simon Keegan The purpose of Kata Unlimited has been to attempt to bring the kata more into the spotlight, by encouraging debate and Thanks for that Simon.