Kata The Folk Dances of Shotokan by Rob Redmond Copyright 2006 Rob Redmond. All Rights Reserved. Edited by Wayne Alexander Edited by Phil Gaudette No part of this may be reproduced for for any purpose, commercial or non-profit, without the express, written permission of the author. Listed with the US Library of Congress US Copyright Office Registration #TXu-1-167-868 Published by digital means by Rob Redmond PO BOX 41 Holly Springs, GA 30142 Fourth Edition, January 2008 2 In Gratitude The Karate Widow, my beautiful and apparently endlessly patient wife – Lorna. Thanks, Kevin Hawley, for saying, “You’re a writer, so write!” Thanks to the man who opened my eyes to Karate other than Shotokan – Rob Alvelais. Thanks to the wise man who named me 24 Fighting Chickens and listens to me complain – Gerald Bush. Thanks to my training buddy – Bob Greico. Thanks to John Cheetham, for publishing my articles in Shotokan Karate Magazine. Thanks to Mark Groenewold, for support, encouragement, and for taking the forums off my hands. And also thanks to the original Secret Order of the ^v^, without whom this content would never have been compiled: Roberto A. Alvelais, Gerald H. Bush IV, Malcolm Diamond, Lester Ingber, Shawn Jefferson, Peter C. Jensen, Jon Keeling, Michael Lamertz, Sorin Lemnariu, Scott Lippacher, Roshan Mamarvar, David Manise, Rolland Mueller, Chris Parsons, Elmar Schmeisser, Steven K. Shapiro, Bradley Webb, George Weller, and George Winter. And thanks to the fans of 24FC who’ve been reading my work all of these years and for some reason keep coming back. A very special 有難う御座いました for Katayama Hitoshi of Nagoya, Japan, for his many wise teachings. 3 WARNING! The author accepts no liability or responsibility for injuries sustained by anyone resulting from the practice of any techniques or ideas presented in this work. This book contains descriptions of Karate techniques which could be dangerous to apply to another person, resulting in serious injury or death. The movements and exercises recommended in here should not be attempted by anyone without the personal guidance of a qualified instructor, nor should the movements or exercises be attempted by anyone who is not in excellent physical condition and health. Performance of these exercises and movements should not be attempted without first consulting a physician. Do not attempt to perform any of the techniques in here if you are suffering from a heart condition, pregnancy, injuries of any kind, any other illness, chronic or acute, or any handicap or disability which might be affected by physical exercise and acrobatics. 4 About the Author Rob Redmond grew up in Atlanta, Georgia in the United States. From a young age he has had an interest in the martial-arts – specifically Shotokan Karate. After studying Japanese for a few years, Rob and his wife Lorna moved to Nagoya, Japan in 1993 without any prior arrangements, found work, and settled down for a two year stay. After returning, Rob found work as a project manager in information technology while attending classes at Georgia State University, where he eventually earned an MBA in 2000. Combining his two hobbies of Karate and Technology together, Rob was able to create a huge repository of Shotokan Karate information at 24FightingChickens.com, a web site famous for a no-holds-barred approach to self-improvement and seeking out alternatives to traditions handed down which might no longer make any sense. This book contains the collected works from 24FightingChickens.com on the topic of kata which has been requested by so many. 5 Table of Contents Introduction.................................................................................................................................8 East and West.............................................................................................................................12 War Dances.................................................................................................................................15 China...........................................................................................................................................17 Gongfu Experts..........................................................................................................................20 Okinawa......................................................................................................................................23 Masters of Toudi.........................................................................................................................25 The Purpose of Kata...................................................................................................................28 So Many Kata, So Little Time.....................................................................................................33 The Shotokan Canon..................................................................................................................42 Kata Are Required......................................................................................................................46 Kata Specialization.....................................................................................................................49 The Myth of Shorin and Shorei Kata.........................................................................................53 Kata Names.................................................................................................................................57 Kata Names.................................................................................................................................61 Dr. Schmeisser...........................................................................................................................64 The Kata Database......................................................................................................................67 Enbusen......................................................................................................................................72 Dai and Sho.................................................................................................................................77 Competition Kata.......................................................................................................................80 A New Old View of Kata.............................................................................................................82 The 23 Principles of Excellent Kata...........................................................................................86 Principle 1: Dress to Play...........................................................................................................88 Principle 2: Dramatic Rhythm...................................................................................................93 Principle 3: Reasonable Pace.....................................................................................................95 Principle 4: Look Before Turning...............................................................................................97 Principle 5: Fix the Eyes.............................................................................................................98 Principle 6: Turn Without Leaning..........................................................................................100 Principle 7: Coordination and Isolation...................................................................................101 Principle 8: Train Across Transitions......................................................................................103 Principle 9: Kiai With Confidence............................................................................................104 Principle 10: Posture of a Model..............................................................................................107 Principle 11: Strong Flexible Stance.........................................................................................109 Principle 12: Precision and Accuracy........................................................................................113 Principle 13: Consistency..........................................................................................................115 Principle 14: Complete Motion.................................................................................................117 Principle 15: Breath Control.....................................................................................................118 Principle 16: Swift Feet.............................................................................................................120 Principle 17: Know the Line......................................................................................................122 Principle 18: Approach Without Concern................................................................................124 Principle 19: Accept Imperfection............................................................................................126 Principle 20: Swing the Hips....................................................................................................128 Principle 21: The Geometry of Bonsai......................................................................................130 Principle 22: Nail the Climax...................................................................................................132 Principle 23: Start Clean and Finish Strong............................................................................134