Kata in Karate Practice

I am reading the book The Weaponless Warriors; An Informal History of Okinawan Karate by Richard Kim. It is a collection of short articles on the historical figures of Okinawan Karate.

Itosu Yasutsune
To quote the book, page 58, "Today, Itosu is remembered mainly through his kata. His concentration during his teaching years centered around fulfillment of each person's individual physique. He realized that each person had to develop his body to the highest possible perfection, for himself and for his purpose. To put the body under complete control of the mind was necessary before any other type of development could take place. Itosu knew that kata was best for this."

Karate is a way of life, a means to achieve complete security and fearlessness.

Kyan Chotoku
Kyan practiced the seisan for two years to perfect it. Seisan was the first kata taught by Okinawan masters prior to 1903. Today still clings to this tradition including Tatsuo Shimabukuro's lineage (whom studied under Kyan). The incessant drill and pedantic attention to detail required for mastery of a kata made a profound impression on him.

Men three times younger than you can not move you at all, "What is it?"

Develop your tanden. Drop your mind there and operate all your actions from there. Practice your kata until your kata moves from your tanden. When you become the kata, you have achieved the secret.

Dojo Keywords

The works over the mirrors in the main training hall at Joslin's East/West Karate Dojo are:

• Loyalty
• Gratitude
• Respect
• Compassion
• Integrity
• Honor

Grand Master Willie Adams' Class

Friday May 4th 2007 Grand Master Willie Adams taught a clinic at the Karate Dojo. The dojo was packed with students, predominately higher ranks (I was the only white belt when the clinic opened). Charge was $35 a head. Why are the AJJF people so afraid to change a good fee for equally fine instructors? My notes taken during the class follow.

---

The Joslin brother have studied with Grand Master Adams for 34 years.

Willie Adams won the Michigan Governor's Cup by taking on all divisions winner in a bare knuckle fight. Sennin Gayke style mass attack Willie wasn't tagged once. To prove how effective he was it asked the same 8 or 9 martial artists to attack him a second time and again Mr. Adams defeated them all. After this impressive show of fighting ability he was awarded the Governor's Cup.

Willie is not a physically big guy, he wears a size 2 gi. Therefore, he knew he had to learn principles; learn how to angle, attack the mind first then the body.

Bring the hand all the way back to the obe, don't cut short.

Reverse guard, the other hand is in the same place in space as the lead hand of the normal guard. This keeps the miai the same.

The foundation of good Karate is Basics.
Isshinryu emphasizes basics.

We when through most of the 15 Combat Basics. He said to practice them once a week. If they are not done in class then do them own your own at home. Be mindful, don't breath, your life depends on good execution.

The Isshinryu bow, two fists forward, left foot forward. The left foot forward is to honor the founder of Isshinryu Karate, Shihan Tatsuo Shimabuku. Said something about left right living dead but I didn't get it (grounds for further investigation into Okinawan customs).

Kata-There's more of what you can't see than what you can see.

Skip Rope Drill
Done to make you quick and keep you light on your feet for kumete. Stay on the balls of the feet. Skip from foot to foot. The light foot should cross the center line in front of the weighted foot. The side to side (and a bit forward) teaches you have to move off line and in while sparing.

Kumete

• Flow in and out so as to not be caught flat footed.
  
• Attack the mind.
  
• Change direction every 3 seconds.
  
• If you stop moving the opponent will lock on to you.
  
• Kiai to attack the mind.
  
• Don't breath when in the opponents miai.
  
• Rifle marksman don't breath when the need to be accurate/focused.
  
• Out of miai every 3 second, then breath before going back in.
  
• Attack their mind. (I was thinking Kazushi, not a term Grand Master used.)
  

On Kata
Hold your breath during the attacks. Exhale and keep about 10% of the breath for fighting, 20% is you are going to Kiai. With the lungs empty it is more difficult for the opponents attacks to do damage.

Bring the hand all the way back to the obe, don't cut short.

I though that I should find the musical phrases in the kata and breath between them. Learn the Kata one phrase at a time. Something to try, combine phrases from different kata into new unique songs.