Kata structure

[matt henseler]

I would like to hear from people (from the perspective of their style) about techniques and kata structure. Long kata (with many "techniques) vs. short kata (with only one idea being taught)? What is the reasoning for the use of either or both?

[Alex Dale]

I'm sure other people can give much better rants than I could, but looking at your profile it says you study a variant of Shinkage-ryu. Which variant is this and with whom do you study?


Thanks!

[sven beulke]

Hi!
I train TSKSR for two years now, so i would say i am a bloody beginner! TSKSR is famous for there looooong kata. When i started leaning the first Kata of the omote kenjutsu it feels endless. I heard (and read) that the long kata did not only train the stamina but they are also closer to a real combat-situation than the short kata in most other ryuha(see Ellis Amdurs "Old school").
Best

[cxt]

Just a personal opinion from a novice.

Long kata are made up of many short parts--sometimes as short as a single technique.

So "long" and "short" would seem to be matters of overall perspective.

I mean is practicing several "short" kata back to back make one "long" kata--or many short ones??????

Does only doing "part" of "long" kata make it a "short" one???

If I pull a technique out of the last 3 moves of a really "long" kata and use it to cut a mans arm off---was that a "short" kata or a "long" one????

Heck for that matter---the purpose of the kata is to develop skill and train a wide range of techniques, footwork, postioning etc.
The goal is to be able to use it effectivly in a fight.
Therefore the question is NOT the length of a kata---but rather how good the student is with the material taught.

Just my own deeply devauled 2 cents.

[Amphinon]

I would like to hear from people (from the perspective of their style) about techniques and kata structure. Long kata (with many "techniques) vs. short kata (with only one idea being taught)? What is the reasoning for the use of either or both?

There are so many things that can be said both good and bad about Kata, however, I am going to try to sum it up with a few quick points for the good and the difference between...

In Kyokushin, there is a long kata being taught called Kanku-Dai. Its old name was Kusanku. This kata was named after a Chinese representative who visited Okinawa and 'showed up' the local hero of one of the three major regional systems. The local hero became a student of that man.

Later in the lineage, Gichin Funakoshi, was teaching Pinan katas so as to prepare the students for learning Kusanku. He felt it was neccesary for this reason...

Since the kata was so long, he felt it was best to teach the kata by breaking it up into pieces. These pieces would teach a seperate aspect of that kata. By time the student finished learning all 5 parts, then they would be more able to asimilate the new full kata.

In a nutshell, Easy katas that teach one leasson first, work up difficulty until you hit the most advanced that teach multiple Koryu in addition to several lessons.