Hey everyone. Finally an Australian GKR site that's actually up and running. Anyway...

I'm just wondering if Karateka, that haven't reached 1st Dan, can still go ahead and be taught the Black Belt Katas. I'm 3rd Kyu, and I have a good understanding of the Kyu Katas. Is it okay to go ahead and learn Hangetsu and beyond, or do I need to wait until I grade to 1st Dan?

I really enjoy the Kata aspect of karate, and thought that if I learned a few katas past my grade kata, my hunger for learning would go away. It sadly hasn't.

Well I dont know about the others here but the way I look at learning higher katas is no-one is really stopping you from learning them, you just have to find someone willing to teach them to you.

I know a 4th kyu who knows katas upto and including Shisochin. The person in question was lucky enough to be on very good terms with one of the regional managers and had personal tuition in these katas.

So personally I say go for it, if you can find someone to teach them to you.

Well maybe they just asked to be taught them?
I asked my instructor to show me some more advanced stuff and they were only too happy to oblige. I showed some interest, trained regularly, and they returned the favour by teaching me some higher up stuff.

Suggest you chat with your instructor. If your ready they should be happy to teach you.

If not drop me a line

Hey don't get too caught up in wanting to learn higher kata, there's plenty to explore in the other kata. 12 months ago I had learnt up to seisan, and today I still only know up to seisan in the GKR syllabus. But in the last few weeks I have been working on pinan nidan and today was shown a kata called shiho sanshiki.

Learning the pattern for pinan 2 has led me back to looking at taigyoku shodan and the sparring applications contained in that kata.

IMO too much emphasis is placed on getting the kata technically correct. Well that's not quite true, it's good to get a kata technically correct, but there are a lot of kumite and self-defence applications tucked away in kata. All you need is a teacher who can show you.


Mick

Okay, thanks for all the info. Now I just have to actually find a sensei who knows higher kata. Most senseis I know that are high up there don't even teach classes. They just attend senior training.

By the way, what style is Pinan Nidan?

If they don't teach then they're not sensei.

Ok, pinan2 is heian1. In shotokan circles they're called heian, shito-ryu they're called pinan.

My knowledge is somewhat limited but basically the pinan kata are the lead-in to bassai and kanku.


Mick

Where abouts are you Brodius?
I'm sure someone here could steer you to an appropriate dojo depending on your region.

The senseis that don't actually teach classes are senseis. If they have the black and white belt, that makes them a sensei, right?

And I'm in Hobart.

I'm actually going to a "train with your sensei" class tonight, so hopefully the Senior Sensei will go through some higher kata.

i'd really like to find out how you went on learning the higer katar's, at your level the way i see it is they should welcome your efforts to learn more advanced stuff B) .

Well, most of the higher katas up to Sepai and Sanseru, were taught to me by all the Senseis that I train with, both in Launceston and Hobart. I also looked around the internet for sites with listings for all the kata in this style, which i referred to when I didn't have a sensei to help me out.

There doesn't seem to be a listing for Dan kata on any sites, probably because they'd rather yo ulearn those katas from actual senseis.

ok how did you go in sensei training class get any of the higher kata's shown to you?.

Wow, that night was absolutely awesome. I wish they had more of those sort of classes, but anyway... The entire class went through every kata up until the first black belt kata, which I can't remember the name. Only the senior sensei and one other karateka went through that, while everyone else watched.

We went overtime, so there was no time, I guess, to go through some higher kata with everyone.

cool glad you had a good time it is alway nice when you go to training and come out totaly drained but wanting more, mmmmmmm maybe i realy do need that help my sensei's are always talking about

How is the scene is Tas?
Are there many dojo's/students?

There are about 12 dojos in the Hobart area, and three in the Launceston area. The dojos I train at have from 3 students and up to about 25. That's in Hobart. There are a lot more up in Launceston, but that's only because there's only 3 dojos.

It also depends on holidays. Students don't seem to train during the holidays, though i don't see why they wouldn't want to. It's the best time.

Many styles use Pinan, Heian or Hinan for their first two or three kata's.
One of the styles I used to train was Wado Ryu and uses Pinan Nidan as the first Kata for 8th Kyu Yellow belt. It's origin dates back to 1907 and was introduced by Anko Itosu, Shuri-Te. It's basic description is - Introduction to Body Shifts (Tai Sabaki).

The kids have a system for learning Kata that works very well.

They are always learning the next kata up to the one they need for their next grading.

For example, when they were green belts they were learning Bassai Dai. This was the kata they used for tournaments and that we practised the most at home.

When they were blue and red belts belts they started learning Seinchun and that became their tournament Kata.

Now they are Brown belts we're about to start on Empi.

This way, by the time they get to their grading they are already confident up to the highest Kata they need.

Of course, we're lucky to have Sensei that help us when we need help, and I do a lot of training at home with the kids.

Nigel