I'm a little confused. Having done some Shotokan a long time in the past, one of the most important components of kata were the timmings. We'd learn a kata to some kind of count to get the moves correct but when actually performing the kata we were expected to demonstrate some form of timming. To some extent this was taught but there was also some component of individualism to it. When a class were performing a kata to 'their own time' then we would not all be expected to be choriographed and looking at everone next to us, but instead were expected to focus on our own kata. The timmings a person would adapt for a kata would be one of the important things in assesing the kata both at gradings and in competition.
Now I've not been doing GKR for long but from what I've experienced, the katas are performed 'to your own count' (as opposed to 'your own time') and very much plod along in a monotonic manner. Everyone is expected to 'stay together' and finish together, which means the slower students are expected to try to keep up and the faster ones are told to slow down. This involves a lot of peering around and makes it very difficult to really focus on the kata or to make it flow.
I only raise this point because I have recently been picked up on this when I made the mistake of focussing on my kata instead of keeping in time with the guy next to me. ... I've not been to any competitions yet but are katas performed with more timming here? Do the katas have a timming/rythm in GKR? How can I learn this?
I should point out I'm not having a go at GKR at all (I think its great ) but if I'm doing kata to the 'wrong' timming then I would like to change it to the right (in terms of GKR) timming. I'm just not to keen on changing it to having no timming. Does 'timming have one or two m's?. Too late now....

Hope someone knows what I'm trying to say and can help

Hey Coward,

Probably the only reason you have been asked to "stay together" is so the instructor isnt confused while watching the class perform the katas.

It can get quite confusing to watch when everyone is at a different point in the kata.

I don't like to ask for "same timing" but sometimes, especially with kids, it's needed so there are no accidents or collisions.

There is a timing to the katas as well as some individualisations of timings.

Keep up the way you are performing katas and developing your timing. And if asked to "stay together" respond "Hai" and try to do as you have been asked while maintaining your focus as much as possible.

A tip... don't look around, follow by the breathing. If you are confident, breathe louder and sharper than the others. This makes YOU the 'leader' of the timing and others will follow you.

Hope this helps. It works for me.

Hi Susan

Thanks for the reply. I get what your saying, but how can I learn the correct timings. I've only ever seen one 3KYU+ perform Basai once and I think I've seen Seiunchin done once. The kata seen on the internet (and I'm guessing the videos am I right???) are done slowly and with no proper timing so as to show people the moves.
In only one of the clubs I go is there someone near enough and loud enough with their breathing that I can hear them, so I do have to resort to looking to keep together even if its out of the corner of my eye. Quite distracting. I find my breathing one of my difficulties and I can only breathe at all well when I am immersed in my kata and doing the timings (albeit the wrong ones for GKR).
Just wish I could regularly see some high grades performing some kata so I could at least get an idea of things. I just don't want to plod through the kata. Oh well I'll just wait and see how things go I guess.....

We are now being encouraged to personalise katas a bit. Not the techniques as such but more the timing between techniques if that makes any sense. Throw that punch quicker after the block; drop into the stance, pause, then change to the other.

That sort of stuff

Hi coward,
I've found the GKR kata videos really handy.The way they are formated are....kata performance viewed from the front, then a rear view of the kata, followed by the kata by the count, then a breakdown of various aspects of the kata eg hand positions,feet movement etc ..well thats how the Saifa video is.. well worth the $12ish dollars I feel, am about to purchase Bassai-Dai, the purchased vidios are alot more informative than the dl versions,although they are handy as well....looking forward to seeing them on disc instead of tape.
Trick... :thumbwink:

Make the slow bits, slow and the fast, fast is one way its been explained to me. Which doesn't really work in first & second kata, which dont have slow bits. But for the others (that i know so far) it seems to make sense.
I've been told 1st kata is 20 stances in 20 seconds, which i think is fast, and bloody hard to make look good at any where near that pace.

And the longer and deeper you make the stances the harder it becomes. There is a rhythm to Taikyoku Shodan, it just seems to be relatively unknown and therefore untaught.


Mick

Ditto nidan

Just seem one of my instructors (shodan) doing Seiunchin. Very impressive. Just wish I could see higher grades doing kata to their own time more often....
20s for Taikyoku Shodan? I'd like to see someone do that sometime.... I'd even buy them a beer afterwards!

Again with the inconsistencies.
I asked RM this and was told time wasnt a factor - indeed Ive never seen the stopwatch brought out at gradings. Far better to slow it down and do it properly than rush it and stuff it up no?(there a joke about two bulls isnt there? ) . Why rush? first one finished gets to stay in the stance longest!!

But I'll do anything for a beer if you're buying coward

I must agree with coward, it does look impressive watching a BB do a seiunchin, sepai or sanseru. We have a shodan in our class and after we done all the katas we know, he goes and does his own.
While I struggle to remember all the moves in seiunchin he browses through these katas with an energy and power it is quite impressive.
I went to his class today for the first time and he was very attentative to everyone, trying to correct little mistakes.

Well, what I have read over and over here in this forum is, try and try again and you will get there. :thumbwink:

Cheers

I asked one of my senseis the same thing about staying focused on my kata while keeping time with other students. He said my own timing was more critical then staying with the group. I had found that I was put off my some people racing through their kata,(especially 1st), or going too slow. Now I concentrate on my technique and breathing and let the timing of the group become quite secondary. I am finding that my kata is stronger and more comfortable and I really don't end up a long way out from the group anyway.
Not having any senior grades to watch and learn from makes the correct timing a lot harder to determine. As trickster said the videos are good or we taped the higher grade katas from our last tournament, great hints for the timing of the higher katas.
Danny

Breathing is one of the most important things to do for me. It helped me heaps with my kata and my technics in general. Somehow it keeps me focused during the exercise. I have caught myself doing it in my every day life as well, not consciousley but at times when things get a bit much it seems to calm me down.
You see, one is never to old to learn new thing in life






Cheers CC
:thumbwink:

Gotta beware of some people's breathing - you can end up with spittle all over the back of you from the person behind.


Mick

PLEASE brush your teeth before training. Partner work can be bad enough *pew!!*

I don't think you have to go as far as brushing your teeth, but at least chew a mint or something. It just isn't cool to vomit because someone can't keep their mouth minty fresh. <--- This message has been brought to you by Mentos, the Freshmakers.

Try doing self-defence with someone with bad b.o. especially when they have u in a headlock

Isn't that when you have an "oops, sorry" moment after using one of the less nice escapes?


Mick

Definately. =O

Last time I used a 'non-standard' something I got accused of cheating

It made her giggle though


Mick