That might be it. I have not yet reached the point where class is not enough. I am only a orange belt. I might feel differently when i reach green and higher and the last 2 heian katas are harder. Didn't think of it that way before, thanks.
There are often bits missed out (or not entirely appreciated) when it comes to the full understanding of the whole kihon / kata thing in karate imo. As I understand it, there is only kata and kumite. Kihon is also kata in a way, just presented differently - but it is set!? Then there is the whole "Renshu" and "Keiko" thing... which is kinda the missing link. http://blog.aikidojournal.com/2009/10/08/renshu-and-keiko-by-nick-lowry/ Gary
just for the lulz, since i found my old kata list and cross-checked with what i posted. the updated version is as follows: kata i forgot, to varying degrees (but could still follow along in a dojo): Spoiler -****o-ryu sochin -****o-ryu wanshu -****o-ryu kosokun sho -****o-ryu kosokun dai kata i can sort of imitate, to varying degrees: Spoiler -****o-ryu suparinpei -****o-ryu masumura no bassai -uechi-ryu sanchin that makes 7 kata that i technically know but that don't make the list kata i actually know, per se: Spoiler -****o ryu and shotokan pinan/heian series (x10) -goju-ryu gekisai series (x2) -****o-ryu and shotokan bassai-dai, jitte, jion (x6) -shotokan kanku-dai -****o-ryu bassai-sho -****o-ryu niseishi -****o-ryu rohai and matsumura no rohai (x2) -****o-ryu unshu -****o-ryu pachu and paiku (x2) -shotokan tekki shodan -****o-ryu naihanchi shodan and nidan (x2) -shotokan sochin -shotokan chinte -shotokan enpi -****o-ryu sanchin and tensho (x2) -****o-ryu saifa, seienchin, seipai and kururunfa (x4) ends up at 38 kata i still know well, and 45 kata in total counting the half-assed/copied ones, to which i hope to add the kyokushin gekisai-sho eventually
That's quite a bunch there Fish Of Doom. (I'm actually glad that we don't study that many numbers of kata.) I had a gasshuku just last weekend. I had a nice chance to join the shodan at some some of the kata studied. (Those where two of the kata that I had been training for a short time.) I was glad to discover that I could keep up with or was slightly ahead of some of the shodan.
When in class, we practice all of them (karate, not kobudo). Going through all of the kata (plus the ones above me) usually takes up the first hour of class. Now, my answer on what I practice regulary takes into account that I haven't been in class often for the past year due to injury and health issues, so I'm a bit more selective in how I push things.
