Is there an official Wado syllabus, and if so does it contain any weapon katas?

Discussion in 'Karate' started by Jayla, Nov 29, 2010.

  1. Jayla

    Jayla Valued Member

    (probly a good question for Gary..)

    Is there an official syllabus for the Wado Ryu/kai style? I've noticed that most clubs seem to adopt their own variations, such as requirements for belts, slight variations in kata movements etc.

    Is there any generic principles that all wado clubs follow? I'm trying to find out how my club compares to others in the sense of what I should be comfortable with by the 1st dan grading. (if any of you wado guys, or other styles can send me/link me your syllabus I'd be intersted to read)

    Also, slightly connected, does the wado ryu syllabus cover any weapons techniques/katas? Or is this a completely separate branch such as kobudo?

    Cheers in advance
     
  2. GaryWado

    GaryWado Tired

    Not really as far as I know.

    Different groups tend have their own however in the UK at least, it is a good bet that most are based on that of Suzuki sensei.

    From what I have seen, the syllabus content of two out of the three main Wado groups (WIKF, JKF Wado-kai) tends to be quite straight forward up to dan grade – quality over quantity I guess.

    There are some differences – but these tend to be on the paired kata side of things. Suzuki’s group for example have Ohyo Kumite, and the Wado-ryu Renmei have Kumite Gata – whereas the JKF Wadokai does not.

    Having said that my group (which is a JKF Wadokai affiliated group) also does Ohyo Kumite (back to the Suzuki syllabus thing again) – so it is very much down to the individual association in my experience, but there is a lot of commonality also, as they all have the nominal 9 kata at their core and all practice Kihon Kumite.

    Further up the dan grade scale some groups (WIKF for one) have Idori, Tanto Dori and even Shinken Shiraha-dori.

    As far as weapons Kata are concerned, you could argue I guess that Tantodori /Shinken Shiraha-dori constitute paired weapon kata (although not really imo), but there are no solo weapon forms in Wado in the Okinawan Kobudo sense.

    Here is a link to the Federation of European Wadokai (European branch of JKF Wadokai) dan grade syllabus and as you will see it is fairly straight forward.
    http://skfscotland.co.uk/wadokaieurope/Gradingprogramm.pdf

    As to the generic principles – yes, all Wado “should” adhere to the core principles of the style – if it doesn't it isn't Wado.

    So to an extent – the variation in syllabus doesn't matter - as long as what you have works to foster these core principles into the student and that’s more perhaps where you are going with this question?

    Gary
     
  3. ArthurKing

    ArthurKing Valued Member

    Here is Dan grade syllabus for WKF (Sakigami Sensei).
    http://www.kombatkids.com/grading.php?page=59
    We were affiliated with this organization until recently, and our syllabus is still virtually identical. I have never seen any Weapon forms with Wado, it seems to be more of a ****o Ryu or Kobudo thing? I would love to do some weapon (particularly Bo or Jo) and can recommend Fumio Temura's 'Bo-Karate weapon of self defense', so much of it is soooo familiar (stances etc)!
    Best of luck!
     
  4. GaryWado

    GaryWado Tired


    Do you mean WKE - Wadokai England? Only WKF is World Karate Federation?

    I think this syllabus is probably from the Aiwakai (Mr Sakagami's group) - as opposed to JKF Wadokai, where there is no Ohyo kumite or Tantodori. Again, another throwback to Suzuki sensei in the UK.

    Gary
     
  5. ArthurKing

    ArthurKing Valued Member

    It does have WKF Logo at bottom of page!? appears to be Aiwakai from my copy of the old syllabus though.
     
  6. GaryWado

    GaryWado Tired

    It also says "Lottery Funded" at the bottom. Mr Suzuki should be proud;)
     
  7. Jayla

    Jayla Valued Member

    Thanks for the input guys.

    Gary, my club is operates under the EKO governing body, and the link you provided me (syllabus pdf) looks reasonable. We run with a large focus on kata, and as such you need to know the following to attempt 1st dan:

    5 pinans
    Kushan ku
    Chinto
    Rohai

    There is also focus on basics, and kumite. There isn't anything specific in regards to basics, merely a re-assessment of basics covered in kyu gradings. Kumite is freestyle.

    We don't (or at least I've never seen) any paired basics or set kumite routines in my time there (about 9 years) used for gradings. Ocassionally we may pair up for some kata applications, but its not part of our grading system.

    My primary objective of this thread was to find out what other clubs are covering, and to find out if there is anything else I could pick up from other clubs, i.e., some new blocks/techniques I haven't encountered so far.

    Thanks
     
  8. GaryWado

    GaryWado Tired

    Do you pracitice Kihon Kumite?
     
  9. Jayla

    Jayla Valued Member

    Not really, no. Did a lot of that when I was attending a ju jitsu class so understand what it is, but we don't have a strong emphasis on that at my wado club.
     
  10. GaryWado

    GaryWado Tired

    Probably the thing you are missing then.

    Not exactly Ju Jitsu in the modern sense.

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qpr2xDIIbNI&NR=1"]YouTube - Ohtsuka II Kihon kumite 1[/ame]

    Gary
     
  11. Jayla

    Jayla Valued Member

    Cheers Gary,

    Do you know where/if I can find a list of all the basic techniques, and kihon kumite routines? I've got a few wado books but there are limited in the basics sections (gyakazukis, kette gyakazukis, junzuki jodan etc).

    Also, do you train at a club in Clacton, and have kata videos on youtube? Been watching those quite a bit over the weekend, and noticed a "garywado" come up in the comments quite frequently ;)
     
  12. GaryWado

    GaryWado Tired

    Not Clacton, but I go by the name of garywado on yt and have posted vids on there.

    Can't really learn Kihon Kumite from a list/book/vid - it will mean nothing.

    There's a fella by the name of Tim Shaw who teaches excellent Wado in the Chelmsford area (nearer you I believe)

    http://www.wadoryu.org.uk/

    Pop along and train.

    Gary
     
    Last edited: Nov 29, 2010
  13. metalfury

    metalfury Valued Member

    Hi Gary, are Ohyo Kumite and Kumite Gata the same thing by a different name or a completely different set of techniques. From memory I know the Ohyos are referred to by a different name in Ohgami's Introduction to Karate Book, but I can't remember offhand what it was.

    Thanks

    Rob
     
  14. GaryWado

    GaryWado Tired

    Hi Rob,

    Have just about recovered from the beating that sensei gave me yesterday lol.

    Ohyo Kumite and Kumite Gata are not the same thing.

    Ohyo Kumite - or at least the ones we do and most of the Wado groups in the UK, were created by Suzuki sensei.

    Generally speaking, there are 8 in number and they were created by Suzuki as a way to bridge the gap between Kata and Kumite (particularly free fighting/sparing). Ohyo (or Oyo) in this sense means application and as language/culture was also a barrier to teaching in Europe at the time, this was his way to get the subject matter across to the students – and they still work today.

    Kumite Gata are practiced by the Wado-Ryu Renmei and there are 36 in number and are designed to transmit the fundamental principles of Wado in bite size portions.

    Here is a clip of Ohtsuka sensei's performing some.

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bksq4EP1JEw"]YouTube - Ohtsuka Kumite gata[/ame]

    As you will see, quite different to Ohyo Kumite but there are a lot of similarities with Kihon Kumite.

    It is said that they are more from the SYR side of things.

    Gary
     
  15. GaryWado

    GaryWado Tired

    Rob,

    He simply refers to them as "Ohyogumite".

    As K's are rounded off to G's when immediately following another the word "kumite" becomes "gumite" in this instance.

    Same as Kumite kata = Kumite gata.

    Gary
     
  16. metalfury

    metalfury Valued Member

    Thanks Gary for the information and the link. I'll take a look at the Kumite Gata when I get home - we have a fun filter at work :-(

    Ha, yes Paul and yourself were at the end of some brutal demonstrations from Sensei - although you seemed to enjoy yours ;-)

    I had been out of training for a month, so was a little worried about the course, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and learnt a lot from both morning and afternoon sessions.

    The extra little 'tips', applications and additions to the pair work from yourself and Sensei were all very interesting and helpful - I'm looking forward to practicing it in the dojo this week!


    Thanks, I couldn't remember what it was, just that it was different.

    Is the 'g' pronounced when spoken, or is it still said as a 'k' - I was just thinking that I don't think I've ever 'heard' the 'g' in Kihon K(g)umite, or in the Shotokan Kihon Kata . . . or Kihon Gata?

    See you at the senior grade training, at least after that one we'll have the xmas holls to recover ;-)

    Cheers

    Rob
     

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