I've been training in Judo for about 3 years with a couple of clubs under the Scottish Judo Federation but have recently started training in a club which is affiliated to the Brittish Judo Council. The first major difference is that the BJC state that they teach kata from blue belt and that the SJF don't until 2nd Dan. But to me it seems that the sets the SJF do for their grading greatly resemble the katas that the BJC teach. The SJF sets are even called something like Go No something kata (sorry my japanesse is still very dodgy even after all these years). What I'd really like to know is when do sets or combination attacks become a kata? Does it have to be throw for throw? p.s I've heard about a breakfall kata, I think its called 'The falling leaf kata' has anybody else heard of it?
I dont do judo but my old instructor did (before he went on to ju jitsu) the breack fall kata he showed was Ukemi Kata
As for the other ones there was Kazushi Kata - Breaking of balance Idori Kime no Kata - formal self defence kata Kime no Kata - full version of above but defence against Knife and Sword All the others that we did (for the above were in the syllabus) were throwing ones I have an old copy of the Kime no Kata book (that was with are syllabus at one time) if you want a copy?
We do: Kozushi Kata (Breaking of balance), Ashi Waza Kata (7 Legthrows to the point of throwing), Kwansetzu Kata (8 Groundwork locks), Shime Waza Kata (7 Strangulations) plus other self defence, attack and weapon katas. The book 'The complete 8 kata's of Judo' by Kawaishi is good for the forms and also look at www.judoinfo.com Good luck!
We do the Strangulation's and groundwork locks to but we do them now as Kihon and variations than katas but still its all the same anyway.
Most schools these days teach everything as basics even if its supposed to be a kata. For example Go No Sen No Kata, a BJC school will have formal walk up attempt throw, counter throw, uke up return to position and start the next one, very formal. SJF do it this way wander up to each other grip up try to throw the guy, he counters drops uke, straight back up, wander about and then grip up again. See the difference? Thanx
