And a school of thought to say that there is a world of difference. Kata is the history of a style. It tells a story through its combinations. Kihon is more like the dictionary. Like a dictionary going from one word to another often makes no sense, even if it familiarises you with the words.
Sorry John Renraku-waza is combination of techniques practiced as part of Kihon. Example: Maegeri, mawashigeri, gyakuzuki. Gary
Thanks. Not a term used in the dojos in which I've studied. They've always been referred to as Kihon sets or Kihon combinations. I think my dictionary metaphor describes them pretty well. The majority are good for training hip rotation, but make no sense in terms of proper application.
So Kihon is the dictionary & kata the story.. Is rengaku not grammar? Showing how to structure and link the words from the dictionary?
Personally I think Kata shows you how to do that. Most renraku I've seen just consists of randomly linked techniques that cannot be applied either in a pressurised sport kumite or bunkai context.
But Kata can be complicated and tricky to understand the application of movements.... Don't get me wrong, I enjoy kata and utilise it for solo training but understanding the bunkai is a bit of an art
I think it depends on how you've been taught. Most movements in Kata new to me are pretty blatant due to the kata I already know. It largely comes down to your mindset. If you try to understand kata outside the context of close quarter fighting and haov you're going to struggle.
I see, because of your knowledge of the application found the kata you are familiar with, this gives you a good understanding of a new kata (or at least, what it's trying to convey)?
Yes / No. It's an understanding of haov and experience of the positions that people find themselves in that makes the kata come alive. Different Kata are generally variations on similar themes. Identical sequences kept, less liked combinations dropped, preferred combinations introduced, identical combinations made to look different by a slightly different weight placement, or an exaggeration of a movement over time, or a different height visualised.
I take it you've never done combinations like: Ude uke, yoko empi, uraken, gyaku zuki, gedan barai or Uchi uke, gizami zuki, gyaku zuki, gedan barai Standard Shotokan combinations practiced by many associations, stepping forward and stepping back, taught as syllabus requirements by both good and bad instructors alike. Satisfying to do, good for a workout and for training hip rotation. I can do both those combinations and land every single strike (though not with the supposed striking surface) if I hold on to the person with my hikite, but they are very messy and cumbersome that way and not very practical in terms of optimum targeting.
That one? No, never. That just looks like it would feel horribly cumbersome. This one, yes. Never been a fan of this one. My personal favourite for hating is this one: Mae geri, mawashi geri, yoko geri keage, ushiro geri. It was one of the ones the brown and black belts had to do for their gradings at my last dojo. I don't think anyone, even the instructor, performed the techniques properly at all. It's just ridiculous.
Actually it's very smooth (though I have been doing it for over 20 years), just useless. I like that one, nice and snappy and good for working balance. I don't teach it to my own students (we only do one of those kicks) but I'll do stuff like that in a Shotokan class for the gymnastic challenge.
It's another sequence that's mainly an exercise in getting your hip movement fast and fluid. The position of your hips for those techniques goes 45 deg, parallel, 45 deg, square, 45deg, square (if you add another gyaku zuki on the end). So it's a way of practicing moving between solid stances with distinct hip positions while throwing techniques. An instructor watching can tell if you're throwing techniques with just your arms and no hip, or if you're struggling to co-ordinate your feet.
Fixed that for you. :evil: Group I'm helping out at the moment do the uraken in kiba dachi - heretics!
Which kick do you use then, mae geri? In theory it should be nice and snappy, but I guess I've seen too many students who can't apply keri correctly flapping their legs about as fast as they can "bargain basement" style. It ends up just looking ghastly. Ah, I suppose in that way it makes total sense actually. I can't see it necessarily being used during kumite/SD sims mind, but when you mention it like that I might take a liking to it. Will have to try it soon. Pfft. They should try doing it in shiko dachi while spinning 180 degrees (or shiko dachi where the legs are at a 90 degree angle, standing still, snapping to the side). Terrible, terrible times Quick question - when practising Uraken uchi, how many people whip with the fist?
We use mae geri, a form of shin kick, hiza geri and stamping. The only ones actually included in preset combos are the shin kick and the knee. Personally when I'm in Shotokan mode I either pick a kata or just rotate through uke and tsuki continuously on the spot. Done that for ages in Kiba - it's worse. How do you man 'whip'?
I think you have recently started training in Wado? Wado-ryu uraken (in my experience) is performed like a whip. The fist is held tight but the wrist is loose if that makes sense? The back of the hand becomes an extension to the arm (like the end of the whip in this respect) - A bit like rolling up a towel and doing that "flicking" thing! No? There is a cast and rapid retraction - leaving a whip effect. Interestingly, back-fist strikes seem to be more prevalent in the traditional Japanese (kobujutsu) systems that I have studied - over and above seiken! Atemi waza etc... Gary
