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| Tobi yoko-geri kekomi on Andrew Makin (3rd Dan). |
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| Kakuyoku Shodan |
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| The opening of the 'Falling Leaf' kata: Rakuyo. It is the third in a series of kata, which includes Hachimon and Senka. |
There have been some questions about what I teach outside of the 26 standard Shotokan kata, at my private dojo—International Karate Shotokan—here in Oita City, Japan. In the past I had more kata (which we still archive), but our official koten-gata have been abbreviated: to what I have deciphered as being utterly essential for my senior students across Japan and abroard.
None of these kata are compulsory, within our group, except (1) Junro Shodan for Nidan karateka; (2) Junro Shodan or any other Junro kata (free choice) for Sandan karateka; and (3) a Jiyu-gata for Yondan karateka and above. ALWAYS...Compulsary are the five Heian, Tekki Shodan and the four Sentei-gata (Bassai Dai, Kanku Dai, Enpi and Jion).
The following 'KOTEN-GATA' list is what we have been following the last seven years, since 2010. I will not go into oyo (application) publicly but we have a very unique system, which is organizationally in-house, and strongly connects with Okinawa and China; furthermore and more importantly, contemporary military CQB (Close Quarter Battle).
The following 'KOTEN-GATA' list is what we have been following the last seven years, since 2010. I will not go into oyo (application) publicly but we have a very unique system, which is organizationally in-house, and strongly connects with Okinawa and China; furthermore and more importantly, contemporary military CQB (Close Quarter Battle).
Kihon-gata
1. Junro Shodan
2. Junro Nidan
3. Junro Sandan
4. Junro Yondan
5. Junro Godan
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| Rakuyo |
Jiyu-gata
6. Kibaken
7. Kyakusen (Ashi-barai no kata)
8. Joko Issei
9. Joko Nisei
10. Joko Sansei
11. Joko Yonsei
12. Joko Gosei
13. Rantai (Ransetsu)
14. Seiryu
15. Meikyo Nidan
16. Meikyo Sandan
17. Kakuyoku Shodan
18. Kakuyoku Nidan
19. Kakuyoku Sandan
20. Sensho
21. Shotei
22. Hachimon
23. Senka
24. Rakuyo
25. Kashu (Hi no te)
26. Roshu (Nami no te)
27. Suishu (Mizu no te)
27. Suishu (Mizu no te)
28. Hushu (Kaze no te)
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Senka |
The rationale behind practising these additional kata is "karate as effective martial arts". Learning new kata for 'kata sake' (pun for non-Japanese readers intended) has no meaning. These additional kata are for kumite/self-defence training 'specific for individuals'. In this regard, to individualistic specificity, they are very useful for developing high level 'Martial Art Karate' skills.
© André Bertel. Oita City, Japan (2017).