blck belt kata kanku dai

[kyle]

I have been doing shotokan karate for 4 years and i am going for my
black belt first dan. I am only 13 and found out that i have to know
quite a few locks and chocks to do plus about 8 extra katas. My main
kata is kanku-dai but i have real difficulty in picking it up. Is
there any advice any one can give me.? Would be very much
appretiated!!!
Thanks

[Donald Link]

Post by kyle
I have been doing shotokan karate for 4 years and i am going for my
black belt first dan. I am only 13 and found out that i have to know
quite a few locks and chocks to do plus about 8 extra katas. My main
kata is kanku-dai but i have real difficulty in picking it up. Is
there any advice any one can give me.? Would be very much
appretiated!!!
Thanks

I have 3 grandkids younger then you from 6 to 11 and live in a large
city. The local karate club that they go to is very large with many
locations. They pay on fee and can go to any locations in the area.
If they wanted to they could go double classes 5 nights a week. They
average 3 nights a week and usually the second class is more advanced
and they practice katas and more advanced moves. Every year there is
a 17 week course that meets for an hour and half every other week that
all they study is katas. It has helped them tremendously and they
have placed well in kata compition and advancement in belts. They
only have one more degree of brown belt before they go for their black
belt. Even the instructors in their weekly karate classes have them
demonstrate kata to students. I do not know your situation and where
you are located so I can not say what is advailable to you. You might
try to practice with someone in your club who is well versed.
Sometimes you can even pay someone if your parents agree. Practice in
front of a mirror is very helpful. Luck.

[Neil Gatenby]

Post by kyle
I have been doing shotokan karate for 4 years and i am going for my
black belt first dan. I am only 13 and found out that i have to know
quite a few locks and chocks to do plus about 8 extra katas. My main
kata is kanku-dai but i have real difficulty in picking it up. Is
there any advice any one can give me.? Would be very much
appretiated!!!

kanku dai is AKA kushanku, right? If so, then www.iainabernethy.com might
be of interest - lots of bunkai stuff in there for kushanku


HTH
Neil

[david]

Kanku Dai is a pretty cool kata, but a bit long compared to some
others.

I recommend you break it down into pieces--usually there are about 5
moves in a row that go together, either all moving in the same
direction, or, as in the beginning few moves, pretty much stationary.

Also, PRACTICE EVERY DAY! If you are testing for 1st dan you should
have dedication enough to practice at least a few minutes each day.

Last but not least, get a video of the kata done by your sensei or
someone like him/her
(in other words, done properly). That's a big help when you forget.
Good luck!
david

[Mary K. Kuhner]

I studied under an aikido teacher who said that if you practice
kata while watching other students, the knowledge goes from
your eyes to your body and leaves little trace in your brain
en route. She said, if you want to learn it fast you should
start doing it on your own as soon as possible, even if bits
are wrong, and then when you have other students/teachers to
watch you can correct the wrong parts.

I found this statement really surprising but it seems to be
true. My home dojo routinely has us turn toward different walls
while doing kata, so that we can't see each other, and it
does seem to lead to faster learning. (Also much laughter
from sensei, who can see us all at once. We had someone
manage to finish a longish kata 2.5 times in the amount of
time it took the rest of us to finish once, apparently by
ruthlessly leaving out the boring parts....)

Mary Kuhner ***@eskimo.com