| Home |
 |
About Us |
|
News |
|
Kids |
|
Squad |
|
Diary |
|
Gallery |
|
Shop |
|
Resources |
|
Forum |
|
Tai Chi Chuan |
|
Contact Us |
|
Links |
| Kata | Meaning | Significance |
|
Pinan Katas: - Shodan - Nidan - Sandan - Yodan - Godan |
Pinan translates as 'Peace of Mind'. | The Pinan Kata were composed in 1907 by Anko Itosu. They are thought to have been composed from parts of Kushanku, a much larger kata. These kata were originally intended as beginner kata for use in Okinawan High School physical education programmes in the first part of this century. They are sometimes called the Heian kata, since the same ideograms can be read differently in Japanese. |
| Kushanku | Kushanku can be roughly translated into 'Sky viewing' . | This Kata was adapted and developed by Okinawan Masters, having been originally brought to Okinawa in 1762 by a Chinese envoy named Kushanku. Reputed to be the most advanced and difficult of all the Okinawan kata, it is said to require more than a decade of painstaking practice to master. Gichin Funakoshi called this Kata Kanku Dai (Kan=observe, Dai=big) because of the first movement of the Kata (making a circle with both hands) observing the world. |
| Naihanchi | The name may be translated as 'Battle in a narrow place' for example on the narrow paths between rice fields. | Naifanchi Kata is the only Kata where all the activity takes place in a straight line. The stance is also important, being the first of the so-called inner circular stances (both feet turned slightly inward). These stances are developed through Chinto and Seishan Kata |
| Chinto | A literal translation of Chinto is 'Fighting to the East' | Chinto was probably a Chinese military attaché, posted to the island of Okinawa at the same time as Kushanku The technique first introduced in this Kata is the 'sagiashi' or crane stance - seen later in Wanshu and Rohai Kata. |
| Seishan | Seishan may be translated as 'Crescent Moon'. | Seishan Kata features 'dynamic tension' in its first half, the second half is performed at normal speed. |
| Wanshu | The name can be roughly translated to 'flying swallow'. | It was probably brought to Okinawa in 1683 by a Chinese envoy of the same name. |
| Bassai | The meaning of this Kata is literally 'to storm a fortress'. | The origins of this Kata are unknown. |
| Rohai | The literal translation of this Kata is 'White crane' | This Kata has an unusual start. It also shares a fair amount of its content with Bassai (the three 'mountain' punch grab techniques) and with Wanshu (the last two moves with slight alteration). |
| Jion | Jion means 'Buddhist Temple'. | Jion is a relatively long Kata, although it is simple in form. Note that the grouping of techniques into three's first seen in Pinan Nidan is still evident here. |
| Jitte | Jitte translates to 'Ten hands' perhaps indicating that anyone who masters this Kata can be said to have the spirit of five men. | Jitte Kata is the only Wado-ryu Kata not to feature kiai. |
| Niseishi | The literal translation of this Kata is 'Twenty four steps' |
Most Kata are performed in an arrangement which takes you up and down or side to side. You should note that this Kata is effectively conducted in three directions to the points of a triangle |
| Suparinpe | ?? | This is supposedly the 'lost' Kata of traditional Wado-Ryu. |
The Six Principals of Kata
1. Ikita ~ Kata must be alive and done with feeling and purpose.
2. Inen ~ Kata must be performed with spirit.
3. Chikara no Kyojaku ~ Kata should be done with changes in application of power. Technique can be strong or yielding, hard then soft.
4. Waza no Kankyu ~ Kata should be done with variations in the timing of movement, sometimes fast, sometimes slow.
5. Kisoku no Donto ~ Kata must be done with proper rhythm of breathing, when to inhale and exhale.
6. Balance ~ Proper balance must be maintained in the performance of Kata.