I practice the Pinans quite a bit and have been viewing a lot of vids lately concerning the Pinans and noticed that the differences between certain systems are sometimes suttle to extreme. My question is. Do you think the differences matter or do you think as long as the basic instruction is sound, is it an issue? Being the most popular forms done, should there be a specific way for them to be practiced?
Pinans and variations.
- Thread starter Kwon Bup
- Start date
- Thread Starter
- #3
C
Do you have a link to one of his vids?. I would like to see his interpretation.
JR 137
Grandmaster
If the change makes "fighting" sense and is taught as such, then I don't have issue with it. If it's changed because it looks better and/or will score higher at a tournament, I lose respect.
Then again, who am I to make the rules? Everyone's got to do what they've got to do.
Then again, who am I to make the rules? Everyone's got to do what they've got to do.
dancingalone
Grandmaster
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2007
- Messages
- 5,322
- Reaction score
- 281
No one really knows what Itosu intended with them, so I wouldn't worry about the way people from other systems and styles perform them. Heck, some people don't even think Itosu authored all five kata!
So long as you understand the structure and philosophy behind your own rendition and the advantages and disadvantages therein, it's all good. Fighting is all about picking the compromises that suit your own personality and maximize your physical capabilities. It should be no different with kata, though of course people who train together will share certain hallmarks in their expression.
I was lucky enough to be given years ago a video cassette of Otsuka Sensei doing all the kata, I had to have it converted to DVD though when cassette players went out of fashion lol.
This is one, the rest are there are well.
- Thread Starter
- #7
Very cool...thank you.
JR 137
Grandmaster
When I see a kata performed like this, I always imagine having someone unknown replicate it exactly, do it in a tournament, and laughing about how low the score would be. Then I'd show a video of Otsuka Sensei performing it and watching the judges' reaction when they realize it was done EXACTLY as a legend did it and intended it to be done.
All 1 handed blocks, no deep stances, no snap behind the techniques or from the gi, no loud kiai (if he actually did kiai), no sharp head movement at turns, etc.
What separates "performers" (would pretenders be better?) from true practicioners is the true practicioners (such as Otsuka Sensei) don't care what it looks like; they only care about what the movements mean and being able to use them.
I'm preparing for a tournament where I'll be doing a kata (my 5 year old karateka daughter talked me into it). Making it look pretty is fun and a good change of pace. No way I'd dedicate my training to it for any length of time though. That type of training is too shallow to keep my attention.
All IMO of course.
There's a local "karate" school that is pretty much 100% focused on competition. They spend a ton of time learning kata and making them look pretty, and on point fighting. Nothing else. To each his own.
