EMBRACE THE CHALLENGE AND FORGET THE EGO!

I have received many requests to post videos on two particular Shotokan-Ryu Kata:

 

慈韻　JIIN (SHOKYO)

百八歩   HYAKUHAPPO (HYAKUHACHIHO, SUPARINPEI)

 

 

Today, in my self-training, in the kata portion of my practice I focused on these two kata, which are both very-difficult for me. I will do my best to refine them more and share them in the future. But unlike other kata, I’m not ready with these two yet.

 

I also find 王冠(Wankan) very difficult; however, I ‘took the plunge’ and posted that in the past. I have no regrets about that, but I need to expand my skill within its waza (technique) and oyo (applications).

 

My point in this post is just a simple message, but an important one! If we are talking about karate as BUDO / BUJUTSU, it is impossible to PERFECT ALL OF THE KATA. ‘Looking nice’ for competition is—of course—possible (with unlimited kata, if the individual is athletically talented and determined); however, this is ‘performance karate’ not ‘effective fighting karate’.

 

To conclude, I was taught many different kata; however, this teaching was not for me, it was for my students/trainees.

 

Don’t feel disappointed when you can’t do a particular kata well, nor use it in kumite. Instead, be happy that you have discovered that is no good for you. Moreover, that might change in the future as you change! This is one of the beauties of Karate-Do as a lifetime art.

EMBRACE THE CHALLENGE AND FORGET THE EGO!

Greetings from Oita City, Japan.

André

  © André Bertel. Oita City, Japan (2021).