questions on katas

[Gae-Bek]

Has anyone ever heard of any of these katas? By their names, I'm guessing that they are Japanese. If so, does anyone know the origin/meanings of any of them?

Un Ryu
Sandan (1-5)
Chodan

Thanks,

Aaron Ploetz

[Kenji]

You might want to try searching for katas in this web site: www.24fightingchikens.com/shotokan/ (http://www.24fightingchickens.com/shotokan/)

Hope it helps.:)

[Sochin]

No, not during 30 years of training Japanese karate.


They don't 'sound' like real kata but I've been fooled before.

Where did you hear about them?

[Gae-Bek]

Originally posted by Sochin
No, not during 30 years of training Japanese karate.


They don't 'sound' like real kata but I've been fooled before.

Where did you hear about them?

Well, that's kind of a long story, so I'll do my best to cut it short.

My original instructors came to Whitewater, WI from Hays,KS. For a while, our school still belonged to their instructor's association (or chain, if you will). Now, it has been some time since they had a little falling-out, and they have not talked with their instructor in about 7 years.

Recently, the [new] Head Instructor and I were going through an old forms tape, and found these kata on it. Our original instructors had no idea if they were authentic kata or not. And, as I explained before, we don't have contact with their instructor [to ask him]. After trying to research them (and finding nothing) I came here to see if anyone else had heard of them.

I had strong suspicions all along that these were "American Made", but I wanted to cover all of the bases, first.

Thanks,

Aaron Ploetz
2nd Dan - Assistant Instructor
UW-Whitewater Warhawk Karate Club
Whitewater, WI

[Sochin]

Is it possible to translate the tape to DV and post a clip?

I'd love t see them.

[Gae-Bek]

Sure Sochin, I have a friend who has a video capture card on his PC. I'll see what I can do.

Aaron Ploetz

[niseik]

Has anyone ever heard of any of these katas? By their names, I'm guessing that they are Japanese. If so, does anyone know the origin/meanings of any of them?

Un Ryu
Sandan (1-5)
Chodan

Thanks,

Aaron Ploetz

Sandan is a Pinon kata. Number 3 in the series. Chodan or Shodan is the first of the Pinon series. There is a kata called Unsu in the Kobayashi Shorin-ryu system, this may be the same as the one you saw.

The Pinon series were created by Anko Itosu based on analysis of the kata Kusanku Dai.

I found this info in Okinawan Karate by Mark Bishop.

Sue Kyan

[Sochin]

Morning Niseik,

The levels of kata, sho thru go (1st to 5th) are found in more than just the Pinan set (Heian for Shotokan). Off the top are the Naihachi's (Tekki), and the Lohai set.

So a kata called Sandan (1-5) ( or, third level, 1-5 as here) means nothing and is a reference to a poor memory or a beginners own made up kata. Imho.

Unsu is a well known kata, too well known to be mistaken by any well practiced karate-ka as 'Un Ryu' - again hints of a beginner's poor memory or fooling around.

As for Chodan, it sounds most like chudan or upper level as in blocking. "Upper level or High Kata, hmmm, doesn't sound quite right. But I'm no language expert so I'd love to see a vid of them and then I could give an educated opinion, not just a guess!

[OzeShiN]

I agree.
Anyone who knows kata Unsu(Unshu) would surely know it when seeing it...the leap within the kata sticks in the memory.
Also..many non-traditional karate schools include the taikyoku katas from Shotokan and Goju-ryu within their syllabus,changing them as they see fit or combining them to become their own particular "brand" of taikyoku nidan,sandan etc etc.

[shogun418]

yes at my school which teaches american free style karate, and yee-choung kung-fu. the sandan forms 1-5, the meaning is peace at mind, the though on the forms was that once you had masterd the forms (which is impossible in my eyes) you will have the peace at mind when ever a attack rises hopes this helps.

o and i thought 24 fighting chickens got closed down?

[Fightback2]

24 Fighting Chickens is still closed - dang it.

Our first 5 katas which are known as Heian katas (Shotokan) are "peaceful mind", I'm not sure where "peace at mind" comes in.

Never heard of the katas mentioned.

[De_Franza]

What about this kata: "Hiza Go Nadai" ?

[shogun418]

sorry about that i miss read the form i though you asked for Heian sandan meaning my falult o and there are differant names too heian is remotly the same as pinnan and peon if i may say so just to help out try to stay away from the name game. you can only do so much befour things start over i meen come on ther are 10 differant names for a knife hand let alone the countless names for the same kata good luck anyway

Cody rinehart