The First form/kata you created

[bookworm_cn317]

I know a lot of the folks out here have created their own forms/katas for various reasons like testing requirements or just desire. I am wondering, the first one you created, what was your focus or goal with it?

My instructor gave us that assignment in class.

Did you pick a concept and just run with that, or just put all the things you liked in it?

I kinda did both. More on the 'things I liked' side of it, though.

Were you pleased with the end result?

Kind of. I never finished it.

Did it accomplish what you wanted to? I am just curious as to the experiences of others....

Maybe if I finished it.

 

[kidswarrior]

My instructor gave us that assignment in class.


I kinda did both. More on the 'things I liked' side of it, though.


Kind of. I never finished it.


Maybe if I finished it.

Well close that book and get to work! :boing1: And please let us know how it turns out.

 

[Flying Crane]

But you will, Michael. Lifetime journey, and all that.

And who knows that someday your filling in those 'gaps' might not become part of the curriculum?

Yeah, I spent a bunch of years away from kenpo, training in other arts so I never continued down that path. I'm retraining all my kenpo now, from ground zero on up, with a top instructor in Tracys. I just started a couple months ago, relearning everything to make sure I understand it all properly. For now, I've let those kata that I created drift away. I wrote them down, step by step, so I can always return to them if needed. After I have some time in retraining, I'll reconsider all of my past ideas about my kenpo and decide which of them have merit and should be pursued, and which don't. It's just a huge amount of material...

 

[Flying Crane]

We have four "colored sets" that comprise all of the techniques and kicks learned up green belt. They're part of the requirement for 3rd degree brown. It's amazing when you realize that everything you've learned, except for katas, can be done in about 5 minutes...

I think your lineage is at least in part from Tracys, if I am not mistaken? Do you happen to know how much?

We have 30 of these self defense techs per belt, I know I could not practice everything in 5 minutes, not with any quality anyway. It can take half an hour to go thru one belt, and even that is not a huge number of repetitions, esp. if you are working with a partner, each taking a turn and trying to get everthing right...

 

[jdinca]

I think your lineage is at least in part from Tracys, if I am not mistaken? Do you happen to know how much?

We have 30 of these self defense techs per belt, I know I could not practice everything in 5 minutes, not with any quality anyway. It can take half an hour to go thru one belt, and even that is not a huge number of repetitions, esp. if you are working with a partner, each taking a turn and trying to get everthing right...

GM Lee was one of Al Tracy's first BB's and ran a number of schools for him in the sixties. He was also friends with Ed Parker. We have a great deal in common with the Tracy system and to a lesser extent, the Parker system. We don't do the full list of extensions. We have one, or two per technique. The four sets cover 90 techniques (with extensions) and 26 kicks.

3rd degree brown also requires a kata that includes all the katas up to green belt, left and right side. Takes about 5 minutes and is a butt kicker.

 

[jdinca]

That's very cool. In my experience, though, it's also very unusual. Have I just lived a sheltered life?

By the time you get to green belt, you have learned 20% of the material required for BB. Green belt and each degree of brown each comprises another 20%. Because we look at our brown belts as advanced martial artists and the adults at this level are also instructors, the test for brown belt includes everything you've learned in the system up to that point. That's why there are 9 katas required for brown belt, in addition to 56 techniques (extensions included) and 10 kicks. There's a lot of material there!

 

[IWishToLearn]

I know a lot of the folks out here have created their own forms/katas for various reasons like testing requirements or just desire. I am wondering, the first one you created, what was your focus or goal with it? Did you pick a concept and just run with that, or just put all the things you liked in it? Were you pleased with the end result? Did it accomplish what you wanted to? I am just curious as to the experiences of others....

The first form I created was part of my thesis for my teaching credentials over and above my 3rd Dan test in Yasashii Do. It had to be more than 65 movements long, and take on at least one attack from all 8 angles, as well as at least one multiple attacker scenario. It was not allowed to be flashy, and had to stress practicality.