Thanks for the sign of respect, but I like being called John around here.
if i were to drop the 6 pinans i teach and replace them with kajukenbo forms, which ones would you suggest that would best serve sk students?
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respectfully,
Marlon
If I'm understanding the SKK curriculum right, your Pinans are actually similar to the Okinawan/Japanese Pinans/Heians? And your numbered "katas" are similar to the Karazenpo "Pinans"?
If this is true, your "Pinans" are good training tools for teaching the basics to students at the beginning and intermediate levels. That's why variations of these katas are practiced by most of the major Okinawan and Japanese systems.
With intermediate to advanced students ,I personally don't spend a lot of time teaching katas, and just about none teaching application. I will explain what the techniques are, and point them out when they appear in various "punch counters", "grab arts" etc. But I prefer working techniques with a partner, and live training via sparring and grappling.
I do feel that katas serve a purpose in teaching beginning to intermediate students basics. And they also help improve movement, balance, and co-ordination. Those things that should be developed before any live training takes place.
The 14 Kajukenbo katas were developed in 3 phases. There were originally 8 katas. Then 9, 10, 11, and 12 were added. The last two katas were #13, and 14. Those schools who know the history of the 14 katas, know that 13 and 14 were added to be beginners forms. So they teach 14 first, and some teach 13 second. The are numbered 13 and 14 because that was the order they were added to the system.
#14 is a expansion of the drill called the "clock dance". (I know there's a lot of disagreement as to whether kenpo has Okinawan or Japanese roots. But most of the old time Hawaiians believe that it came from Okinawa, and that is why they sometimes call katas "dances", "monkey dances", etc. A whole other topic.)
I would not be comfortable telling anyone one what katas they should adopt from Kajukenbo. Or even suggesting they adopt any of our katas. But I will list the Kajukenbo katas that I would keep if I was asked to only teach 6.
Palama Set 14 is a very good beginners kata.
It teaches stepping in and out at angles (we use the numbers on the clock to denote the angle, instead of 45 degrees, 90 degrees ext. Hence "clock dance").
It teaches forward and backward stepping.
It teaches the "horse", "forward", "kneeling", and "cat" stance.
It teaches the "up", "outward", "bent wrist", and "inward" blocks. It teaches the "front snap" and "front thrust" kicks, and also the lunge punch.
Palama Set 1 is again a good beginners kata. It teaches "outward", "downward", "inward", and "X" blocks. Introduces students to "hand strikes" combined with "checks", and also "elbow" strikes.
I like
Palama Set 4 because it teaches simultaneous blocking and striking, with a emphasis on developing hand speed.
This kata is practiced in a stationary horse stance. The goal is after the sequence of techniques is learned, to do it faster and faster. With good form of course.
Palama Set 8 helps develop good kicks, balance, and strong legs. We really don't do jumping kicks in any of our self defense combinations. But practicing them in this kata, and line work helps develop leg strength and explosive speed off the line.
Palama Set 9 has some of the Chinese influence of the system. Nice usage of open hand techniques in the form of palm strikes, grabs, and chops.
Palama Set 11 (Dance of Death) is a variation of "Naihanchi Shodan", the main form taught in the Mitose and Chow schools. It is also the form performed at Kajukenbo/Hawaiian Kenpo funerals. So it has some historical significance.
