Karate is a martial art not a ballet dance. Kata is an important integral part of advancing in training, each having specific reactions to teach. Only committed practice can establish "muscle memory", conditioning specific reactions to various situations without having to think it through..
Some may view training as a shell, but you should spend years at the black belt rank before fully understanding all that is to be learned. If you make black belt in a year or so, its BS - change styles!!
THIS IS NOT KARATE! A warning from a JKA life member: I spent a long time training and teaching this activity. Because of many contradictions I saw and heard, I began a study of karate from it’s beginning; what it really is, why it was developed, how it was taught, what it’s general syllabus was. The JKA is a shell, they have eliminated much of original karate and have invalidated it as a martial art. Read comments my site, the truth is obvious through study if you are willing to see it.
@blueswailing is he been doing karate?and what?is he grandshitmaster?karate is not art anymore 20 years ago people understund this is bulshit gymnastic..
kata or form is part of karate training. you have to master it to earn your blackbelt! what i was saying(keyword) - it's useless in a real world fight!
you guys do not understand nothing you thing your good but this old man know more than you the karate have so many years so the katas can change a litlle don.t you think?
So stop saying how he have the black belt or he was full of mistakes, because this martial art was been invented by people of chine like him and he he is old he can not have pratice
vfranad my oppion ive done JKA since i was 7 and obtain my 1st dan when i was 9 now i could preform kata better than kumite it wasn't until i understood kata bunkai that i have become a better fighter im saying kata has meaning which alot of people lack until u learn kata you will never gain ur highest potential in kumite weather that comps or street self defence....please study kata and each indivisal move u knowledge of becoming a better fighter lies in the hand of kata
my key word is "useless in a real world fight " confrontation. of course, nobody earned their blackbelts without mastering their katas or what they call it "forms" in the western world. more power for you!
@vfranad Your key words are said out of ignorance. When Funakoshi turned karate into physical education for the Japanese government and the JKA turned kumite into sport for fun and profit, kata as self-defense was ignored..
The JKA and the Okinawan styles do nearly all the same kata. Okinawan training has taught self defense from kata all along. Many JKA people are going back to that kind of instruction using modern karate technique. Your words simply show how little you know about this.
@ptboyindenver: i'm asian & i should know better, right? of course, i have a blackbelt and "kata" or forms is a must to earn your BB with 4-5yrs(or more) of training. It's just my own opinion! My own kids are taking conventional martial arts but something they could use in a real world situation - like Gracie-style jujitsu(20 yrs to earn a BB, no kata either), Thai Muay thai(kata is minimize) & Krav-maga(Israeli Martial arts). Did you ever watch MMA? I didn't see any karate/TKD winning a fight!
@vfranad traditional martial arts only for money busines..japanese making money selling belts..it is not art it is bulshit..noithing better then kudo karate muay thai sambo brazilian jui jutsu..
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
Who cares when he was born ?
Is it any explanation of his perfomance?
he made it bad that's my opinion, maby I prefer some more dynamic and faster performance of katas, and don't even mentioned about no-power katas as Valdesi does. But sorry, Tanaka's yoko geris were awful and that's the point.
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
Someone kidding me?
How he can be a black belt ? Sorry, it was full of mistakes. The most was all yoko - geri's. It should be on Jodan ! That's what makes this kata so difficult to learn. Moreover, some moves were without the correct tempo. Sorry, but it was really bad performance.
First there's the opinion that the yoko-geri's should be jodan. Some think so and that's fine, but I personally have been taught chudan. The applications I have in mind make more sense that way
Regarding, 'kicks look bad': Tanaka's kicks are fairly compact and forceful, but not pretty; I learn effectiveness & intent from him. A pretty kata w/ graceful techniques can improve balance and motor skills, but this guy is more in line with "imagine your opponents and whoop them."
Mr Tanaka does not care what anybody thinks of his kata. He is a fighter - one of the best ever. This was an official JKA instructional video, made in the 80's, so something must be right about doing the kata this way.
Pronchik is right - his technique is made to hurt people, not look pretty. It is compact, direct, powerful and efficient. Any excess motion that would slow him in reaching his target has been drilled out of it. He's a pit bull, not a poodle.
i have a blackbelt in traditional japanese karate and i don't see any benefits of "kata" in real world fight! Note: if you want to learn self-defense(and offense) that;s effective and proven in actual fight - consider Israel's krav-maga!
Then you do not understand what you are doing in kata. In my opinion, Krav Maga is essentially what karate was a couple of hundred years ago, before being codified and civilized by turning it into a physical education curriculum. The old nasty, dangerous and effective stuff is still there in kata, you just don't know where to look.
It's a matter of stance length really. Well one of the issues. I am aproximately 6'4 (ish) At the minimum my stance should be about one meter. If the kata requires more than two movements backward or forward which most do then you (at least myself) would not be constantly out of the octagon.
@ShowYourWorking It was the old-time Karate masters vomiting in their graves that caused the earthquake in Japan.
Kwimalo 7 months ago
Karate is a martial art not a ballet dance. Kata is an important integral part of advancing in training, each having specific reactions to teach. Only committed practice can establish "muscle memory", conditioning specific reactions to various situations without having to think it through..
Some may view training as a shell, but you should spend years at the black belt rank before fully understanding all that is to be learned. If you make black belt in a year or so, its BS - change styles!!
koufaxrules 1 year ago
THIS IS NOT KARATE! A warning from a JKA life member: I spent a long time training and teaching this activity. Because of many contradictions I saw and heard, I began a study of karate from it’s beginning; what it really is, why it was developed, how it was taught, what it’s general syllabus was. The JKA is a shell, they have eliminated much of original karate and have invalidated it as a martial art. Read comments my site, the truth is obvious through study if you are willing to see it.
IEKUKATAKA 1 year ago 2
@blueswailing is he been doing karate?and what?is he grandshitmaster?karate is not art anymore 20 years ago people understund this is bulshit gymnastic..
bushidoartss 1 year ago
gotta try this :)
loolooface 1 year ago
I wonder how Tanaka was ever talked into doing a Kata. Not exactly his favorite pastime.
brickshooter 1 year ago
best of the best. jka. oss. bow.
fredkarat 1 year ago
whi is sensei tanka his not that good but he needs power and sound it have tohave a sound is so bad if is no sound on it thanks for it
MeenaImran 1 year ago
This kata is a really good one and i think the guy who done this is very good
13hollz13 1 year ago
kata or form is part of karate training. you have to master it to earn your blackbelt! what i was saying(keyword) - it's useless in a real world fight!
vfranad 2 years ago
oh and the omoplats must be almost touching each other so the shoulders must be more arched on the back
comsalx 2 years ago
keep youre back STRAIGHT espacialy neck
comsalx 2 years ago
ah thank goodness I found Gankaku here. Helped me learn for my next class :)
JTeamjesters 2 years ago
when that guy started karate jodan kicks wern't allowed its only like the last 10 yrs that you were allowed to go jodan before it was anly chudan so
PsikusekWilly dont talk like u no everythin cos you dont
lemon11ify 2 years ago 2
you guys do not understand nothing you thing your good but this old man know more than you the karate have so many years so the katas can change a litlle don.t you think?
So stop saying how he have the black belt or he was full of mistakes, because this martial art was been invented by people of chine like him and he he is old he can not have pratice
fabim06 2 years ago
vfranad my oppion ive done JKA since i was 7 and obtain my 1st dan when i was 9 now i could preform kata better than kumite it wasn't until i understood kata bunkai that i have become a better fighter im saying kata has meaning which alot of people lack until u learn kata you will never gain ur highest potential in kumite weather that comps or street self defence....please study kata and each indivisal move u knowledge of becoming a better fighter lies in the hand of kata
APTONKIN 2 years ago
my key word is "useless in a real world fight " confrontation. of course, nobody earned their blackbelts without mastering their katas or what they call it "forms" in the western world. more power for you!
vfranad 2 years ago
@vfranad Your key words are said out of ignorance. When Funakoshi turned karate into physical education for the Japanese government and the JKA turned kumite into sport for fun and profit, kata as self-defense was ignored..
The JKA and the Okinawan styles do nearly all the same kata. Okinawan training has taught self defense from kata all along. Many JKA people are going back to that kind of instruction using modern karate technique. Your words simply show how little you know about this.
ptboyindenver 1 year ago
@ptboyindenver: i'm asian & i should know better, right? of course, i have a blackbelt and "kata" or forms is a must to earn your BB with 4-5yrs(or more) of training. It's just my own opinion! My own kids are taking conventional martial arts but something they could use in a real world situation - like Gracie-style jujitsu(20 yrs to earn a BB, no kata either), Thai Muay thai(kata is minimize) & Krav-maga(Israeli Martial arts). Did you ever watch MMA? I didn't see any karate/TKD winning a fight!
vfranad 1 year ago
@vfranad traditional martial arts only for money busines..japanese making money selling belts..it is not art it is bulshit..noithing better then kudo karate muay thai sambo brazilian jui jutsu..
bushidoartss 1 year ago
@bushidoartss: you got that right, my friend!
vfranad 1 year ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Who cares when he was born ?
Is it any explanation of his perfomance?
he made it bad that's my opinion, maby I prefer some more dynamic and faster performance of katas, and don't even mentioned about no-power katas as Valdesi does. But sorry, Tanaka's yoko geris were awful and that's the point.
Thus, keep your ridiculoulus mouth closed.
PsikusekWilly 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Someone kidding me?
How he can be a black belt ? Sorry, it was full of mistakes. The most was all yoko - geri's. It should be on Jodan ! That's what makes this kata so difficult to learn. Moreover, some moves were without the correct tempo. Sorry, but it was really bad performance.
PsikusekWilly 2 years ago
First there's the opinion that the yoko-geri's should be jodan. Some think so and that's fine, but I personally have been taught chudan. The applications I have in mind make more sense that way
Regarding, 'kicks look bad': Tanaka's kicks are fairly compact and forceful, but not pretty; I learn effectiveness & intent from him. A pretty kata w/ graceful techniques can improve balance and motor skills, but this guy is more in line with "imagine your opponents and whoop them."
pronchik 2 years ago 2
So, because a "yoko-geri" should be at jodan-level, he shouldn't be a black belt?
Also, this kata was obviously broken down for education purposes.
deiuos 2 years ago
Mr Tanaka does not care what anybody thinks of his kata. He is a fighter - one of the best ever. This was an official JKA instructional video, made in the 80's, so something must be right about doing the kata this way.
Pronchik is right - his technique is made to hurt people, not look pretty. It is compact, direct, powerful and efficient. Any excess motion that would slow him in reaching his target has been drilled out of it. He's a pit bull, not a poodle.
ptboyindenver 2 years ago 4
@ptboyindenver
you love him
ChristopherMonti 1 year ago
i have a blackbelt in traditional japanese karate and i don't see any benefits of "kata" in real world fight! Note: if you want to learn self-defense(and offense) that;s effective and proven in actual fight - consider Israel's krav-maga!
vfranad 2 years ago
Then you do not understand what you are doing in kata. In my opinion, Krav Maga is essentially what karate was a couple of hundred years ago, before being codified and civilized by turning it into a physical education curriculum. The old nasty, dangerous and effective stuff is still there in kata, you just don't know where to look.
ptboyindenver 2 years ago 2
Why don't you post a video of you doing Gankaku and let us be the judge...it is easy to look at at some else's kata and be critical....
samsiufan 3 years ago 3
on my previous post I said "would not be constantly out of the octagon". That was a typo, the "not" was not suposed to be there.
chimchim22 4 years ago
why can't a kata take place entirely within the confines of an octagon whose length and width is aproximate to a person's height?
stardingo747 4 years ago
It's a matter of stance length really. Well one of the issues. I am aproximately 6'4 (ish) At the minimum my stance should be about one meter. If the kata requires more than two movements backward or forward which most do then you (at least myself) would not be constantly out of the octagon.
chimchim22 4 years ago
Like in Heian Shodan, there are sequences where you take three steps forwards. It would be difficult to maintain the octagon.
But you're still supposed to start and finish in the same place. I do when I do Heian Shodan and Heian Nidan, but not Heian Sondan (yet).
elhalfling 4 years ago
yeah, I finish in the same area, not EXACTLY the same spot, but in the acceptable are.
chimchim22 4 years ago
Tanaka Sensei
risborg 5 years ago