Hi,
did you know that there are some excellent martial arts learning materials to be found on Youtube (http://www.youtube.com)?
If you want to se and/or learn certain Katas, just type in the name (e.g. Heian Yondan) and a whole list will come up.
I would recommend the ones executed by Luca Valdesi (Sicilian Sensei and Italian and European champion Shotokan Karate).
Luca Valdesi shows the full Kata, the same slowly, he also breaks the Kata down and finally shows the Bunkai (Applications) of the movements.
But also other Katas and other styles than Shotokan can be seen.
For example, if you type in "Nunchaku" or "Sai" or the likes, you will come across films with whole demonstrations about the use of those weapons, often including whole Katas from A to Z.
So, anyone looking for learning materials, go and have a look and type in what you are looking for.
The search facility is brilliant too, some simple words will get you whole relevant lists.
And, if anyone knows of other places like this, or finds similar resources on Youtube, please post them here.
Regards,
Mr. Dee.

 

 

 

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Kata (japanese) = Forms (English) = Patterns (English) = Hyung (Korean) = Taolu (Chinese)

If I may, I'd like to add the slight disclaimer that if you don't have basic training in martial arts, it is near impossible to learn from a video of someone just performing the form, unless it's really basic. What Mr Dee has for Shotokan Karate is nice, but I haven't been able to find a resource like that for any of the arts I've studied. (But if that's what you study, by all means, go for it. Learn the moves in order on your own time and concentrate on getting them right and with good technique while in class.)

After taking a few years off of training, I used videos I searched on youtube to jog my memory and relearn a few of my forms, in the sense of "oh yea, that's what comes after that block." It was very helpful, but I wouldn't use anything I managed to find as the sole method of instruction.

Basically, there's a right and wrong way to use this resource.

Cheers.

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Obviously there are rights and wrongs to learning from videos, if you rely on them exclusively, you become a "parrot", just copying what you see.
But it does have some advantages in jogging memory, and picking up your sequence (again).
Obviously, you still have to practice your kata's yourself, as the muscular memory plays an important part in them, but this can nevertheless be a useful aid.

I don't know about the thing you say about forms and kata's for other styles, as I do Shotokan karate, that is obviously what I have looked for, but I was under the impression there are resources available for Tai Chi forms and the like.

Also, the Shotokan Karate Kata's i look for, I want them to be complete, including Bunkai, so that they give you an insight of What they can be used for.

But obviously, a video can never be a replacement for personal training and regular training with your sensei.

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I’m glad we agree on that.

The fact that I haven’t found any really good resources for the style I practice could have nothing to do with whether or not they exist and everything to do with my inability to find them.

It’s great that yours gives you applications. I’ve only found one video explaining the application of an unusual double block to uppercut combo. There’s actually a grab in there with the one hand that you don’t do when performing it. Or maybe they just didn’t teach us, because some kids in class were too young to understand. That was years ago. I think I'll ask next time.

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It might be a good idea if you (on YouTube for example) typed "Bunkai" in the search bar.
Bunkai is the Japanese word for applications of certain moves, as practiced in Kata's.

Eg. like the ones (Katas) on YouTube, performed by Luca Valdesi, usually have it in the title, it usually looks like "Heian Shodan, including Bunkai".

So, have a go, try to enter that word into the search box and see what happens.

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These are all some great tips. Now that I've actually looked, YouTube dose have a wealth of information in this subject. Thanks for the heads up.

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You are more than welcome, Malraza, and if you require further help, please do not hesitate to post.
We also have a set of DVDs, which we can buy at our club, one with all the Kata's from beginning up to black belt, one with Kihon (the basics), also beginning up to black belt, and two with Kumite (sparring), once again, all the sets needed to go from the beginning to black belt.
I must admit they are a very useful aid, but they are obviously not going to do your training for you.

The other advantage is, unlike on YouTube, that everything is performed by the chief instructor at our organisation, assisted by some of his top black belts, and that obviously shows you everything the way he wants it to be done when he judges you at your grading exams. (Whatever you find on YouTube mostly comes from different clubs, and although they are from the same style (Shotokan), there are bound to be slight differences and variations).

Obviously, when being examined by someone, it is best to execute evrything as close as you can to the way he does it, or you might get the comment "That is not how you were taught this, is it?"

But anyway, nothing will replace your training and your Sensei's guidance, but the Internet is still full of wonderful resources.

 

 

 

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