Definetely the best Heian Kata video I know. It's refreshing to see Kata without superfast, superhectic and exaggerated movements that seem to be the norm in sports Karate. No matter what people say and what the current fashion may be, Osaka and co will remain my Kata reference.
Ohs to all the Karate practicioners in the site. The Heian Katas come from the Pinan Katas. They are actually the same but Master Funakoshi inverted the Pinan Nidan and placed it first in the Shotokan system for the simplicity of it. He called the Pinan (which is the Okinawan name) Heian, which means Pacific Mind.
In my Shotokan karate class, I use the katas and basics to practice striking, throws, takedowns, grappling, submissions etc. The Sport aspect of Karate is popular because it supplied a safe environment to test your rudimentary skill of punching or kicking. The competition may not appeal to westerners, but is a very Japanese martial art sport. "1 hit, 1 kill" This is not to say the competitors did not know how to strike, throw, takedown, grapple, submit etc. (MMA by todays standards.)
Styles or schools don't determine if they are good or better than others. What determines that are the practicioners and martial artists. For example the new Light Heavyweight Champion Lyoto Machida " The Dragon" is a black belt shotokan. No style is better, it depends on the people who practice and perfection the art.
Gwiss, you're right for most part, but there is also a significant number of old school Shotokan masters who are preserving the warriors spirit of traditional Karate. Yahara Sensei, for example, and the recent offspring of Shotokan, called Fudokan. I still regard it as Shotokan. There is other examples as well. Norihiko Iida Sensei, Kanazawa Sensei, to mention just a few. And yes, the jutsu form of Shotokan is very effective FIGHTING system. Best example: Lyoto Mashida in MMA.
Issho Benkyo, yo're right. It's very sad that they split, but at least it's a good thing that they all still call teir Karate Shotokan Karate, and they're all great masters and great instuctors. I still respect everyone of them and wherever I travel, I always go to nearest Shotokan Dojo (regardless of association) for a few training sessions. I've always been accepted and respected, and they're always eager to welcome a Shotokan friend to their Dojos.
FredGuitar89, as you start practicing they usually first teach you Taikyoku Shodan (sometimes called a pre-kata), which teaches you the basic principles of kata. Then you move up to Heian Shodan (shown here), which is your exam kata for yellow belt. For orange, belt you practice Heian Nidan & Heian Sandan, then for green belt Heian Yondan & Heian Godan plus Tekki Shodan ( not shown here), then you learn Bassai Dai, Jion and so on.
Sensei's kime is absolutely fantastic.This is kata the way it is meant to be performed, although I notice some subtle differnces to the way I was first taught. I guess you call it progress. I would love to see some bunkai performed by these guys
Thanks so much for putting this up. Master Osaka's technique is flawless. Best I've seen. Does anyone know where he is teaching or did teach? Thanks again.
For the most part, the majority of Shotokan Karate schools practice mainly sport Karate. This does not mean that Shotokan is useless, it simply means that Shotokan has become a good sect of Karate to join for sport. Shotokan, despite it's popularity as a sport, can be practiced as a Jutsu. There is one person who comes to mind when I say Jutsu and that would be Patrick McCarthy. Do some research on him and you'll find a different side of Karate.
Just to clarify Mr. Acerwk. It's very easy and safe to critizice any style or martial arts using the youtube comment posting but I bet it's very difficult for you Mr. Acerwk to go to a Shotokan school and tell that to the practicioners in there. Want to try it. Come to Master Saito school here in Miami in Coral Way and 72nd Ave, but let me know to be there with my camera and my karategi to show you what Shotokan is all about: A single hit and you are out.
That depends on the instructor. In the kata's are several defenses and counters against takedowns, low kicks, roundhouse punches and other cheap shots. About machida: machida fights all the way as a karate fighter, not as a BJJ fighter in spirit and fighting style. Oh, and shotokan karate still is in the top 3 of most effective fighting arts(Published in several magazines in the end of 2008), together with bjj and muay thai. learn before you speak.
I could name a few more, Tetsuhiko Asai (R.I.P. not to long ago) Jan Knobbel Kawasoe and there are probably loads more, the JKA is also tensing up atm to bring the hard traditional training back. acer: you're either just stupid, or choose to be blind, there is loads of VERY effective stuff on karate on youtube. 99% of what we learn in the dojo is pure effective self-defense. if you choose blind/ignorant, your choise, not worth the time to discuss over the internets.
Is it just Shotokan that, or all karate that you think is shit? Lyoto Machida isn't doing to badly with his trad. karate background. MMA fighters are now having to study trad technique to find a way to defeat him. Kind of destroys your arguments. The man fights, not the art. It is how we apply what we have learned that makes it combat effective.
This is a fallacious statement. I've used Oi Tsuki on others all the time, and it is the first throw I teach beginners. It is a very effective throw. It is the most basic throw someone can learn. Why wouldn't you use it? I don't understand what you are saying. The basic structure of Oi Tsuki is brilliant human anatomical mechanics. Pull, and Push with a rotation. Very useful. Perhaps you could be more clear.
Eterud, those are two very good examples of great Shotokan masters who are preserving the Samurai spirit of Karate. There is many others as well. And this acerwk is a miserable weakling, a perpetual wannabe, going around youtube and trying to boost his own image criticizing Shotokan masters, because he's not able to earn some respect on tatami, in fight. Don't even pay attention to loosers like this. A person who has no respect for great masters can never be a good fighter.
