Tachi no Kata was taught this year. Shihan Flynn and his Students do this kata so gracefully. I unfortunately still notice that my sanchin back leg is not pointing toward my forward leg's big toe. Now I could blame this on my back leg and back problem, but since this issue is most likely here to stay with me, I will need to learn to adapt. I also notice that my forward leg's heal in Kokutsu dachi is very high. I am sure we can find many other problems.....
I had to cut the Tachi no Kata in half. We would turn and repeat the sequence of the dachi in reverse order back all the way back to hesokudachi. Shihan Quinn talks about this tachi kata in the back of "The Budo Karate of Mas Oyama. As I was learning this kata, I was thinking of the dachi drills that you gave me, and wondering if they came from this tachi no kata? I enjoy working on this with the new students, we have been working on it for about two weeks now. Hoping that they began to see the relationship of each dachi to the next dachi. Wonder what you think?? A few more thousand times and maybe I will get better dachi...(^^)
Good evening Tony.
ReplyDeleteI never learned the stances in Kata form. (^^) The sequence of heisoku-musubi-heiko-uchihachiji-hachiji- is the same as the drill we use. Ours go to shikodachi to top off. It is basically a drill for beginners to expose them to the various stances.
I have not seen this at Shihan Lowe's Dojo as of yet either. The Kata emphasis there is on Happokuzushi or also known in some circles as the "clock kata" along with Tekki, Heian and Bassai. Perhaps it is the composition of the students. mostly lower kyus including white belts such as myself. Although several yudanshas are always present, I have yet to see the "higher" katas such as Saifa, Seiunchin, Garyu, Kanku, Suishiho being done there. Emphasis is on kihon. Jiyu Kumite is non existent. Shihan Lowe showed up to observe two weeks ago (Yachi attended, I was absent). According to Yachi, he has lost more weight. But his spirit is strong as ever! OSU!