Where can i get a good dvd on advanced kata for shotokan style karate?
Answers:
I remember Frank Brennan's series of videos being pretty good, and they cover Beginner, Intermediate, Brown Belt, Black Belt. The ones I have are on VHS tape, and are now almost 20 years old, so I don't know if they're still available.
Contact Kamae Video,
Ewart Street,
Saltney Ferry,
Chester CH4 0BL
(tel. 01244 677 534)
I also reccomend a video called 'Shotokan Kata and Kumite Techniques', of a similar age, which includes demonstrations & explanations by Andy Sherry, Terry O'Neil, Bob Poynton, Bob Rhodes, Billy Higgins and Frank Brennan (all 4th or 5th Dan at the time). Unfortunately I don't have details of the publishers.
Alternatively, try contacting the Karate Union of Great Britain.
KUGB
Po Box 3
Wirral
CH43 6XX
admin@kugb.org
ask jesus, he has everything!
Mr. Miyagi does a great kata session in Karate Kid 3. I suggest this video.
The bo and sai are two of the oldest traditional Karate weapons. On this DVD, Sensei Mike Reeves teaches you five Isshinryu Kata, three for the bo, one for the sai plus a two person bo set to practice your offense and defense skills. Each kata is filmed from the front, side, rear and overhead, so you can clearly see each movement and follow along. In addition to demonstrating from multiple angles, Sensei Reeves explains how to perform the movements and gives tips on properly handling the bo and sai.
Learn the following katas:
Tokumine-No-Kun (bo)
Urashi-Bo (bo)
Shishi-No-Kun (bo)
Bo Kumite (two person bo set)
Kusan-Ku-Sai (sai)
Whether you practice Isshinryu or want to add weapons kata to your training, this DVD is an excellent way to learn the kata of the bo and sai.
http://www.turtlepress.com/bo_and_sai_ka.
A wise man once said, go to the shops.
I got videos on my Kata's from my instructor- might I suggest he would be your first port of call.
Otherwise the internet must contain something that will be of use. Ebay, perhaps?
If your club has a founding core family (club), perhaps they can send you something..?
The Iceman.
I like what The Iceman said, and here's why:
One of the other students in my Dojo started buying tapes from the 'net, and from advertisements in the Karate magazines. He lent them to some of us.
The Sensei viewed the tapes and started pointing out parts of the kata on several tapes, which were not authentic, or which were just plain wrong. In one case, he knew the author of a particular tape, and he said that the author, who by the way, was legitimately qualified, intentionally put wrong moves into the kata on tape, so that he would know whoever claimed to have instruction directly from him, but had only seen the tapes.
This is not to say that all tapes out there are fraudulent. But how do you know which ones are good, without starting at a source that you trust? Which means that step one may be asking your Sensei.
And unless you are doing research, why would you look at tapes as opposed to receiving personal instruction? There is a reason for every move. There is a reason why, when you retract a hand in one particular kata, you retract it "palm down" instead of "palm up". And if you are into learning "bunkai", you don't receive that knowledge unless the bunkai is on the tapes.
Learning kata from tapes leaves out some of the best part of the instruction.
There are several place on line that you can order the dvd's or a catalogue with them in it:
AWMA
Century martial arts supply
Tc. Media (also martialartsmart)
all have good listings of instructional materials that will help as long as you have a background in martial arts to begin with.
The best thing you can do for him is burst his bubble. If he doesn't train hard and with resistance then he is wasting his time and your money. Learning to do kata and forms does nothing for you except give the teacher "more" stuff to teach and him more stuff to learn but doesn't actually do him any good as far as learning to fight (that is what martial arts is about).
I suggest you make sure his school does more than just teach him "kata" there are tons of black belts out there who think they can defend themselves but can't because they were given a false sense of security by thier mcdojo or school that provided crappy training.
Shotokan has a reputation for bieng the kind of style that has a large number of bs schools that only teach you forms and do compliant drills without teaching you how to apply those moves in a realistic/real situation where the opponent is not given some "pre-set" drill to follow and is giving full resistance.
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