Yudansha and Kata

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In a recent posting somewhere out there is iKarate land it was asked, “ … a style where you learn all the kata prior to or upon becoming a Yudansha?” Interesting, but that is a whole nother subject - Isshinryu seems to be one of those styles that at a minimum require one learn, superficially, the movement and patterns of all the “Open Hand Kata” to receive a black belt. There will be some argument over that one in the Isshinryu community. In this I don’t count the kobudo kata.

There in lies the rub to such a question because to gather appropriate data I would have to define the style as to all the kata within and that would include all the kobudo if for no other reason that kobudo is considered both a separate system as well as an intricate part of the empty hand systems.

Then I would have to differentiate between systems, i.e., karate vs. kobudo vs. iaido vs. judo vs. jujitsu, etc., then I would have to differentiate between systems and styles that may not even have kata. The list goes on ….

So, I would rephrase that question to, “In Okinawan karate does your system or style ask/require you learn all the kata prior to or upon becoming a Yudansha?” In Okinawan karate that would mean both open-hand and kobudo - a lot of kata. I also would assume and suspect that none of the Okinawan systems or styles require all of the kata to achieve black belt. Too many use various kata, both open and kobudo, to be required for the rankings from kyu to several levels of dan-sha. 

Then I would address the reasoning why any or all kata are a prerequisite to dan-sha in any system or style. Add in what it means to learn a kata vs. knowing a kata vs. understanding kata, i.e., where you relate that knowledge and understanding toward applications, not necessarily directly derived from but more about a holistic one where it is applied dynamically, etc.

All too often “Learning a kata” is defined more as learning the patterns. Most of the black belts I encountered in my early days only knew those patterns while things like principles along with a certain rhythm, cadence, etc., were pretty much unknown, not acknowledges and seldom taught along with the what, when, where and why of that learning. I have practiced and trained and taught for over twenty-five years and only in the last ten years of my thirty-nine years of study have I finally begun to understand kata and its purpose along with principles, etc.

In lieu of “Learning Kata” to achieve dan-sha status and recognition I would recommend using the prerequisite of knowing, understanding and applying the fundamental principles of martial disciplines as the thing to “Learn” to achieve dan-sha recognition.

Oh, then there is the whole definition and meaning of the dan-i (dan-sha) system and that one can be debated for decades and still not get to a consensus accepted by all the martial community - oh, shit, wait a minute as that debate has already gone on for about forty or more years already!

Yeah, take out the technique based model of teaching and put in a principle based model to teach martial arts, that would be a solid universal way to rate one as a black belt - all other things considered and all participants reaching a mutual consensus on those areas too. 

Ok, I know, the current model is so entrenched that the technique based teaching regimen will endure for decades to come so in lieu of trying to convert it would be beneficial and acceptable if principles based training were at least added into the current model as another part of teaching martial arts especially as it is applied to fighting, combatives and self-defense. I can dream ya-know!

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