Search - Shotokan Karate Kata: Kyu Level Forms on DVD

If you want the original Shotokan kata then this is NOT for

H. Truong | Ontario, Canada | 09/17/2007

(2 out of 5 stars)

"

I bought this dvd alone with the volume 2, I was excited to see what the dvd has to offer, but my enjoyment was cutting short after the first look at the first two Katas. Heian Shodan, the rhythms of the katas and the hand adjustment are a little different; eg the fist hammer strike(Ken-Tsui) is very poorly execute without pause. Instead of 2 Kiai, there is another Kiai at the first ge-dan-barai.

2nd Kata Heian Nidan, just the first movement "palm facing palm" instead of "plate and cup", he did this with three KIAI instead of two: the extra Kiai was at chu-dan ura-ken-uchi (back-fist attack) and right yoko-geri keage (side snap kick.)

Over all the DVD itself was a very well make with great camera angle as well as the instruction are very well make. Specially the bonus bunkai of the first five Heian Katas.

I wish that by writing this review will give the buyer brief idea what you got yourself into.

This dvd is not the orginal Shotokan kata that I would like see. So if you want to buy this dvd with an open mind to except the fews changes in each kata then this is the one. Otherwise I would hightly recommand you to buy the book "25 Shoto-Kan Kata" by S. Sugiyama and his students instead.

Thank you"

I expected a little more

grounded in reality | 04/20/2008

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I purchased this video as a reference for fine-tuning my kata. The production of this video was great. They showed all 4 angles of the form, along with practical applications of the techniques. What I did not appreciate was the poor form of Mr. Flores. His motion was robotic. There was no fluidity at all. Everything was telegraphed, his stances were shoddy, his head was bobbing throughout his steps, he did not marry his hand attacks with gravity, and so on. If I was a judge at a competition, I would give him a 3 out of 10 if he was a blue belt. For a so-called "master" to give a performance like this is shameful."