I agree with your philosophy of teaching/correcting one or two at most movements at a time. Most students who have too many "mistakes" pointed out to them, often feel as though they were not doing any of them right! They will not remember more than two corrections anyway. I have seen students perform a kata immediately after I had given them a correction, and not make any attempt to "fix" it.
Now what I do not agree with is: Why do you need more than the original three? What usefulness could the five bridging kata have to you?
Then you answer: I believe that the answer lies in teaching them to others. Because you are only teaching a few new movements at a time, it allows both the teacher and student to explore these techniques in greater detail, focusing on all aspects of the movement (i.e., stance, balance, control, power, etc.). Yes, you could teach just the three kata and still learn the movements. But would you really spend as much time on each individual movement? (For some, maybe so, for others, maybe not)
I believe that the katas are a way to learn different sequences of the same movements. Have you ever performed the katas in reverse (from the last movement to the first) or use the opposing limbs? This will add to your versatility in defending. What do you do if a person attacks you with a stick in the left hand (kanshiwa bunkai)instead of the right. Will you perform the same counterattack or will you do the horse stance and block with the other limbs?
I like the "bridge katas" for this reason. they show the same moves as the original three in different sequences.
I am in the process of making up my own kata. Because I am such a perfectionist (and this is not always best) I have only the first 2 sets of movements completed after 10 years of on and off again construction of it. I am always looking deeper into the kata movements to see what attacks I can defend against more efficiently.
And once again I agree with you when you state that Americans need to "slow down and smell the coffee". Another reason that we need the bridge katas is that Americans by nature need to see improvement at various stages of their learning. That is mostly why the ranking system is what is here in the "states". Also look at our school system, would you attain the same knowledge in a school sysytem where you were not "promoted" to a higher grade every year? Of course the curriculum would change, the teachers would change, the only thing not changing is your "grade" until you graduate. I think we need to feel that we accomplished something up to a point and when promoted you continue on to another point. The different katas appear to do the same for me.
Maurice-san
That makes a lot of sense and I know you are right. I have heard of the "L" and "R" misprounced by Japanese actors in Hollywood Movies.
Maybe I can post one of these someday witout editing my mistakes.
[This message has been edited by LenTesta (edited April 19, 2000).]
