Uechi-ryu Kata

Colin 8 of 8 · Post by **Colin 8 of 8** » Sat May 12, 2001 9:58 am

I would like to learn the Uechi-ryu kata. I know most if not all are posted on the net but I have lost my link to them. Please tell me where they are.

Colin 8 of 8

My name is Colin 8 of 8 I am very much alive and intend to stay that way.

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Sat May 12, 2001 3:24 pm

Don't know about the net, But....

There are two videotapes I know of that help: Grandmaster Uechi performs kata (forget exact title) and highlights from the 64-65 tour. The former show's master uechi doing sanchin, seisan, kanchin, and sanseiryu and is invaluable. The latter shows students doing all kata. Both available from this site. At least some of the other videos I've seen are not worth viewing, but can't comment on all.

There are kata photos and descriptions in Sensei Mattson's Uechi-Ryu Karate Do and others, including, I think, Allan Dollar's text.

I had students complain there aren't any good written kata descriptions they could find on the net and in a few books they loked in so I wrote some of my own:
http://scs.student.virginia.edu/~uechi/style.html

Of course the most important thing is having an instructor. Someone who is at least familiar with the kata who can give you some tuneups. A lot of my learning in Uechi has been selfguided with periodic checkups by Sensei Glasheen because of time and distance constraints, and that has worked out well. But the tuneups are pretty important. The writeups on my site, for instance, are supposed to help students master sequence on their own so they can get valuable pointers in class and not waste all the class time on learning the sequence. They can't substitute for class. I've seen proof of this.

Learning all the kata at once or rapidly doesn't do a lot of good either. There's a good progression from sanchin to seisan to sanseiryu that should be preserved and tackling all the bridge kata at once negates the Uechi emphasis on quality over quantity.

Good luck and have fun training!

Van Canna · Post by **Van Canna** » Sat May 12, 2001 4:09 pm

Let's not forget Allen Moulton's book _ Uechi 2000_ which is outstanding in it's pragmatism.

Buy the tapes, buy Allen's book and you are in the best position to be walked by the hand in learning the mechanics of the movements.

But in the long run , as Ian points out, without a good teacher you will be waisting your time.

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Van Canna

student · Post by **student** » Sat May 12, 2001 4:54 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Van Canna:
But in the long run , as Ian points out, without a good teacher you will be waisting your time.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

'Tis written: "All is in Sanchin."

'Tis also written "All of Sanchin is in the waist."

So, Van..."waisting your time...?

student
who may also start to learn Sanchin....

Colin 8 of 8 · Post by **Colin 8 of 8** » Sat May 12, 2001 6:35 pm

A good site Ian that I will read at length, could use some pictures though. I have seen video clips of the kata on the Internet. I live in the UK anybody know if there is a Uechi-Ryu school near me.

Can someone please give me an order in which I should learn the kata.

Thanks Colin 8 of 8

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My name is Colin 8 of 8, I am very much alive, and intend to stay that way.

Mary S · Post by **Mary S** » Sat May 12, 2001 7:35 pm

Colin the order of the Uechi Kata: Sanchin, Kanshiwa, Kanshu, Seichin, Seisan, Seirui, Kanchin, Sanseirui. I would suggest you visit the "Links" icon on the bottom of the screen and see what is listed under Uechi dojos in the UK. Fedele may be able to help you as well. I believe he has contacts in the UK. I have found that the Uechi kata tend to work as building blocks - each on leads to the next "level" with Sanchin being the base. You will find as you learn more of the kata that in fact "all is in sanchin" and leads right back to that primary kata. Enjoy!

RickLiebespach · Post by **RickLiebespach** » Mon May 14, 2001 2:21 am

Colin,
If you haven't picked up Allen Moulton's book "Uechi-Ryu 2000"... I can't recomend it highly enough! It's the best book of it's kind I've ever seen! I've posted a review of it here some place... :-)

I visited Allen's web site recently and noticed he still mentions a video he made to accompany the book....

Definately check it out!

------------------
Rick Liebespach
Green Belt (Uechi-Ryu)
(Phone # upon request)
RickLiebespach@BigFoot.com
Brandon, FL
Brandon Okinawian Karate
Joe Guidry Sensei

daveA · Post by **daveA** » Tue May 15, 2001 3:13 pm

Colin,

Duane Champoux's website has video for the first seven katas.
http://www.uechi-ryu-karate.com/

Enjoy!

dave