Peaceful Kata

The five basic kata of Shotokan karate are Heian One through Five.

They were created by Anko Itosu around the turn of the twentieth century as a means of teaching a hybrid of Okinawan karate to the masses through schools.  The meaning of these kata is often misunderstood though. Heian references a peaceful state: a place where you feel secure because you are prepared and alert.

In essence, truly understanding these five kata for all the varied applications in them is almost daunting. But with a firm understanding, and practice of these kata, and their bunkai and oyo, one's knowledge of karate is greatly enhanced.

All sorts of strike/take-down/finish combinations are found through out them.  How one mixes and matches them in real world applications is up to the practitioner.  It must be understood though that the finishing techniques found within them are brutal and lethal, so great care must be taken to practice them with fellow karate-ka.

For the balance of my outdoor training I'll be working diligently on the five Heian kata of Shotokan. Each in depth study of these kata brings forth new understanding of their applications. It should be a fulfilling next two weeks or so at the local parks.

Well, that's all for now...