What if the original functions of the antique kata were discovered? how would this change the way Karate is practised? what if the functions of the forms were not what people assumed them to be namely self defence? what would be the place of kata and how would Karate practitioners choose to proceed and develop their art?
For the last 25 years Nathan Johnson and many members past and present of the Kodoryu Karate and Kobudo Renmei (formally Zen Shorin Do) have been engaged in researching the original functions of the antique kata (forms inherited from China). The research has been clearly documented in publications that record the ongoing process and changes in direction according to the insights and assimilation of new evidence and experiences. The results are not the guesswork of an afternoon in the dojo, they are the product of years of painstaking research and practise with constant feedback and criticism from a group of senior Karateka. This has led to a research method and set of criteria (partly laid out in previous posts in this blog) which must all be fulfilled by those continuing the decoding of other kata.
The evidence amassed is overwhelming and way beyond the scope of a blog post or a youtube video. Karate kata are physical records and need to be experienced physically, they are the primary sources and always the beginning and end of the research. We would like to invite those with an interest in the original functions of kata such as Naihanchi, Sanchin, Seisan, Kusanku to come and experience it for themselves. To assess the evidence by active participation and immersion in the functions of the forms and to then decide. We look forward to hearing from you!
Please contact us with any comments, questions or most importantly for training please email Tom Maxwell at kodoryutmaxwell@gmail.com, thanks for reading!!!
