Purpose of the Katas 

        The katas of Isshin-ryu and other styles are the most interesting part of each styles traditions and background. When you enter a traditional dojo, such as Master McGrath’s, the first time that you are exposed to kata, it almost appears mystical, with an aura of it’s ancient past. A complicated combination of offensive and defensive techniques, which are intrinsically different from anything that westerners are used to seeing, in any form of self defense considered American. The empty hand katas, as well as the weapons katas, are meant to be interpreted as teaching the student a means of fighting multiple opponents, assailing you from all sides. That logical assumption, rules out the performances of kata at a leisurely pace, or with distinct pauses at the end of every block, kick or blow. Television has given Americans, especially our children, an improper picture of what karate and other martial arts are or what they can accomplish. No one surrounded by two or more assailants will take a second to admire the excellence of their blocks and punches. The pressure to survive such an attack is too strong for hesitation or anything but earnest effort at top speed, with focus. Also, despite Hollywood , if you throw a round house kick to the temple of an opponent’s head, while wearing cowboy boots, you will not be required to repeat the kick three times. Hollywood creates an unrealistic view of life and in this instance, leads young people to believe that little harm is done with only one kick or punch and that is almost criminal.

        Isshin-ryu katas are to be performed at the speed that would be required to fend off multiple opponents. They must be done precisely and with focus applied at the apex of each block, strike or kick. Each kata is unique, with a wonderful historical significance and displays a purpose and an assumption of defensive philosophy of a specific ancient personage, or style. In the case of Isshin-ryu, Soke Tatsuo Shimabuku had become a Master in two major styles of Okinawan karate, Shorin-ryu and Goju-ryu, as well as what can be assumed as familiarity with  the major national arts of Okinawa, such as, Shuri-Te and Naha-Te. The manner of his assimilation of this knowledge and experience, was most probably due to empirical knowledge and a growing desire to fashion the techniques into what this studious Master must have realized was a more effective mode. He thereby removed or altered various elements of the katas in order to make them more effective in real combat, more direct, more focused, more deadly. In the 1950’s and 1960’s, because of their complexity, intrinsic beauty and speed, the Isshin-ryu katas were nicknamed, the “Dances of Death.” Not terribly pleasant, but certainly accurate and defensible, when you consider that they are only to be used in an instance where your life could be threatened.

        Mr. McGrath does not use a specific kata for a specific attack. It is more natural after many years of practice, to know all elements of the kata and to subconsciously utilize particular moves from several katas to defend against attacks. The longer you study Isshin-ryu, the more you will appreciate the katas and their flowing, logical moves. Oddly enough, the longer you study the katas, the more variations you will find and create from the very same moves that you have performed hundreds of times before. The more you practice them, the more acutely you will feel your focus develop. Unlike everything else in our lives, focus gets stronger and more effective as time passes and does not deteriorate with age. In Isshin-ryu karate there are eight empty hand katas and six weapons katas. Isshin-ryu is the only style that starts students off with Sei-San kata, used as an advanced kata in other styles. Shimabuku saw the need for Isshin-ryu students to be able to hear and see in all directions, giving them heightened awareness and the ability to fight in four directions, against multiple opponents.

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