Notes on Chosen Chibana’s Karate

Notes on Chosen Chiniba’s Karate – ‘A Karate Odessey’

Fron an interview with Sensei Pat Nakata in ‘Classical Fighting Arts’ vol 2 No 14 Issue #37.

Kihon keiko would be called by one of the senior about once a month and not on a scheduled basis.  Chibana Sensei taught that each movement of a kata was a kihon waza and kata was fighting training.

Chibana Sensei’s main element of training was kata. Chibana Sensei did the counting of each kata and would correct each move as needed. He would focus on:
 

            Koshi (hip)

            Hara (abdomen)

            Stance

            Foot positioning

            Breathing

            Hand or arm position

            Kime (focus of technique)

            Etc.
 

Depending on what he felt would improve the student at that time.

Chibana Sensei was concerned  with form (posture and stance) and physical positions when you were learning the kata.

Once you learned the movements Chibana Sensei would teach you the application of each movement for the kata.

Chibana Sensei taught there were at least three interpretations per movement. Chibana Sensei also taught that there were meanings or applications when you moved from one technique to another. He corrected the transition and intermediate moves.

Chibana Sensei taught that there were three levels of teaching in the kata, especially the Pinan kata.

The three levels for the Pinan kata were as follows:
 

1.      The first level which was for elementary and intermediate school students, was basic punch, kick, strike and block.

2.      The second level for high school students with more dangerous interpretations.

3.      The third level went into very viscous applications and was reserved for older students.