There have been a few changes to the Bushi No Te Kata technique in the last 15 years, but in those cases, the kata changes reverted back to older versions.
Learning the Isshinryu system in Salisbury, Md in the mid 1970’s, the kata were not fixed pieces, but various movement variations were taught by different instructors in Mr. Lewis’ Isshinryu Karate Association. Preference was not given to one variation, rather good performance was expected in any of them.
Over the years one version or another took hold, but as time passes, other versions were re-activated for various reasons. Any changes have been included with the original kata descriptions.
As Bushi No Te Isshinryu evolved in the past 15 years, the emphasis was not to re-craft the kata, rather on the technical development of total body movement, body alignment, etc. became the focus.
Among them the developing standard of using the full crescent step each and every time.
Using the compression of the inward movement in crescent stepping (focusing on black belt execution) with 2/3’s of the movement for the compression and 1/3rd of the step for the explosion from the center. Accompany this with stronger body alignment theory and practice and continual work to use the entire body movement in each and every technique.
Thus the techniques are mostly the same, but the execution changed due to developing standards. The alignment practices came from instruction in advancing Yang Tai Chi Chaun, from Rothrock Laoshi. Changes that were utilized for advanced Bushi No Te study.
I think there’s a lesson here from our experiences. There are many variables in kata performance. You don’t have to change everything to focus on greater technique execution.
When I discovered these notes I realized they would be a valuable reference for our Senior instructors to track their current teachings against what we were looking at in 1990.
I thought it would be a very simple answer to just redo those notes. Instead it’s taken me many months, working small piece by piece. I found some errors, I had to make some additional notes to reference some of the warp of time. I found a better way to describe some movements.
I’m sure they’re not totally correct either, but they serve as a check point of our past.
Bushi No Te Isshinryu Kata
From the early 1990’s
Kata Evolution
October, 2006
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