Solo training

Can I ask...at what point in training do folks settle down with just a few? Or, do you rotate...certain katas for a few years and then others?

Just asking because I've only two years so far...and we seem to train all the ones I know equally.

I train most days for 1/2 hour or so on my own,

along with teaching once a week, training with my Sensei as often as I can (weekley is the aim, but im failing right now re time),

and often at weekends a full day either sat or sunday, teaching and oftne training with various people.

my solo training varies but consists of makiwara, bag work, kata, bo/sai/sword, chi ishi, working with my stainless Bo.

with training just once a week my students need to understand solo trainings importance, few do,

however we do ad hoc private sessions but not often enough.

when I teach im very active so get to work out a little as well.


It use dto be MUCH more intense when I was younger and had more time for it.

after you have a basic understanding of the kata that tipify your style's principles, you can move into more indepth study of the other kata that you have a "feel" for." i understand you practice kobudo, im not sure how the kata work in that system, however, im sure you have "beginer" which are designed to get you used to movement with weapons. in my style of shotokan, i would consider becoming proficient with the hiean kata before working on any of the other kata.

i hope that helps.

Private study is a little different pace. I'd say I know the 'outlines' of most of the kata...and we delve the principles that unify them in movement, intent, techniques, etc. That's kinda where my first question is coming from...as right now I look at kata as interchangable at certain junctures, and don't limit study to few at a time.

the kata i pratice the most is still heian shodan, i never "leave" a kata after i've learned a new one.

Harlan after sometime in the system you will noticed or find the katas best suited for you or what katas best fits who you are or which kata composes the best of the rest in principles and or applications. No one Kata encompasses the principle of an whole system but that is why I practice 3-4 that I've chosen. I rotate other katas when I want to explorer more, but rarely I have my favorites.

So you in essence are still practicing principle of the entire system base on your needs.

Thats what solo practice is for Me Its all about Me time. I'm trying to better myself and crictic myself in what I'm doing. Its a time to improve and creat for you those secret/private or personal techniques that work smoothly with your body type and work on the ones that you have a problem doing.

Its time to improve counters for the things you have problems defending or strengthen the weak side of your body, no need to do that in front of others they will see your weakness, unless its your teachers. Later you can work the ideas and counters devises with an full resistance opponent. Afterwards you decided which to use or store away.

Solo training is Me time.

I am blessed with a gym at my company so I can weight train each lunch hour. After I get home each evening I limber up with a few stretching exercises and do some Tai Chi, followed by some kata. On the first day I'll do all the kihon kata one time each, the second evening Saifa through Seipai, the third, Sanseiru through Superimpei. I conclude each evening with Tensho. On weekends, when I typically have more time I'll perform all thirteen kata, followed by kung li exercises.
I am fortunate to make group training every couple of months, but hope to increase that if my schedule ever slows down enough.

when I train alone, I work mostly on power generation. also some select segments of kata that I find interesting. some weight training and thats about it. it's not karate study, it's just a study of hitting hard.

Just throwing my own current views on the subject out there: one could argue that long-term solo training plays a very important role in what we do.

We all have/will go through ups and downs, plateaus and such in training, but the steadiness of solo training can hopefully act as glue to hold things together.

I personally see study of body mechanics and structure as something you can get alot out of in solo training, for me this has taken the form of standing excercises and working on striking power and my root.

My daily solo chi development exercises take 2 hours to complete.