This is my first post, sorry if it's a repeat. Does anyone know of a site with drawings, pictures, or movies of katas found in Shaolin-Do. I'm very new to the art and I'm looking for a guideline to go by outside of class. Also, I would like to advance with an understanding as quickly as possible through the belts. I've found a few sites of descriptions of katas, but I don't understand what the statements mean and I need to see them in order to do them.

I studied Shaolin Do for three years. It was the first martial art I studied and I learned all the material up to third brown. I left Shaolin Do and haven't looked back because of the lack of kata explaination. This isn't a knock on Shaolin Do so much as how it is taught. I found the katas on whole to be very applicable to real situations, but I feel the way it is taught is often sloppy with a focus on giving more and more material with only punch/block/kick explanations.

I never knew anyone in Shaolin Do who understood the katas on more than a surface level. I think the reason for this is because there are so many katas given at once and that the emphasis is always "you have to learn these next ten kata for your belt". Like all martial art forms and katas, there is a universe of techniques from tuite (joint locking-generally small joints) to pressure point application but I get the sense that the majority if not the whole of SD practitioners do not understand them as they are more concerned with gaining more and more kata.

If you took a month to break down the very first short kata, you would be amazed at what you would find. If you have any questions feel free to ask.

Yes, this is true in most cases. However, my instructor takes the time to explain at least 3 to 4 scenarios in which to use each of the katas. I was afraid of doing Shaolin-Do because I had heard that most instructors just throw tons of katas at you and just want you to stand up and do belt tests. The first day I went to class they said, "We don't concentrate on belts. If you want to learn katas and do belt tests, great. If you don't, then we'll just teach you how to fight to protect yourself. If you want to do both, you'll be a great fighter." I chose the third option and I am very pleased with the outcome so far. My friend is taking it with me and he used to do Tae-Kwon-Do because he feared the whole "all kata, no practical use" statement as well. However, he seems to enjoy the class too.

'Shaolin-Do' ?
never heard of it...so I looked it up:
http://www.austinkungfu.com/history.asp

...interesting. is the "Do" part meant to be the Japanese meaning of "Do"?
as in Judo,karate-do,etc maybe the 'Do' part is why they wear karate uniforms yet practice a kung fu style? smells like bullshido.

Ten katas for your next belt!!!!

sniff, sniff.

Hmmmm???

No comment about a Kung Fu style that has kata?
Kata are japanese, Kung Fu is Chinese.

Just read the website history.
Very poor fiction.

I thought about that...but then didn't question it since I have no idea what this style is actually based upon. anything goes. I think I'll start a style called karafu. we'll wear kungfu uniforms and practice a linear fighting style.
Still, we have to remember that no matter how bad the style, there would be at least one person who practices it that could probably kick our asses.

I am not questioning the usefullness/effectiveness, just the history.

In that respect...I think it's out to lunch. My first instict is to call this bullshido...until I hear someone explain otherwise.