This remarkable book gives the reader a unique insight into an amazing five-year study of a single kata (Gojushiho). It shows the depth that is waiting to be discovered by the close study of kata, covering an incredible range of subjects including: imagery the psychology of confrontation the common acts of physical violence vital points and how to exploit them the methodology for the break-down and understanding of kata

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Product Description

This remarkable book gives the reader a unique insight into an amazing five-year study of a single kata (Gojushiho). It shows the depth that is waiting to be discovered by the close study of kata, covering an incredible range of subjects including:

• imagery
• the psychology of confrontation
• the common acts of physical violence
• vital points and how to exploit them
• the methodology for the break-down and understanding of kata
• the applications of the kata
• the principles of karate and how to apply them
• the applications (in detail) for each of the movements of Gojushiho
• the major variations of each application
• objective measurements regarding their practicality
• how to link the applications together

The author also explains how to undertake your own study using a single kata of your choice, and how to build a training regime based on the kata. If you have ever wondered what kata is really all about then this book is for you.

When karate was a secret art, practiced in the back yards of Okinawa by a few dedicated masters and their disciples, it was usual to train in a single kata for many years. A master of karate would know just one, two or possibly three kata. Through the deep study of those few kata the master karateka would posses a complete self-defence system, he would be well versed in the underlying principles of karate and he would have a memory aid which would map out his complete training regime. Over the last century the practice of a single kata has disappeared from karate practice. The deep understanding of a few kata has been replaced by the superficial understanding of many. This book shows you in great detail how to recover that understanding and how to put kata back at the heart of karate.

"Without question this book adds to the body of knowledge in the study of karate" - Rick Clark

"I am convinced that Five Years, One Kata may very well be the best book on kata I have ever read" - Patrick McCarthy

"No martial artist serious about gaining a true understanding of kata should miss this work" - Vince Morris

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #363395 in Books
• Published on: 2003-03-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 336 pages

From the Author
I am delighted that my work of the last six years has been published. I sincerely hope that readers will benefit from my unique study of a single kata.

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Customer Reviews

Excellent example of what understanding kata actually means
An excellent read for anyone interested in the self defence application of kata. What impressed me most was how carefully Bill Burgar had thought through the requirements for one kata to be a complete self defence system - each bunkai for a move had to fit into a set of constraints for how the moves as a whole would work together. I have not seen such a well thought out breakdown of kata meaning.

Clear applications and a systematic approach

The applications are clearly presented and easy to follow and represent a remarkable study into a single kata in far more depth than I have seen anywhere else.

Where this book really scores for me is the way Bill makes his kata study systematic. The first 100 pages or so are a very detailed explanation of how to approach a single kata study (i.e.there should be one trained response to every habitual act of violence to prevent a 'log jam' of techniques when it really kicks off). I had never heard of this kind of approach before, but it seemed so obvious once it had been explained.

All in all, I could not recomend this book highly enough, a must for every serious karateka.

An amazing undertaking
To take five years and devote them to the complete study of one kata is a remarkable thing to do. Bill Burgar has taken the kata Gojushiho and used it to develop a complete martial approach.

He includes in his book details of the history of the kata, of habitual acts of violence, vital point striking information and much much more.

This is an excellent book for the intermediate or experienced martial artist and even a novice will find much of value.