Kata Recommendations

Hey all, asking for basically exactly what the title implies
I wanna start incorporating katas into my daily workouts, particularly anything from aikido or karate. Sword katas would be cool too Do you guys know any particular ones that would be easily done by a relative beginner?
Just shooting a name off is fine, linking to a video would be even better
I realize this could be easily googled, but I'd just rather get some direct input from a human being before becoming immersed in the darkness of internet research :yeleyes:

 

Any reason why?

All they are is just movements in the air - pick a few techniques and do it for 5 minutes or so and you will get the same workout benefits...or shadowbox/shadow "slice" of course

 

Why do you feel learning Kata will be of benefit to your training as a standalone without practicing any given martial art as a whole?

I don't see the point in learning Kata without context and as a beginner, if able you would be better off learning these by attending a Karate or Aikido school.

Either way hope you find what you're looking for.

 

For one I think I may be able to expand my vocabulary of techniques and general combat movements by getting the specific muscle memory down, then implementing what I've taken from them in a more realistic, less structured fashion. I already practice my basics and shadowboxing but I'd just like something a little more formal.
Second, and bare with me on this one , guided movements are great for visualizing chi movement in a directed fashion. If I could get some forms down to the point where I could do them without thinking, I could then entirely focus on internal mechanics.

 

Also I'm broke at the moment and can't pay for any classes!

 

I would advise strongly against it then as you will have absolutely no-one correcting your form

Kata are essentially a catalouge of techniques peculiar to a style - you will not get much benefit by simply "going through the motions". If you can't get your "feel" shadowboxing, kata offers you nothing

 

I intend to study them pretty hard from as many angles as possible Despite being a beginner of sorts I do my studies with gusto, if I may toot my own horn

 

Kata Dante?

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxDXMH4N74w"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxDXMH4N74w[/ame]

 

You don't need forms. All you need is drills. Drills can be as simple as:

- hook punch, back fist, upper cut,
- front kick, round house kick, side kick,
- groin kick, face punch,
- elbow lock, shoulder lock,
- hip throw, inner hook,
- ...

You can repeat each drill as many times as you want, or link all your drills together as a form and repeat.

 

But you are still not gaining it from a source...so you will probably be enthusiastically doing them wrong

Kata is way overrated IMHO anyway, but if you ARE going to do it you need to do it properly and without instruction you simply won't be

 

That's all very well, but as has already been pointed out, with no one to correct you you won't be doing correct kata, so you might as well just make up some random movements yourself.

 

VERY NICE! Thank you sir :hat:

 

Haha no sweat

 

Sweet Odin's beard do NOT do that kata....Mike was pulling your leg!

 

I do understand what you guys are saying, but whether my movements are slightly off or not, I don't see the harm that would come from expanding one's repertoire in any fashion. I don't think I'm going to reproduce anything so horribly that it's completely ineffectual

 

What was wrong with it other than being really brief/speedily done?

 

Naihanchi. Then learn the bunkai that goes with it. There's some good stuff out there to do with that kata.
And you don't need much space to do it.

 

Google "Kata Dante"