The Kata Book

Kata
The Folk Dances of Shotokan
by
Rob Redmond

Copyright 2006 Rob Redmond.
All Rights Reserved.
Edited by Wayne Alexander
Edited by Phil Gaudette
No part of this may be reproduced for
for any purpose, commercial or non-profit,
without the express, written permission
of the author.
Listed with the US Library of Congress
US Copyright Office
Registration #TXu-1-167-868Published by digital means by
Rob Redmond
PO BOX 41
Holly Springs, GA 30142
Fourth Edition, January 2008

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In Gratitude
The Karate Widow, my beautiful and apparently endlessly patient wife – Lorna.
Thanks, Kevin Hawley, for saying, “You’re a writer, so write!”
Thanks to the man who opened my eyes to Karate other than Shotokan – Rob Alvelais.
Thanks to the wise man who named me 24Fighting Chickens and listens to me complain
– Gerald Bush.
Thanks to my training buddy – Bob Greico.
Thanks to John Cheetham, for publishing my articles in Shotokan Karate Magazine.
Thanks to Mark Groenewold, for support, encouragement, and for taking the forums off
my hands.
And also thanks to the original Secret Order of the ^v^, without whom this content
would never have beencompiled: Roberto A. Alvelais, Gerald H. Bush IV, Malcolm
Diamond, Lester Ingber, Shawn Jefferson, Peter C. Jensen, Jon Keeling, Michael
Lamertz, Sorin Lemnariu, Scott Lippacher, Roshan Mamarvar, David Manise, Rolland
Mueller, Chris Parsons, Elmar Schmeisser, Steven K. Shapiro, Bradley Webb, George
Weller, and George Winter.
And thanks to the fans of 24FC who’ve been reading my work all of theseyears and for
some reason keep coming back.
A very special 有難う御座いました for Katayama Hitoshi of Nagoya, Japan, for his many
wise teachings.

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
WARNING!
The author accepts no liability or responsibility for injuries sustained by anyone resulting
from the practice of any techniques or ideas presented in this work. This book contains
descriptions of Karate techniques which could bedangerous to apply to another person,
resulting in serious injury or death. The movements and exercises recommended in here
should not be attempted by anyone without the personal guidance of a qualified
instructor, nor should the movements or exercises be attempted by anyone who is not in
excellent physical condition and health. Performance of these exercises and movements
should not beattempted without first consulting a physician. Do not attempt to perform
any of the techniques in here if you are suffering from a heart condition, pregnancy,
injuries of any kind, any other illness, chronic or acute, or any handicap or disability
which might be affected by physical exercise and acrobatics.

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About the Author
Rob Redmond grew up in Atlanta, Georgia in the UnitedStates. From a young age he has
had an interest in the martial-arts – specifically Shotokan Karate. After studying
Japanese for a few years, Rob and his wife Lorna moved to Nagoya, Japan in 1993
without any prior arrangements, found work, and settled down for a two year stay.
After returning, Rob found work as a project manager in information technology while
attending classes at GeorgiaState University, where he eventually earned an MBA in
2000.
Combining his two hobbies of Karate and Technology together, Rob was able to create a
huge repository of Shotokan Karate information at 24FightingChickens.com, a web site
famous for a no-holds-barred approach to self-improvement and seeking out alternatives
to traditions handed down which might no longer make any sense.
Thisbook contains the collected works from 24FightingChickens.com on the topic of
kata which has been requested by so many.

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Table of Contents
Introduction.........................................................................................................8
East and West.....................................................................................................12
War...