Sochin Kata with a Bo

Many Shotokan Kata movements lend themselves very naturally to using the Bo or Jo. Here is an example of SOCHIN Kata with and without a Bo or Jo during a practice session filmed in 2017.

Left to right as you look at the screen, one of our dojo members and long-time student Kevin Medcalf, SKM Secretary Clare Worth (centre), and SKM webmaster & Graphic Designer, Graeme Armitage.

Practising Kata with the Bo or Jo gives a different perspective and is good coordination practice. Also, it gives the feeling that the body action generates the power with less emphasis on too much muscle tension in the arms, shoulders, chest and neck etc, which is very common with many Shotokan students.

think it’s good practice for making students relax more in their techniques and movements, because that’s how you make more power, not through tension. Ask people who ‘really’ know about power transmission, e.g. someone like Peter Consterdine!

SKM Editor.