Bo — the six-foot staff
Three bo kata: Tokumine No Kun No Dai (taught in years three and four), Urashi-bo and Bo Shishi No Kun. Students also learn bo basics 1–15 and paired bo kumite.
Isshinryu kata and rank reference
The empty-hand kata, the Okinawan weapons forms and the two technique charts that every student in our dojo learns by heart.
Kata
Eight empty-hand kata
Master Shimabuku took two kata from Goju-ryu, five from Shorin-ryu and composed one himself. Those eight forms are the backbone of Isshinryu, and of our four-year curriculum.
| Kata | Origin | What it teaches |
|---|---|---|
| Seisan | Shorin-ryu | The oldest of the Isshinryu kata and the first taught to most students; the source of our Seisan Sho / Ni / San progression in year one. |
| Seiuchin | Goju-ryu | A close-range, breathing-oriented form. Taught as Seiuchin Sho / Ni / San through years one and two. |
| Naihanchi | Shorin-ryu | A side-facing, hip-driven form that develops rooted stances and short-range power. |
| Wansu | Shorin-ryu | A dynamic form famous for its jumping throw, split into Wansu Sho / Ni / San. |
| Chinto | Shorin-ryu | A balanced, one-legged form with strong angular movement, taught across year three. |
| Kusanku | Shorin-ryu | The longest empty-hand kata, named for the Chinese official Kushanku. Taught in year four. |
| Sunsu | Composed by Tatsuo Shimabuku | The master’s own kata, completed in the final year of the elite programme. |
| Sanchin | Goju-ryu influence | A tension and breathing form; the elite year covers its basics. |
How the kata are taught here
Our children’s tracks split the longer forms into numbered sections — Seisan Sho, Seisan Ni, Seisan San, for example — so that younger students can master one quarter of a kata at a time. The full form is complete by the end of the year. See the quarterly curriculum for the exact order.
Kobudo
Okinawan weapons kata
Weapons training begins in year two of the programme with escrima sticks, and moves on to the classical Okinawan weapons from year three.
Sai — the iron truncheon
Kusanku Sai is taught in the final year, alongside Chatan Yara No Sai and Kyan No Sai. Sensei Rebecca’s championship kata work includes sai forms.
Tonfa, kama, nunchaku
Year two adds escrima stick drills, year three adds kama and nunchaku, and year four covers tonfa basics and tonfa katas.
| Kata | Weapon |
|---|---|
| Tokumine No Kun No Dai | bo (staff) |
| Urashi-bo | bo (staff) |
| Bo Shishi No Kun | bo (staff) |
| Kusanku Sai | sai |
| Chatan Yara No Sai | sai |
| Kyan No Sai | sai |
| Tuifa katas | tonfa |
Rank reference
Belt groups at a glance
Children’s classes are grouped by belt as well as by age, so students train alongside others at a similar stage.
White · Blue · Purple
Dynamic Karate Kids — the beginner ranks. Kata: Seisan and Seiuchin in sections. Self-defense: Seisan and Seiuchin sets 1–10.
Yellow · Orange
Dynamic Black-Belt Training — intermediate ranks. Kata: Naihanchi and Wansu. Adds break falls and escrima stick drills.
Green · Brown · Junior black
Masters and Elite tracks — advanced ranks. Kata: Chinto, Kusanku and Sunsu, plus bo, sai and tonfa forms.
Start with your first kata
Every black belt in this dojo started with Seisan. Thirty days of free training is enough to learn the first section.