The Forms (kata)

The forms (aka kata in Japanese) we used are based on the ones taught by Gichin Funakoshi’s Shotokan style, which were in turn modified copies of Anko Itosu's reduced versions of the original Chinese forms. Grandmaster Lee removed the grappling techniques from these forms as he believed that holding onto your opponent forced you to give up one of your primary weapons. Instead, he used the movements as hard blocks followed by a destructive strike.  Grandmaster Son continued with Grandmaster Lee’s style and added two new forms that he created while teaching young solders. These forms, Kuk Mu I and Kuk Mu II contain many of the basic blocks and strikes and are easier to teach to transitional students such as military or police who will not be with you for many years. In his later years Gichin Funakoshi did the same thing when he created the Karate-do Nyumon, a simplified set of kata for the non-traditional karateka (student.) Grandmaster Son emphasized the concept of ending the fight with one move, block or strike, by being so strong and fast that you would break your opponants bone or disrupt internal organs to the point where they would no longer wish to fight. He did this because he was teaching military and police officers who would need the fight to end quickly and in their favor. Because of this concept our forms tend to be faster and more aggressive than their Shotokan ancestors.

Here then is a list of the forms used by the WTA, what their name means and which Shotokan kata they equate to:

Form Name	Meaning	Belt Level Taught at	Shotokan Equivalent
Kuk Mu I	National Martial Art 1	White	Taikyoku
Kuk Mu II	National Martial Art 2	White	Taikyoku
Pyong An I	Safe From Harm 1#	Yellow	Heian Shodan
Pyong An II	Safe From Harm 2	Yellow/Green	Heian Nidan
Pyong An III	Safe From Harm 3	Green	Heian Sandan
Pyong An IV	Safe From Harm 4	Purple	Heian Yondan
Pyong An V	Safe From Harm 5	Purple	Heian Godan
Chul Gi I	Iron Horse 1	Brown	Tekki Shodan
Pal Sek	Penetrating a Fortress	Brown	Bassai Dai
Sip Su *	10 Hands	Black 1st Dan	Jitte
Chul Gi II	Iron Horse 2	Black 1st Dan	Tekki Nidan
Yun Be	Flying Swallow	Black 2nd Dan	Empi
Ja On	Jion-ji Shaolin Temple	Black 3rd Dan	Jion
Ja On +	Jion-ji Shaolin Temple	Black 4th Dan	None
Silla I @	Silla Dynasty, Korea	Black 5th Dan	None
Silla II	Silla Dynasty, Korea	Black 6th Dan	None

# Some translate this as "Peaceful Mind" but the more literal translation is Safe From Harm, 
   indicating that if you know these 5 forms you will be safe from any harm.
* Pronounced Ship-soo

+ The 4^th Dan form Ja On starts off by repeating the 3^rd Dan form and then adds a few hand techniques followed by a series of several kicks. They are both called Ja On with no numbering. The karateka is expected to know which version he is to do.

@ Pronounced She-La

NOTE: Chung Do Kwan schools that developed outside of Grandmaster Son's influence use additional forms as well as some of the ones listed above, but we do not teach them here.