Kihon Practice Example
Bo Kihon
BO KATA: FORMS
Ryukyu Kobudo contains several Kata or Forms for the Kon or Bo. It has the most preserved Kata of all the 8 Okinawan weapons with 22 Kata. The terms Shushi and Shuri are used interchangeably and it means Lord's as in feudal lord, depending on regional pronunciation.
The Kata are:
Shuji no Kon(Sho), Shuji no Kon(Dai), Sakugawa no Kon(Sho), Sakugawa no Kon(Dai), Soeishi no Kon(Sho), Soeishi no Kon(Dai), Sueyoshi no Kon, Urasoe no Kon, Sesoko no Kon, Kongo no Kon, Shirotaru no Kon(Sho), Shirotaru no Kon(Dai), Chatanyara no Kon, Yonekawa no Kon, Tukenbo, Shoun no Kon, Chinenshichanaka no Kon, Tsukensunakake no Kon, Sanjakubo, Kyushakubo and a few others depending on which school you affiliate with.
The history of Bo Kata dates back to the 16th century Ryukyu Islands that were divided into 3 rival regions, led by their own Kings. These kings began a war that lasted 100 years rumored to gain unified power and dominion over the trade rights with China and the profits that ensued.
Taira Shinken is notable for his work In preservation on RyuKyu Kobudo and is credited for the compilation of about 42 classical kata. He is also credited for the Maezato katas that come from his true surname.