One Kata - Many Strategies.

Goju Ryu Karate has twelve Kata, Traditionally, while many schools have twenty plus Kata, Traditionally, some have more, some have less, yet in actuality, they all have only one and none at the same time.

None in the fact that no Kata actually exist, one in the fact that all things spring from the central principles of movement and all variations on these principles constitute the various forms in which it now takes according to differing strategies. 

The problem is that most 'styles' are thrown together with various Kata, a hodge-podge of things to which no real mind is paid as people collect these in order to test for the next belt rank. 

There is no thought given to progression, no thought given to how these fit together, why one comes after the other, mainly because no connections are made, no thought is given to progression at all, they serve no real purpose. 

It doesn't matter who claims to have the 'one true way' of doing things, who claims to be 'in the know' as it were, since they are following the same formula as everyone else, paying no real mind to anything, teaching exactly the same way as everyone else. 

What you find in an 'underground' and 'off the path' Dojo in New York City is the same thing you will find in a Commercialized Strip Mall Dojo, the same formula, maybe a few extra drills, maybe some more in-depth warm-up exercises, but otherwise the exact same thing. 

There is no real inkling of depth or progression there, no idea what is what and how 'this' fits with or leads to 'that.'

The same stop-and-go bullshit in every case, the same 'ichi-ni-san' moving to the count, the same punch-and-block-and-kick crap in every instance. 

There is not much more that can be said in that regard. Most claim what they claim, say what they say, in order to promote whatever it is they do that they claim is different or more complete. 

There is quite a bit of negativity within the community we all share due to a lack of understanding and a need to self-promote, whether for business or sheer ego, it is what it is.