Aiki Arts Center instructor Alan Hodges Sensei demonstrates our third jo kata, with Azzia Walker Sensei joining to show how the kata looks when practiced with a partner.
We practice three different jo kata in our dojo; you can see the first one here and the second one here.
When Jo Kata 1 and Jo Kata 2 are practiced with one or more partners, there’s one person performing the kata and the partners are playing the role of attackers whose attacks are thwarted by the moves of the kata.
Jo Kata 3 is different, because both partners are performing the moves of the kata, in a continuous cycle. There are no distinct attacker or defender roles, and no specific endpoint; the practice can continue in a loop for as long as both partners can maintain their flow and focus. This form of weapons practice is called an awase.
Video directed, filmed, and edited by Steve Tomich Sensei.