What are some of your most helpful Training Methods?

Mike
What katas do you practice? and what is your favorite.

I also find Naihanchi to be one of my favorites. I also favor a kata called Shin Shu Ryu created by Master Lambert as well as my own personal kata I created.

Master Moran is also an expert in the Naihanchi Kata that Im sure he will tell you about.

We use shadows as well. Although it is phsycally immpossible to not make a shadow as you would have to move faster that the speed of light, we try to make our moves so fast that they do not cast a shadow. At least not to the human eye.

Kata,makiwara  training, bogo fighting , self defense the kata i practiced is The 3 naihanchi,wansu,seisan,ananku,the 5 pinan,gojushiho,gojushio ni,  niseishi,passai chinto ,kusanku sanchin  ,1hakusura  and 2 , 16  bo katas, 5 sai katas,2 kama katasand two tunfa katas and 5 two man weapon katas

smcke  i like doing all  of them  but lot time I do seisan and niseishi first thing in morning before I go to work  to get awoke and try get chi circulating

Master Lambert has taught that to me many years ago and I do believe that it is a very valuable training tool. Most likely you will not always have a live partner to train with.

Visualizing an attacker also allows you to strike at full force as compared to not wanting to hurt your practice partner.

Scott

scout can tell you that sometimes, when we start to practice two man set kata (singluar) the first one somtimes hurts him because I have to shoften my block-strikes because I go all out in kata form.
 my imaginary opponent is a 6.5 armored man, after 40 years of fight in kata with him I have to soften up quit a bit.