So What Is Kata And Why Do It...?

Ok, there have been a few threads on this topic and a lot of debate. Sadly most of that debate results from a fundamental lack of knowledge concerning what kata is and isn't. In an effort to get us all on the same page I will attempt to explain it in and cover all the bases without writing a book in the process.

First off kata is NOT what you see done on cable TV by guys with Paul Mitchell written on the backs of their uniforms. At best that stuff is a gymnastic routine done to disco and not only should it never be done they should issue licenses to hunt and kill those people as they give martial arts and kata a bad name.

So what is it?

Well almost without exception it is nothing more than the main skills and techniques of a given style organized into a pattern that can be taught and passed on to students. You should think of kata as a syllabus of a style where all the important teachings are included. This way a student can practice the form rather than just drill techniques at random.

So why not just practice the techniques of the style?

Well in the past these techniques were "secret" and at times the practice of them was often forbidden completely. So it was this air of secrecy that was the primary reason for kata. If two students simply began practicing their art in view of others the nature and application of their style would be obvious to the trained observer and any advantage of their advanced or unusual style would be lost. But one can practice a solo form without the applications being as obvious especially if the applications were deliberately concealed as was often the case.

So this idea of putting the key techniques into a logical sequence resulting in a form or pattern that can be taught to students, would serve as a basis for standardization of instruction and at the same times protects the secret nature of the techniques of the style began in China with the earliest martial arts. As all asian martial arts originated in China this idea of forms was exported to other countries with the fighting styles.

Also kata can be broken down into 2 basic categories.

Training kata and fighting kata.

Training kata (such as Naihanchi and Sanchin) don't necessarily contain fighting skills so much as basic movements that are critical to the style. They are more conditioning and instruction of movement than super secret fighting techniques.

Fighting kata (such as Wansu and Patsai) are forms which contain the primary fighting techniques within a specific style or method. These are the skills that were primarily sought when one wanted instruction in the fighting arts.

So should a martial artists still do kata?

Now that the martial arts are no longer secret or illegal the answer quite honestly can be "no."

In fact if one practices eclectic/mixed or any other modern martial art they probably shouldn't. Also there is absolutely NO NEED for the creation of any "new" kata. People who practice any modern martial art can simply practice the specific techniques of their given style in the open with or without a partner. Very few modern teachers have no business creating "new" kata as most do not have skills so revolutionary they require a kata for posterity and most only do so for sake of ego.

The ONLY people who should practice kata at all are those students who practice original (or orthodox) styles of traditional martial arts.

Now it is absolutely true that they "could" abandon kata and simply pracice the once secret techniques in the open with or without a partner as was once certainly done prior to the creation of those kata.

However many feel that those kata are the "Heart of Karate" and to remove or ignore them would be to destroy the style. And while I don't feel that is completely true, I do think they should be practiced for their cultural value and historic place in the teachings of those styles.

And more importantly "Why not practice them?" They have served their purpose for centuries and aren't exactly broken. They still contain the primary skills of the system on a logical format for instruction.

Now one thing is often overlooked and that is "how" kata is correctly done. Contrary to common misconception it is not just a long self defense technique with imaginary opponents who attack you "correctly" while waiting their turn and it is not simply a "routine" that a student "does" like in gymnastics. And it is also NOT simply an exercise in aesthetics. While many people in fact perform kata in just such a way (often as nothing more than a vehicle for Zen) it is not correct if practicing original martial arts.

And here is where I must make another distinction between pre Meiji (Jutsu based) and post Meiji (Do based) kata and martial arts. If a student is practicing a "traditonal modern" (how's that for a oxymoron?) martial art such as the Karate Do styles in Japan of the 1920-30s then the above is acceptable as many kata were modified to be little more than "Moving Zen." But if a student is practicing the more original "martial" forms of Okinawa and China then it is unacceptable as a means of training for actual combat.

To do kata correctly (in it's original combative form) the practice becomes "something" like organized shadow boxing in that the techniques are done with realistic application in mind. One does have opponents at all times and one "lives" the kata. Rather than simply walk through a prearranged set of movements from beginning to end one has the constant mental image of numerous assailants and the student executes the techniques of the kata with the same seriousness and intent as if the attackers were actually there.

When done correctly kata will leave you physically and mentally exhausted.

Also it is important to understand that kata is only "part" of traditional martial arts. Only in times of utmost secrecy (when banned or illegal) was kata the primary means of instruction and practice. And this was only for the sake of practicality given the circumstances. Ideally kata is preceded by kihon (fundamentals and basics) and supplemented by makiwara (and other striking targets such as heavy bags for modern practitioners) and various methods of sparring (one step, two step and freestyle).

I could easily write more but I don't want to overburden an already lengthy post and I feel this covers most of the important points so that people who practice modern martial arts can at least understand and appreciate what it actually is and why it is still done.

If anyone still has questions or wishes for me to elaborate on specific points I will do my best.

 

Nice post I've been on the 'pro-kata' side of many of these coversations / debates / (all-out wars) :woo: The threads are fun while they last, but if people have a mind set dead-against forms of any kind then it's an uphill struggle.

It's over a year since I trained (many reasons), but I can still run through the hyungs helped by 'physical memory' and remember the discussions of the applications of the parts prompted by the moves.

Your split between the training and fighting kata is interesting. I don't know the 'higher' forms, but I do know Passai and Nihanchi which you refer to and I didn't think there was any LESS directly applicable moves in Nihanchi (I've always thought that this was quite a vicious form).

Thanks for your thoughts - we'll see what happens from here.

Tang Soo

 

Kihon...Ki Ken Tai Ichi

The proper execution of martial arts techniques depend upon the use of Ki Ken Tai Ichi. This means that the Ki (fighting spirit, intention NO mystical conotations) the Ken (pragmatic technique) and the Tai (balance timing and positioning of the body) must be integrated to such a degree that an explosive ,acurate and powerful technique is the result.

This is the reason behind Kihon. EVERY technique must be applied in this manner with full concentration, power and intent.The result of this training is a powerful and flexible body and confident decisive spirit.

Should you watch a kendo match often you shall see both strike at the same time and yet only one may get the "decisive " strike. Judges shall discount any strike that lands but has not been delivered using ki ken tai ichi (ichi meaning as one).In western swordsmanship these are known as master cuts.

It is important that these principles are understood before moving on to Awase training with a partner.

Counter to what many may think kata are NOT written in stone many have kaeshe waza alternate techniques that may be used at a higher level of understanding.

Below this would be considered a proper technique because it is obvious that David has used ki ken tai ichi to execute it.This has been possible because of his initial study of kihon rather than "break" his kamae (posture) and attack recklessly he has maintained the principles.This is true of armed or unarmed application.

regards koyo

 

Kata was the secret method used by Okinawan peasants to wind up MMA fans. Seriously, if you do it enough, you can make them have a stroke. It's the art of fighting without fighting.

 

I think everyone knows what a Kata is.

 

Lol at the Moose.
Well, maybe people do know what a kata is, but it's good to look at it in a different way. This is adding something new to the subject, in my opinion.

 

:/ fair enough.


I'm sure it does, but to be fair I didn't read the full thing, it was too long and tedious considering i don't do any Japanese styles. lol.

 

Very interesting article and very reasonable.

 

nice post steyrAUG.
btw, naihanchi IS a "fighting" kata, albeit a basic one. Choki Motobu(reported to have been a notorious street fighter in his time) is belived to have sworn by them as the be all end all of fight training.
i agree basically on everything else though. the kata of your style define your style. they are the way you move, the way you strike and the way you stand. from that building block you construct your karate-do.
in my style(****o-ryu) there are in excess of 40 kata, from very different sources, each with it's own characteristics and bunkai, and as a ****o-ryu karateka learns all these kata, and spends time doing them, he begins to incorporate bits and pieces from each, and practices those he favors more than the rest, and it is from this versatility that ****o-ryu's strength comes from. let's take as an example ****o-ryu's "quintessential" katas, those required for shodan: Seienchin and Bassai-Dai.
Seienchin is a semi-advanced naha te kata taken from goju-ryu, and as such it emphasizes muscle tension and fluid movement, along with instantaneous "explosion" from near relaxation, and close combat(including grabbing and pulling the opponent into strikes). it also emphasizes hip torque a lot. all in all this makes it a great kata for small people like me, who can't go toe to toe with much larger foes, because with it one has the concept of getting in close and unloading everything at once, then getting out again.
Bassai Dai on the other hand, we describe as a kata that can be taught to riot police, heavily emphasizing forward clashes, and the forceful stopping of the opponent's momentum through your own, including many strong forward movements and maximum strength in each one. this makes Bassai-Dai an excellent kata for someone who is already physically strong, as it teaches you to use that strength to interrupt your opponent effectively while you pummel him to the ground.
i'll go into the subject of bunkai a bit(warning, karate jargon ahead), by making this statement: bunkai is NOT set in stone. bunkai is a concept, not a predefined movement. the predefined movement is in the kata, but the kata should never be done without the bunkai concepts in mind. without bunkai there's no kata, and from a ****o-ryu POV without kata there's no karate. if in a kata you're doing, say, a kokutsu dachi or neko ashi dachi jodan age uke and bounce forward into mae geri, then zenkutsu dachi with a nukite to the plexus or obliques, that doesn't mean you're training to bounce into someone with a kick nukite, it means you're training to defend and spring back with strikes, and that is what you should have in mind when doing the kata, not just neko ashi/uke-geri-zenkutsu/nukite. whether you block high, kick and nukite will not depend on that, if instead of kicking you parry and step forward and instead of a nukite you uppercut the opponent in the balls, it's still the same concept, recoil/defend/spring back/strike, and therefore, it's still bunkai.

 

For clarification, my distinction between "training" and "fighting" kata is not an official classification of any kind. One could argue that all kata are "training" kata and one could argue that all kata are "fighting" kata.

I was simply trying to note the difference between kata such as Naihanchi and Sanchin which are seemingly devoid of the specific applicable techniques found in other kata. Now Sanchin contains obvious blocking and striking combinations, but they aren't a "fighting technique" in the same sense as those found in kata such as Wansu.

And while Naihanchi is incredibly useful for fighting, it was devised to develop power in movement, combined with transitions of difficult balance rather than to impart specific hidden defensive techniques.

 

It's cool to see someone be so pragmatic about forms. It's not often you ask someone who does them if they are necessary or important, and receive "no" as the answer.

I don't think they are necessary either. I think they are an inferior training technique when compared to drills, sparring and hitting focus mitts and heavy bags. Additionally, I don't like to do them. I think they are boring, so I do an art that doesn't have katas in it.

 

agreed.

 

Great post steyr. I'd just like to add that i've found both in my own training and in teaching that forms can also help you visualise what you are doing and build muscle memory (as you've mentioned) when done with intent. I thin it's important to practice forms or even just thecniques without a partner every now and again so you can "get" what you're ment to be doing without any pressure.It also gives you an effective way to train on your own.

Thanks,
Jamie

 

It all comes down to "why" you train.

However I would caution that almost "nothing" which imparts knowledge is inferior. Kata are what they are, they have some advantage over techniques, sparring and drills in some instances.

One could take the position that "sparring" is inferior to kata as one learns to restrain oneself for the sake of safety and develops a habit of restricting their technique while those who do kata are free to "go for the gusto" and develop a far more lethal capacity. And I can tell you first hand that I know quite a few people who do only kata and makiwara who I would not wish to spar or fight with. But this hardly means "sparring" is an inferior training method.

What is important is that a person actually understands the benefits and limits of various methods and practices accordingly. As the martial arts are practiced for a variety of reasons, those chosen methods will vary from student to student.

Also understand that many kata done today are hardly correct kata with intact, practical bunkai. Consider for a moment how some people spar (non contact for points only with many illegal techniques). I imagine you'd find that sparring method boring and pointless. Now imagine that is how most people approached "sparring" and as a result it would routinely criticized. Well sadly that is almost the current state of affairs with regard to kata.

 

Very fair point Mitch. However personally I hate patterns

I'm a sparring guy......

 

That’s kata right there! Nice one koyo.

 

KAMAE (there are no stances in martial arts)

Attack at all times,display as tronger fighting spirit than the opponent and dominate his fighting spirit. This is a principle of TJA.

There are two kamae that must be symbiotic. Katachi kamae, ATTITUDE of the body and Kokoro kamae ATTITUDE of mind. When these attitudes become one it is possible to go from alert to instantaneous attack in , well, an instant.This is the value of kihon when it has become natural.

KATA should never be performed until a solid grasp of kihon has been achieved. THEN kata become a vehicle for understanding how we may flow from one technique to another.

Two man kata should be performed by sempai and kohei senior student and junior student.The senior student shall act as uke and attack with such commitment as to keep the junior out of his comfort zone while demanding that the junior student maintains kamae and execute only effective and powerful counter techniques.This is basic "presure testing".

Here the student is using skills that he has learned from kihon and solo kata training and taking it to the next level, testing it under presure. Now it is the more imporiant principles of timing distancing and body alignment that shall be studied.

Observation is a fundamental principle of martial arts with the ultimate aim of being able to "see" the opponent's intention to attack and having the ability to act explosively upon it.


regards koyo

Hi styer the dance like movements in aikido that you mention in the book thread are NOT considered to be aikido at all by experienced aikidoka nor are those who perform them considered to be martial artists.See martial arts of aikido threads here on MAP.

Below attacking through the attacker maintaining kihon and ki ken tai ichi developed through solo practice.

 

I think that each kata is a specific way of fighting in itself. If you read some books of old masters they describe each kata of actual styles. Every technique in every kata can be adapted for combat and should leave you in a position where you have defended yourself. Check out Sensei Iain Abernethy. i am yet to find anyone who can show kata for what it should be better than him. Good thread by the way. Nicely written