yes, o god yes. Take shawn jefferson's interpretation of the first move of heian 1 and work it into your next shadowboxing session. Then try it sparring... I like it very much.
KATA is a book to take up and read, to interpret at your leisure. Shadow boxing is more akin to creative writing. That's like saying The Bible is useless because it was written a long time ago.
Some dead things are good, kebabs for instance! I really don't mean to be awkward, argumentatitititve or annoy anyone but I can't see the problem with sticking to my big book of kung fu instead of patternz............... Even if its not as good, it gets the job done. What do you think Yoda, you've kept pretty quiet in these debates
I think KATA is absolutely useless in respect to fighting ability and can in some cases actually have a negative effect. I think it's used by many as a tool to keep students paying out for more gradings. I think it's used by many as a refuge from alive training with a resisting opponent. I think it's fun and I do it (of sorts).
I could discuss each of these points with you in isolation and agree with you Yoda, but don't agree with your post at all, as it largely generalises. Once more, I take a stand on this, but it does seem to me to be largely a Karate/TKD problem, and I hate to see CMA forms being collectively dismissed with Kata by people who have never practiced them (referring specifically to CMA forms).
Of course my answer generalises ----"kata? Worth practising nowdays" is a pretty general question Point of note: the "kata" I do practice are mainly non-Japanese
1/ So it might warrant a more 'open' answer? 2/ I know, I've seen one of your FMA.....err.... forms? So you feel that some non Japanese systems are 'less-useless'? Why use the word Kata? It brings back memories of an awful Shotokan class I had to do to keep someone happy this year. If I could use a sweeping generalisation myself; The type of people who can't be bothered putting the effort into every aspect of training, should that include Kata or not, never seem to amount to much!
Ok, I see I'm late here, put I'm gon' spill my beans anyway, although I didn't take time to read what every one else said (sorry guys, but I'm runnining out of time). First of all I notice there wasn't a section in the poll that said conditioning, sparing, and forms, kata or whatever you call'em. I think they all are important. In my view, I would say that conditioning and sparring is more important than forms, however when it comes down to traditional arts i think that forms are really important in order to keep tradition of the art. Thats in my view. I didn't do much form training. Also, along with conditioning, sparing, and kata, lets not forget drills, various other senarios that teaches techniques which can take place in a class which is also a good way to train................ummmm, where was I..........oh yeh ..........I think that while training in martial arts, all of these should be incorperated in some way or another. They can all teach valuabe lessions. However if an instructor feels one is less important and wishes not to use it in training, maybe he has a good reason why he feels that way, and should be respected, however, not always agreed with. As for me, I feel they all are important...... damn what was I saying, I lost track....oh well, maybe it'll make sense when u guys read it
You could try stopping attacking the way Yoda answers questions, and discussing the actual points raised. Yeah, maybe kata is a book to be read at your leisure, but the way I read it is to work it into my shadow boxing. Like the guy said, not all dead things are bad, but you do have to eat kebabs before they can be any good.
I agree, what you do is less important than the effort you out into it. So you think there important do you? Not picking on your post WOTD, many are similar in these threads. People put value in them but cannot say why in detail it helps there training. Wrong, no good will ever come from kebabs! Eating them fun, but they will not do you any good!
Jeez pgm, how much detail do you need? Ozebob, Mike Flanagan and myself have written bloomin pages on the subject.
Oh yeah Mike an Ozebob know why they like them, I meant people that like doing them because they are worth doing because erm... they have value and urm tradition and stuff! In them I was negative towards them, I saw value in them as a part of my training! Playing devils advocate "slightly" I was hoping these threads would convince me the forms I do are really helping me. Ok, some of the CMA forms are great, simple with plenty or techniques, easy to learn, get you moving and stuff. But to spend a fair amount of time doing kata, no way, its just not for me!
