The kata debate 2010

Good post. In one of my conditioning books the author Brian Jones (a BJJ stylist and tournament competitor) had a continuous kata training method that I really liked. You simply pick a kata you really want to work on and do it for 20-30 minutes nonstop. What better way to get more endurance and skill in your art that in training your art in a conditioning way?

EDIT: And dear God, where is that Ace quote from? That boy needs to spar once to see his ideas are silly.

 

Training time is finite. I wouldn't necessarily advocate slow training in class unless you are injured or the instructor wants to look closely at your technique. Slow training is the best way to get great technique, and is the short cut, but it doesn't work a large number of skills that fast training works. Doing fast training only it will take you longer to get your technique as good, if at all (because fast training is more likely to result in sloppy technique). Bear in mind technique is only one element of the combative arena.

For me slow training, and solo training, is something to do outside of class. It's only use in class is to show people how to do it outside of class.

Typically Jissen have had an article from me on the pros and cons of different trianing speeds for a few months, but the latest issue is a few months late!

 

Cheers - and press the arrow button by his name and it'll take you to the thread

 

There's nothing worse than a novice with dangerous and downright ignorant misconceptions. What's sad is (if he actually trains) it's more a fault of his teacher rather than his (unless he's just really that incredibly dense, which could be a factor as well...)

 

Good point. Furthermore performing a Kata slowly - particularly one that involves low stances and low stance transitions without bouncing - can be more physically demanding than performing it fast.

 

Another interesting thing to do is to perform a kata slowly under tension - like some of the moves in hangetsu for example.

I did that with Bassai Dai once. I was certainly knackered afterwards

 

you still need ibuki, though :evil:

try doing kanku-dai like sanchin, i double dare you!

 

Nice post

btw I'd love to see a shotokan llama running naked down the street screaming =]

How much for admission?

 

You have seen his old profile picture? I think it would be too traumatic for the general public to be allowed.:evil:

 

It's an acquired taste, that's for sure!

 

:topic:You mean people have to see it more than once to appreciate it? That certainly qualifies as a stamina exercise. I volunteer TKDMitch as a trial subject. :topic:

 

Mitch couldn't handle it. He doesn't have the cajones. This is big boy stuff!

 

lol =]

Llama you devil, you. =]

 

Not sure if its already been posted but:

http://www.koryu.com/library/dhall1.html

Kata by David A. Hall 形 [Var. 型]

''As pre-arranged combative forms, kata played a significant role in the training of the classical Japanese warrior. The earliest kata we are familiar with began to appear during the late-Kamakura to early-Muromachi period although we know little about them except a few of their names. Kata, in fact, are still being created today.

However, in the classical martial traditions (koryū) these combative forms varied greatly among the myriad traditions and, in an historical and hoplological perspective, not all kata were equal.
''

check out the link for more.

 

only recently came across this thread, took days to read through, but it was very interesting.
I completely agree with the competition guys that theres no point to kata.....IF your only reason to train is to fight. As has been mentioned , there are better ways to be prepared purely for fighting ( i.e. "live" training ).
However, for the TMA student that does not intend to indulge in competition, training opens up to include many other forms of the art side of things that don't need to have a direct link to combat. There is no reason some of it cannot be done purely for fun.
I do have a question for the MMA guys, that is not intended to be antagonistic, but a geniune question.
If the only reason to train in MA is to fight, what happens when you're too old to fight, or were to sustain an injury that prevents you from returning to the ring, do you just quit alltogether ?

 

First, it is important to define the terms and understand their differences.

형 Hyeong 型 (ko.), かた kata 型 (jp.), Xíng 型 (ch.), mould, model; type; pattern, example
형 Hyeong 形 (ko.), かた kata 形 (jp.), Xíng 形 (ch.), shape, form

Most martial artists are not aware that there are two different characters, pronounced identically, used for the various 1-step, 2-step, 3-step, etc. sparring and the solo-forms of prearranged movements. So, saying "Hyeong" or "kata" or "Xíng" could refer to various things. So, specifying the type of training more descriptively would help to avoid confusion within this thread.

 

I do heian nidan to the rhythm of Thunderstruck

 

Just to play the devil's advocate for a second, I can see the argument against kata: You don't want to be practicing too many 'fancy' techniques on the air, really. You want to be taking a few essentials and drilling them until they're second nature.