G95champ

This post was originally published as an article in a dedicated KarateForums.com Articles section, which is no longer online. After the section was closed, this article was most to the most appropriate forum in our community. There has been much debate in recent history over the usage of Kata as a modern training took in the Martial Arts. In this article I will attempt to justify the importance of Kata not only to Karate, but to Martial Arts as a whole. Kate is the fundamental training method that can used by anyone at any time at any age and with as much individual freedom as one wishes to use. Therefore, making the Martial Arts an Art and not a Science. Lets look at traditional Kata as taught in many of the traditional dojo’s. This is where many people see Kata as out dated and not of any major value in modern society. With that said I will make the argument now that Kata is more important in modern society than it ever was in pre-World War II society. Why you ask? In modern society hard-core training like they did 100 years ago is not possible. Many things factor into this such as lack of time, work, laws, and simply the fact you can’t afford to run students off by doing full contact sparring every class. What Kata gives Karate students is a way to fight without fighting, just as Bruce Lee said, “A way without way.” From my personal findings most people who attack Kata are non-karate stylists. Meaning they have never been taught the meaning and importance of forms. Anyone can memorize a set number of moves and put them together and call it a Kata but only a true Martial Artist can examine and break down those moves to find another way or meaning behind them. Kata is where the Martial Arts allow one to grow. Unlike sparring you do not need anyone but yourself to do Kata. Kata can be done in a dojo, in your bedroom, outside or in your mind without actually moving. I can not recall the countless times I laid in bed or set in class thinking of how to prefect a combination in any given form. Questions such as: “Why did Funakoshi choose a back-fist over a punch?” or “What was he trying to tell me when he used a back stance with this hand motion?” Kata allows us to ask why and come to many of our own answers. There is no right and wrong there is only the TAO, or the way. Each of us must find our own way and Kata practice allows us to do that. When I do any from I can choose to do it slow and focus on techniques or I can speed it up and focus on my cardio training. All at the same time I am working many of my basic techniques while getting combination practice that I would get while sparring but now I am not getting hit. Today many of the Mixed Martial Arts Community will attack Kata and say it is useless and outdated. What many of them fail to realize is that not all of us are training to fight. People participate in Martial Arts for many reasons: self-defense, exercise, social group, relaxation and yes: learning to fight. However, very few of us will ever dawn the gloves or step into the Octagon for a UFC. I completely understand if a person is training to become a great fighter they can easily overlook the importance Kata plays in their Martial Arts development. The problem here lies in the persons search for the quick and simple answer. For a true Martial Artist we know there is nothing simple about it and if you advance quickly then there is something to be said for your training methods but that is another article. So the question you are asking is does Kata make one a great fighter? The answer is it depends on that person. The question I am asking is does one have to be a great fighter to be a great Martial Artist? The answer to that is no! Although full contact fighters are grouped into Martial Arts they are not Martial Artists. Why? Because Art means it is personal. My Martial Art is different than yours regardless of our styles. Fighting is a science. Ask any boxer about the sweet science. I understand that people can have different styles of fighting and want to call it their own Art. However the human body can only do so many things. We only have 2 arms and 2 legs and they can only bend in one direction. So there is no room for expression in fighting, because we are all the same. However when you look at Kata you bring in the mind and that allows each of us to grow in our own way, thus making us Martial Artists. Kata is a love hate relationship for most of us. Either you like it or you don’t. In my personal findings those who like it tend to understand its purpose. Those who dislike it only view it as a fixed pattern they must memorize for their next belt. Much too often as teachers we let students by with just memorizing the motions. This leads to low quality Black Belts down the road. Because they only focus on the physical and overlook the mental and spiritual aspects that are related to the Martial Arts. Just as I was making the point above when the mind enters into your training you develop the mental and spiritual aspect of Martial Arts. The physical part alone means you are a Martial Scientist. Art just like religion means we add the mental and spiritual aspect to our training. These two statements alone open up a can of worms that many have debated for years: the question of science vs. religion. Well let me sum it up this way. Both can lead to answers the only difference is religion makes it more personal, just as Kata makes Martial Arts more personal. Kata can be done by anyone at any age at any time. This makes the Martial Arts one of the few exercises or hobbies that all of us can take part in. We don’t need a partner, we don’t even need a teacher (develop you own Kata). You defiantly don’t need a dojo or a gi. All you need is an open mind and willingness to learn. Kata is the fundamental aspect to any and all Martial Arts. Although one doesn’t have to excel in it to be a great fighter, one will need to spend some time shadow boxing. Or is that Kata, too?

I always enjoyed it. You learn from pain. LOL

Well everytime we get on KF and read about other styles and our style we train. You don't always have to break a sweat or put on a gi to train.

Agreed.... LOL My point was don't get hung up on it early as long as you show regret and say your sorry for mistakes they are usually taken pretty good. Just work on it and always warm the other guy your not good with certin moves.

Welcome to KF

Disagree The one thing they have over you is the lack of pain and emotion. Its hard to hurt a drunk or dope head. At the same time they don't care where you are and who else may get hurt because of their actions. Being a MAist of any kind we are expected to use certing amounts of control and only do as much harm as needed. So in some reguards our hands are tied. Trust me the courts will not support you if you use to much force on a drunk.

Only thing I ever regret is showing people something just to be friendly and then you see them doing it to someone else. Its not that you mind but it leads to people misusing MA and I always feel bad after I do that. Being a teacher I find myself doing it a lot without thinking and school is a bad place for kids to be learning a wrist lock. LOL...

I agree that it don't really happen with our black belts because we are so selective of who gets them anyhow. But our Blues and Greens often have to be taken aside and talked to.

Control was something I had a big problem with up unitl say Brown Belt leval. It stinks to hurt a person in class but your better off knowing how to hit with power. Pulling things are great but at the same time if you pull everything all the time when you have to use it in real life you will be likely to pull your techinque then. Learn control YES but don't see the lack of it as being a huge problem.

My brother is 6'8 300 he had not ever gotten into MA but he is really active and plays arround with me a lot as far as sparring goes. I will tell you one thing, I hope I never have to grapple with a person that big you can't hold them.

Ok so Wolverine does have the metal back and he can't die.

Welcome

Welcome

Welcome

Welcome

Relax and you will be fine

Gym Shorts, sweat paints, and a t-shirt.

Welcome

Welcome

Your welcome LOL. Thats amazing. I was looking and the new members and number of posts per month the other day its unreal how big KF is getting. Great job everyone. Im proud to have been a staff member and I am so happy I can get back on line now. LOL.

If you say size don't matter I say you nuts. I agree the time you put in is important but you can not say size don't matter. Ive trained for 10 years my younder brother is 6'8 310lbs plays OL at WVU and I have my hands full with him only because he is so big. Im 6 300 myself.

Not to make a joke of it but Shotokan Karate teaches one punch one kill. However I can't belive anyone teaches full contact to that extent. Espcially with the crazy lawyers now. On the other hand if this person had a weak heart or something of that nature this is not shocking. I have been in karate 10 years and we spar pretty hard. The worst thing we have ever had to deal with was some broken toes, fingers, and noses. Well and one broke rib. However thoswe were few and far between and the fingers was done for a dude hitting a wall cause he got mad. LOL. Anyone who teaches karate or MA in general should be teaching control because it is powerful stuff and in the wrong hands can be dangerous. Pass my respect on the family if you know them.

Your body don't matter the style will grow to fit you as it does each of us. Some of us are naturl athletes and others of us are not. We can't really change that. Yeah we can work on speed and agility but a better athlete has an advantage over a person of the same size and talent.

You are the only one who knows how you feel and if its hurt or pain. Go as far as you can but you teacher should understand it will take you a while to keep up. Don't make it an excuse and work to meet the goals of the class. Their is no shame in not being able to do something only shame in not trying to do something out of fear.

Welcome to KF