Visualization

[AnonymousOne]

Mental imagery also known as Visualisation has been a hot topic in many fields of sporting endeavour for quite some time now. Much money and research has gone into its effects and many champion athletes contribute great success to its use.

 

Much has been written on this topic by sports writers and sports psychologists. When one starts to study this facet, particularly with regard to the martial arts, from reading these articles and books, one gets the impression that it’s a relatively new science. One could even assume is a phenomena of the 20th Century.

 

After delving into this topic one soon sees the benefits. I personally heard of a man who was jailed for many years and daily in his mind he played 18 holes of golf. When he got out of jail, despite not having picked up a gold club in many years, his golf performance score was significantly better. There are many such stories. Too many to list here.

 

The great Karate master Itosu said this “Karate should be practiced with great intensity and the concept of always being prepared to defend your self, as if on the field of battle”

 

“As if on the field of battle”.

 

We can see from this that this master is advocating mental visualization as one practises.

 

This is the key to successful learning, assimilation and application of Kata. Today many reject Kata as an old ineffective means of training. The problem is not Kata; it’s the attitude and application whilst under performance.

 

The “ancients” well understood visualization and the profound effects it has upon the development and mastery of martial skills.

 

When you perform your kata, are you just lightly performing a series of sequential movements or are you heart, mind and body in the heat of a ferocious battle?

 

Where is your mind as you perform your kata? Can you see the attack? Can you image your opponent? What is he wearing? What does he look like? What stance is he standing in? Where are his hands? Did he kiai as he attacked? How tall is he?

 

There are so many questions you need to ask yourself as your perform each simulated battle.

 

If you are not practising your kata as a “simulated battle” each time and in every movement are not giving 100% effort to the destruction of this evil monster attacking you, then you are playing games. You are merely dancing.

 

Kata, without doubt, is “simulated battle” sequences passed down from our martial art forefathers.

 

Today many countries use simulation for their soldiers and combat troops. They use war games and computers to meet this end. The software that has been passed down to us is in the form of Kata.

 

Kata is not a game. Its not a toy. Its not a dance. It’s the cutting edge of “battle simulation” that can take you from being a mediocre fighter to a highly skilled warrior.

 

It all begins with a perception of what Kata is about. If its just a sequence of moments you need to get right for the next grading, then you will fail.

 

I have been training for 41 years now. Since the age of 7. I prefer to remain, where possible, a humble student of this very noble martial art. However at times, when I see people with misconceptions of what Karate is about, I must allow my many years of experience speak. And this is one issue where I must.

 

As a young Shodan way back in the 1970’s I saw Kata just as a means to get past the next grading. I concluded that Kata was ineffective for “real” battle. I was ignorant and arrogant simultaneously. I discussed this with my Sensei one day and expressed my views. He chuckled and challenged me to take a Kata that was difficult for me to perform and practise it as hard and as fast as I could for 2 hours straight. So I did. Well, I think you can imagine the results. I was exhausted. It proved to me my aerobic, anaerobic, and martial capabilities were wanting. I found out the hard way, how hard they are to perform under pressure.

 

This threw me a little and even bruised my ego. But I did learn a lesson. Fully explore before casting something away and clearly I had not fully explored.

 

Since then I have a new love for Kata. There are many Kata I have spent years training on alone. There have been times when I have practised one Kata only for 3 years. The Tekki Kata took me years to understand. That particular “trilogy” is amasing and I highly recommend more advanced students pull them apart and assiduously train with them. Practise one daily for 3 years and then the next etc. I took this advice from the autobiography of Gichin Funakoshi about the Tekki Kata. The man was right.

 

Kata its not what you think. The more you study and practise them properly, the more your martial skills, knowledge, understanding will grow. Therefore, what you think of Kata today, will be different in one years time. And what you understand in one years time, will be different in 10 years time.

 

The knowledge that you seek, will not be the knowledge you will possess. Because what you seek to possess, is unknown to you at any particular present time. The end is always different from the beginning. The beginning hopes for one view. The end reveals that which you did not seek to possess, but now possess.

[Kaminari]

I totally agree. Too many, especially the really young or inexperienced, see Kata as a series of moves you have to do to get your next belt. However, it couldn't be that way. Why would the founder of an art create something that did not serve a purpose? Why would such a useless thing be passed down? The answer: They wouldn't, and it shouldn't. Kata was made and is practiced for a purpose. Some see it as a series of moves to learn before the next grading, while others know kata for what it was intended to be. Awesome post!

[MASIsshinryu]

I could not agree more.

 

I practice roughly an hour every day, with my main focus being my Kata. I have seen my technique improve over time, even during periods of time when I have had no direct access to instruction. On many occasions, after extended periods of Kata performance, I have gone back to the heavy bag, or sparring, to discover that the technique is quicker, more accurate and more effective than it was the last time it was used in the same manner.

 

Even if I am under the weather, I do not allow myself to miss my Kata. If i can do nothing else, I perform them "for form alone," at slower speed, but with maximum emphasis on the visualization and proper technique. Very often I find that my illness seems reduced once I am done running through all of them, as well.

[cathal]

The human mind is called a "confounding variable" by many psychologists. By far it is very true, we just have to look at placebo effects to get that proof.

[Shorinryu Sensei]

A very nice post AnonymousOne!

 

Although I am in general agreement with the majority of your post, I'm not sure I agree on working on just one kata at a time for three years.

 

I too, have been involved in the arts for quite a few years and the longer I do kata, the better I understand and appreciate them for what they can teach you about your body, mind, spirit and the art. Those that say they feel kata doesn't have a place in "modern karate" I feel are missing out, and it is their loss.

[AnonymousOne]

A very nice post AnonymousOne!

 

Although I am in general agreement with the majority of your post, I'm not sure I agree on working on just one kata at a time for three years.

 

I too, have been involved in the arts for quite a few years and the longer I do kata, the better I understand and appreciate them for what they can teach you about your body, mind, spirit and the art. Those that say they feel kata doesn't have a place in "modern karate" I feel are missing out, and it is their loss.

 

I realise 3 years is a long time to some. But for me personally I have plenty of time to train only working part time these days and have often worked on one kata like that.

 

I often wondered why the old masters did that, so there was only one way to find out.

 

I originally started that idea with the Tekki Kata and spent 10 years on them.

 

When I say self train, I mean as every bit as hard as the dojo and at times if not harder. Tape recorded lessons see to that which I make myself and follow.

 

I have gone through the Tekki Kate, Kanku Dai, Gojushiho Dai that way so far.

 

The last 18 months I have been working on Bassai Dai. I do that for two hours every afternoon.

 

I run first thing in the mornings and do weights and plyometrics twice a week each.

 

Not bad for an old koot of 48 eh?

 

haha

[pers]

Very nicely said ! kata is all that you said

[Shorinryu Sensei]

Not bad for an old koot of 48 eh?

 

haha

 

Well ya "old koot"...you sure know how to make a guy feel good! I'm 52 myself and am lucky to pull myself out of bed in the morning! Hell, I check for a pulse every morning just to make sure I made it to another day!

[Dijita]

That was really well written and I enjoyed reading it. I agree with most of your points especially the points in regards to many people not fully realizing the imporance of Kata. Well done.

[vertigo]

Wait a second!! How'd this article get in the karate section?!?

 

Very good "article" I might think that 3 years is a little excessive to practice a kata.. at the moment. I've only been in karate for 6 months, so 3 years sounds like a lot right now.

 

Your points on the visualization of the attacker during kata were very good, and I agree fully. When you imagine (as much as possible) an attacker in front of you, kata does turn into your own imaginary battle.. and thus, you can feel the added energy in the kata. Still being very much a beginner, this is still tough to do, but when I can, I find myself moving faster and with sharper attacks..