Kata's

[theapprentice124]

What is the best tip you can give for competetion on kata's?

[isshinryu5toforever]

In competition katas should be done with the same enthusiasm you would do them at a belt testing. However, presentation is a big deal at tournaments. You have to make the kata look good and sound good. Loud kiyais, good snap on your punches and kicks, and good controlled breathing. You might want to aim your kicks higher, but when I judge I look at practicality a little bit too. If you throw a side kick over your head, you missed your target. The highest I would ever want to see a side kick would be head level, same with any other kick. That might just be me though. I would also rather see extremely strong technique than someone with flexibility that wouldn't be able to hurt a fly with their kick.

[yamesu]

Good points.

Just make sure you focus on what your doing.

If you throw a Chudan-Tsuki, make your whole body do that punch, even have focus in your eyes.

I hate seeing kata done with a lazy attitude.

[welshdragon]

what i've found the shotokan judges are looking for more and more is the crispness and the technical side to the katas. Kata is the strong point for me, i always do better in it. to really improve your katas, not just the kata you perform in the finals, but all of them, is to go over them every day, slowly and then do one or two full speed and power.

kiai is so important though. i'm sure you've all found this. if someone does a fairly strong kata with a loud and powerful kiai, wouldn't you pick them over another competitor who's kata is the same, but with a weak kiai?? i kknow i would.

put everything into the kata, mot just your body, your heart and mind as well. by doing this.....even in training when we dont feel like it will improve your katas no end.

[unknownstyle]

just be as relaxed as you can possible be, make every punch look like you are going through your opponent, not as if you are just pretending. make your kiai points be know, you want everyone to turn when you do them this will keep the attention of your audience

[Zaine]

it all depends on the tournament, dome are looking for flashy forms, and some are looking for strong ones, but mostly nowadays there looking for flashy ones with large movements and yells and screams everywhere, but they got to be loud, and there are some tournaments that offer two divesions, one for hard forms (the ones that need to look strong,) and soft forms (the flashy one)

[Jay]

just do it how you did it in your grading full effort and precision is very improtant

[aruder]

Give an introduction... even if it's not required. Especially if it's not required, so you stand out among all the other competitors. And speak up. When I do see people give introductions, they practaically whisper to the judges. Show that confidence that the martial arts has taught you. You don't have to be wordy. "Honorable judges my name is___. With your permission I will be performing the kata/poomse/tae guek/form ____ " And that's good enough.

[cleung]

Best training tool for kata is video. Also get as many black belts to check you out and ask them for tips. Watch yourself on video with a very critical eye. I've been competing in forms since 1985 and found that video is very revealing to oneself.

[cheetahkata]

i love katas....u can learn from videos to be a top kata competitor.