kata poll

[isshinryuwarrior]

My teacher keeps reffering back to many moves we learn in kata while showing us all different techniques. He'll demonstrated and show application. it seems like different parts of kata really do work, maybe the whole thing. Who agrees that kata really does work on the street? Yes you can't do the same exact moves in order but it seems you can break off what you need.

[Fairfax_Uechi]

We have a saying in Uechi that "Kata is Kata" and "Bunki is Bunki". Bunki is the application of kata. I personally find that the more kata that I do that the quicker, stronger, and more focused that I become. When I take time off from training it takes a couple of weeks to get back to where I was, and I can easily see the difference.

I think if you try to use a sequence of moves from a kata in a fight you will get hurt pretty quickly. Kata to me is to practice the moves to make them automatic not to learn a bunch of moves that aren't practical. An example of this is that I do kata at all speeds. Sometimes I work one move over and over and over. Slow, super slow, and even slower. Then I'll do them really fast. The idea is that slow I work on technique, and fast I work on speed and power.

[y2_sub]

I voted for yes , however , Katas are usefull ONLY if you train in bunkai with a partner , punching and kicking air is not enough

[jion]

Two points:

1) Kata as a string of acrobatic moves is only good from an aerobic sporting perspective. For actual fighting this type of "kata" is useless

2) Bunkai Bunkai Bunkai! Not Bogus Bunkai either, but real applications, if the bunkai feels phoney, it is!

I voted for yes! I believe kata is the basis of karate and effective fighting, unfortunately many people - including myself until recently (see Shotokan - Dead End thread) miss the whole point.

[Pacificshore]

Here's my take.....when performing any bunkai of a kata, it does not have to stop at the block and counter attack. It should be more along the lines of blocking whatever the attack, countering the attack, and then continuing on with your attack. Many times when I have seen bunkai performed, your given maybe 2 applications at best. These applications tend to stop after the first attack, whether it is an arm break or a punch to a "vital" area, or maybe even a takedown. I'm always looking at what I can do after the initial counter whether the uki is still standing or on the ground. This helps me to better understand my options, or at the very least if I have more options. Plus it adds to my economy of motion in working multiple strikes.

Could learning a kata help you on the street?? I like the way IW put it...you break off what you need

[Jay]

kata application is effective so it is basicall bunkai

[SaiFightsMS]

Kata is a starting point.

[SenseiMike]

I voted for yes , however , Katas are usefull ONLY if you train in bunkai with a partner , punching and kicking air is not enough

AMEN BROTHER!!

Osu

[b3n]

Who voted NO?

[AngelaG]

Kata can be an effective method for learning how to defend oneself. However it is not a magical cure-all solution. As with anything it takes a lot of training, and a good teacher. You can train seven days a week but if your teacher is still spreading the nonsense that X-Block is good for defending against a stepping mae-geri and manji-gamae is for blocking a jodan and chudan oizuki, then ultimately you will still be poor (perhaps even more so) at defending yourself.

You need a teacher that understands the principles behind the kata, and can teach these principles effectively - rather than relying on remembering techniques. You also need to train it consistently, on a partner as well as solo practice. The training needs to be built up to higher intensities, so that you are not always working within your comfort zone.

In my opinion you also need to know what a move can do to an opponent. If we train how to fight I feel we have a responsibility to know what sort of damage we can infilct on an attacker. If not we could end up with the situation when we are up before a judge and we have to explain why we killed an opponent when we thought we would only be locking them up.