ronryu Posted January 4, 2004 Posted January 4, 2004 What is kata? Well that is a good question so here is my 2cents wort. Kata is not only a series of movements put together as a dance or as if you are fighting someone. it is also the history of the style. That is why you will find so many different versions of the same kata. This is why at lest in my opinion you should learn the names of the people who created the kata or at lest where it comes from.There is much more to a kata then just a set of movements. Karate is not a sport , it is a way of life .Sandan Motobu ha Shi-to ryu karate Katsu ryu kempo Ryukyu kobudo
Karateka Posted January 5, 2004 Posted January 5, 2004 Well its the age old debate of whether Kata is a waste of time or not. I will just say what kata is for me. Kata is a way for me to practice my basics and work on strength and technique. I use certain kata to get myself warmed up and stretch my muscles. I use kata to work my imagination and think of what would I do from this position of my attacker came from here. I use it to relax and get in the mood of training. I have heard the arguments that Kata is useless and outdated and has no practical application. These arguments are completely valid. We are not seeing the same attacks that our Okinawan Ancestors did. However, you don't have to like kata to take some techniques from it. I hated kata for a long time, yet I could still adapt some techniques to it. As for moves like Kata Karuma and certain blocks, i just keep it as memory. I may never use any of these techniques. kata can also help strengthen your body by working muscles which you may not be able to get to with the machines at the gym. Plus, I find that keeping my stances low and my techniques sharp while still feeling the burn in my legs really helps my spirit and my inner voice that tells me to go on. But hey, that's just me. "Never hit a man while he's down; kick him, its easier"Sensei Ron Bagley (My Sensei)
DarkAngel_Azrel Posted January 8, 2004 Posted January 8, 2004 I totaly disagree that kata's are waste of time karate wouldnt be karate with out kata's .For instance Kata's help focus your mind control your movment's and clam yourself. Kata's are the heart a soul of karate ( and wouls some telll me how to change the belt colour beside my name IAM NOT WHITE BELT let not the fear of death stay your hand nor defeat your courage.The warrior who will provail is the one who confronts death its self
equaninimus Posted January 8, 2004 Posted January 8, 2004 Gods know I hate it when I have to be another sort of mollusk besides a clam! There have always been Starkadders at Cold Comfort Farm!
Guest Posted January 9, 2004 Posted January 9, 2004 For me, kata is a way to practice, and it is a good catalogue of some techniques that may work. I'm don't believe any of the hype about hidden techinques and what not. DarkAngel_Azrel: The color of the belt on this site indicates how many posts you have made. It has no relationship to your rank in martial arts. The only way to change your belt color here is to be an active participant in forums.
Drunken Monkey Posted January 9, 2004 Posted January 9, 2004 does it really matter that you are not a white belt? why so hung up about it? post count is directly related to how much free time you have, not how intelligent you are."When you have to kill a man it costs nothing to be polite."
aznkarateboi Posted January 9, 2004 Posted January 9, 2004 Or maybe this fighter gets something in his eye just as he begins the fight with the Karate student; and in that instant a powerful punch drives the bone in his nose through his head and he dies on the spot... Other then the art they practiced there are many more important factors that determine the better fighter, or who comes out victorious. um..... the nose is not made of bone it is made of cartilage, and it is physically impossible for the cartilage to travel up and pierce ur skull and enter your brain.. this has been scientifically debunked as an old wive's tale.
DarkAngel_Azrel Posted January 9, 2004 Posted January 9, 2004 srry did not that the belt thing was to do with number of post's let not the fear of death stay your hand nor defeat your courage.The warrior who will provail is the one who confronts death its self
Ripper Posted January 9, 2004 Posted January 9, 2004 I'm still very anxious to know the answer of Shotokan-fighter. He/she is pretty quiet. René
ESA-Shotokan Posted January 10, 2004 Posted January 10, 2004 Hi there. Yes kata is an essential part of learning karate. If you have a few minutes, the attached pdf document with respect to an interview with Slater Williams (6th dan), will highlight exactly what I feel about kata. https://www.esakarate.freeserve.co.uk/Slater interview PDF.pdf If you don't like kata then why study karate which has its foundations within kata? When you perform kihon and kumite, the techniques you use were originally derived from a kata. Yes you will use body shifts and the such but kata is were you start to understand the fundamentals of karate. Shotokan has been defined in the past as 'kihon' being the words of karate, 'kata' the sentences and 'kumite' the free spoken language of karate. Kata is never useless in the same way that shadow boxing or punching/kicking a bag is not a wasted exercise. You go into a boxing club, you are not thrown into a ring and go for it! You first have to learn the basics and combinations and then try these out. Karate and kata (and kumite for that matter) is the same. We do gohon kumite (5 step sparring) which is very basic but still teaches you how to react to an attack and also conditions your forarms, that's for sure. For me, kata is essential.
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