Why do you do forms?

[younwhadoug]

have you ever competed in forms, it is very exciting. one can also train for multiple attackers by doing forms and using your imagination. also technique and power are developed to work together along with speed. everyone else has said it all already, but consider all the turning, the kias, the awareness while practicing a form. i don't know everyone said it all lol

[HongKongFooey]

have you ever competed in forms, it is very exciting. one can also train for multiple attackers by doing forms and using your imagination. also technique and power are developed to work together along with speed. everyone else has said it all already, but consider all the turning, the kias, the awareness while practicing a form. i don't know everyone said it all lol

If you want to work on mass attacks, then get a couple of guys and go at it. Working a Kata is fine, but having 3 guys attack you will open your eyes.

[Menjo]

have you ever competed in forms, it is very exciting. one can also train for multiple attackers by doing forms and using your imagination. also technique and power are developed to work together along with speed. everyone else has said it all already, but consider all the turning, the kias, the awareness while practicing a form. i don't know everyone said it all lol

If you want to work on mass attacks, then get a couple of guys and go at it. Working a Kata is fine, but having 3 guys attack you will open your eyes.

I'm sure plenty of MA do this actually to develop Bunkai, I enjoy the challenge when we get the opportunity to work on your point.

[shotokanwarrior]

When the pratice of martial arts were banned on Okinawa, they were able to convince the government that the kata were part of their lineage so it was ok to semi publicly perform kata, but most of the Karate was done at dark in the couryards of the masters. to practice karate and keep the tradition alive we do kata.

[Brandon Fisher]

Everything is karate is built into kata. The power that it helps devolop, the technique, the focus, and the ki is incredible. I hated kata when I first started I didn't understand it and it was very confusing. Now I love it and I feel that people need to train in kata more.

[Bluetulipx]

As well as being beneficial in many other ways, the part that I find most interesting is the imaginary opponent or opponents. I ask myself, where is my opponent that I am attacking or defending against? What is he doing? We are told that the imaginary opponent is supposed to be the same height as us, so I've tried to create one with a bit of character (and of course cute). I did think about imagining myself as the opponent, but that just seemed rather weird!

In ITF, even for chonji, I imagine my opponent moving to each place and then preparing to attack or defend and then moving to the next block/attack.

It makes me realize whether or not I fully understand what each technique is.

[Brandon Fisher]

I do that also except I imagine multiple attackers from different angles attacking. I imagine these people being very angry and agressive so that I respond to it that way.

[elbows_and_knees]

yeah, but the attackers attack pretty much the same way every time... shadowboxing would allow for greater and more varied visualization, as you are moving spontaneously.

[elbows_and_knees]

I believe that kata primarily teaches principles of movement - specifically moving in powerful ways. Exactly how you apply that power depends on the circumstances. Repeated practise of the kata conditions these methods of movement into your body so that they become unconscious.

Which is not to say that you'll be able to pull the applications out of the hat just as a result of practising the kata solo. You also need to practise applications with a partner so that

a) they become ingrained

b) eventually, with sufficient practice, you are able to spontaneously apply the principles (ie. produce new applications on the fly).

Secondary to this I believe that kata also embodies tactical principles, which can provide inspiration when working out how to apply the movements.

Mike

bingo. good post.

[Brandon Fisher]

yeah, but the attackers attack pretty much the same way every time... shadowboxing would allow for greater and more varied visualization, as you are moving spontaneously.

I can tell you are not a traditional japanese stylist. My comments are not meant that application doesn't need to be practiced because it does and alot to become very good. Application requires your reaction to be second nature.