Choosing Kata

[ZCH]

ive always been judged on a well flowing form(not freezing up) and great energy and heart in the form. worked for me. idk?

[Shotokan-kez]

Well i agree with most of these replies. I feel you are far better off doing a kata you know well and have been doing for a long time rather than one you are or have only just learnt. In my experience judges can be very picky and may notice your slightest mistake.

Your kata has to be perfect, good techniqe and form and lots of power and strength, and i found with lots of heart.

I made the wrong choice with my kata, i chose Kanku-Dai and with me only being shodan for a few months i am just learning these advanced kata's. I should have performed Godan, instead i picked my 'favourite' which i feel was a mistake...but don't get me wrong it could work for you.

Your best bet would be for maybe to perfrom both your kata's in front of your sensei as much as possible before the comp and get some sound advice from him/her.

Good luck

[ShoriKid]

I'd agrew with most everyone else here. Stick with Shodan. Crisp, clean technique. Don't get in a hurry to get to the next movement and not plant your stance, set your hips etc. Rushing through a kata really hurts in a competition. Work on your timing so everything isn't bam, bam, bam, bam but, bam, bip, bip, bam. As dictated by the kata of course.

Lastly, do, what you know with intensity. I'm not saying stiff, overly forceful movements. I'm saying with fighting intensity. If you can bring that out while preforming kata, in the competition, and in the dojo, you'll go a long way toward polishing your kata. The easiest way I've found is to keep one thing in mind every time I do a kata for review, be it by judges, a grading instructor or myself, is that I'm in a fight. Each technique has to be perfectly on, fully focused, fast and strong.

[unknownstyle]

it reallt depends on wgat you feel comfortable with, im about to do my shodan test and if i were to compete tomorrow i would still use the same kata i have always used, seisan. once you have something you know you can do wothout evening thinking that is the kata to choose if at any time when you are just runnung through kata you get stuck then it probably isnt the one. another good thing would to be have a few people watch your katas you have to choose from and ask them which one they thought looked better or had more power

[redruss]

I agree, you should perform the kata that you are most confident and practiced in. Regardless of the grade or skill level, a good kata is a good kata!

By sticking to what you are good will also build confidence in your ability over time

[Prostar]

So how did the tournament work out?

I don't know if you noticed it yet but there is an interesting thing to watch for in the judges. They sit there watching a couple of dozen people do the same or similar forms at a similar skill and energy level. Then some comes up and does the same form that has just been done repeatedly, but with tons of snap, crackle and pop.

Up to this point, the judges had been sitting back in their chairs, legs crossed out in front of them and arms crossed. Then when snappy person comes up and starts, the judges start leaning forward in the chairs with elbows on knees, totally engaged and entertained.

Guess who wins?

[Tiger1962]

If I was the one judging, I'd rather see a form that is performed without flaws rather than a complicated form that is demonstrated in a so-so way or the moves are not so precise.

Now, what I've observed a couple times at tournaments are black belts who do these complicated forms that they obviously have not practiced much and they had scored higher than someone else who did a less fancy form but did it perfectly.

My opinion of this is simply: "not all judges judge fairly or accurately." (and that's the most polite way I can word that!!)

[Tiger1962]

So how did the tournament work out?

I don't know if you noticed it yet but there is an interesting thing to watch for in the judges. They sit there watching a couple of dozen people do the same or similar forms at a similar skill and energy level. Then some comes up and does the same form that has just been done repeatedly, but with tons of snap, crackle and pop.

Up to this point, the judges had been sitting back in their chairs, legs crossed out in front of them and arms crossed. Then when snappy person comes up and starts, the judges start leaning forward in the chairs with elbows on knees, totally engaged and entertained.

Guess who wins?

Well you, me and many others would say the one with "snap, crackle & pop" of course.

But then again, it depends - once in a blue moon you'll get a judge who scores in favor of their student even if they are less than stellar.

[the beast]

I would go with whatever one you can perform better , so stick with shodan until yoou have nidan nailed down.

[Prostar]

I would go with whatever one you can perform better , so stick with shodan until yoou have nidan nailed down.

I totally agree. I much prefer to see a form done well.