Tips for improving kata?

[karnier]

Hey guys, just found this forum out of the blue. I've been doing karate for a couple of years now and only about last year or so I've been getting into the sport aspect of it and I do much better at kata than kumite. Are there any people here who do it as a sport in AAU or NKF?

I'm really looking into improving my kata, I got 3rd in NKF national team trials this year and really want to make it to panamericans next year, any advice?

I do Shito-ryu

[Dobbersky]

Kata for life and kata for competition are 2 different animals. One is wild that for the streets, for self defense and one is domesticated, for aesthetics, nothing more than competition

I think if one only wants kata to win trophies, one must treat it as a Japanese dance, and work on that. Good luck, hopefully someone willbe able to advise better, OSU

[darksoul]

Hi Karnier,

I'm in Shaolin Kempo but I've won a few first place trophies in Kata against traditional Karate guys.

The best thing I can tell you about kata in competition is to balance the speed, the intensity, and the soft. Ask your instructor, or even your Shihan to perform the kata for you as if he was in a competition. See how he does it. Ask what aspects of the kata should be hard, which parts should be soft, and which parts should be intense.

When I perform a kata for competition, I exaggerate the "feel" of the kata a lot. You have to make the judges feel your kata.

Hope that helps

[DoctorQui]

Welcome to the forum!

I have been in a few competitions and one 1,2 and 3 places in traditional, synchronised and creative kata. I love kata and get very wound up when I can't get it right Changing from Wado Ryu to Shotokan recently those subtle differences were infuriating.

For me, its all about knowing the kata personally, knowing when to slow up and take a breath and when to exert some power. You have to really understand what the kata technique is for and not just consider it a move. So many people punch, kick and block in kata by simply 'putting' their limbs in position rather than visualising the attack and defending or countering it!

OSU

Edited September 21, 2012 by DoctorQui

[Harkon72]

With competition Kata, you need perfection, that is the perfect representation of your stye in motion. Good Luck! Osu!

[brickshooter]

In competition kata, one has to worry about a middle to old aged judge with likely bad eyesight sitting about 20 feet away, seeing your kata done for the 100th time.

A lot of motions has to be exagerrated to score points. But it can't be too much exagerrated otherwise it looks obnoxious.

[darksoul]

In competition kata, one has to worry about a middle to old aged judge with likely bad eyesight sitting about 20 feet away, seeing your kata done for the 100th time.

A lot of motions has to be exagerrated to score points. But it can't be too much exagerrated otherwise it looks obnoxious.

Very well said. I agree with this 100%, that's why I tend to exaggerate some movements. Just practice and you'll find your comfort zone.

[bushido_man96]

Kata for life and kata for competition are 2 different animals. One is wild that for the streets, for self defense and one is domesticated, for aesthetics, nothing more than competition

I think if one only wants kata to win trophies, one must treat it as a Japanese dance, and work on that. Good luck, hopefully someone willbe able to advise better, OSU

I will play devil's advocate here, and say that I think you can train your katas for both. You just have to decide what you are doing that day, and focus on it. Just because someone has a nice competition kata doesn't mean they don't know any self-defense applications for it.

That said, look at what the competition does, and scout things out. See what is bringing in the scores, and try to work things that way. Also, talk to judges! I think you'll find that they won't usually keep secrets from you, and will likely give you an idea of what they look for in scoring. Then its all about focused practice.

[Jissen]

I only do a couple of kata, not a karateka persay but...

To me saying "kata" (rather than 'this or that kata') refers to the level of training you're at. For instance beginner kata are not finesse kata, they're usually for developing a strong foundation for power and are pretty straight forward and simple. Your entire training regimen should reflect the same idea that "the kata" you're doing dictates. the techniques will be simple, direct, and powerful. The drills, the sparring, the bag work...all will reflect the same idea..eg...simple, direct, and powerful.

If you're doing a kata that's designed more for speed, finesse, or agility...than you're regimen (and performance) should generally demonstrate those qualities. In other words, your beginner kata should reflect the qualities they're trying to instill in you...simple, direct, and powerful in application, as well as performance.

For me it's not very important to master "the kata" ...it's much more important to take the lessons contained in the textbook and put it to practical use.

Just my two cents, for what it's worth.

[pers]

I only do a couple of kata, not a karateka persay but...

To me saying "kata" (rather than 'this or that kata') refers to the level of training you're at. For instance beginner kata are not finesse kata, they're usually for developing a strong foundation for power and are pretty straight forward and simple. Your entire training regimen should reflect the same idea that "the kata" you're doing dictates. the techniques will be simple, direct, and powerful. The drills, the sparring, the bag work...all will reflect the same idea..eg...simple, direct, and powerful.

If you're doing a kata that's designed more for speed, finesse, or agility...than you're regimen (and performance) should generally demonstrate those qualities. In other words, your beginner kata should reflect the qualities they're trying to instill in you...simple, direct, and powerful in application, as well as performance.

For me it's not very important to master "the kata" ...it's much more important to take the lessons contained in the textbook and put it to practical use.

Just my two cents, for what it's worth.

Excellent post , you said it very well .

My advice would be to give each technique 100 percent as if your life depends on it ,have that frame of mind and try and act like an actor in a fight scene of a movie ,live the kata and do it as if it's for real !

It doesn't matter if it is Hian shodan or Unsu ,your attitude must remain the same , you do them all with the same frame of mind .