How should a kata be performed?

[sensei8]

As fluid, or natural, as one walks, so should Kata be performed; effortlessly but purposefully.

[Hawkmoon]

As fluid, or natural, as one walks, so should Kata be performed; effortlessly but purposefully.

100% yes, and as that is so (Which to me it is) as I mentioned 5 or 505 demonstrations should all finish after about the same time a master takes to complete the same kata.

To me to finish faster than the master, or a long time after the master is to show a lack of commitment and understanding of the kata and what is teaching 'you'.

[bushido_man96]

As fluid, or natural, as one walks, so should Kata be performed; effortlessly but purposefully.

100% yes, and as that is so (Which to me it is) as I mentioned 5 or 505 demonstrations should all finish after about the same time a master takes to complete the same kata.

To me to finish faster than the master, or a long time after the master is to show a lack of commitment and understanding of the kata and what is teaching 'you'.

That, I'm not as sure about. I think everyone will have their own pace in a forms performance. I don't punch as fast others, and my steps tend to be slower than some. In basics, I always feel like I am finishing my stepping last, even though I am the highest rank in the class. I'm not a very quick person, and tend to be rather heavy footed. I think that some good students can figure out each others pace, and stay together for a good demonstration, but, I don't think they should have to at all times.

[Hawkmoon]

[Please don't confuse my interest in kata tempo with some apparent desire to impose a time measurement to ALL Kata. no no no no not the point here.]

What I'm interested in is based on comments I have read here, and my own experiences in other dojos.

Corrections, tellings off for doing this or that to quick or not quickly enough. It appears to me the Ryu (yes the instructor to a degree) but mainly the Ryu drives the speed a kata is performed at.

example:

Pinan sono ni, when performing this kata in one dojo using my kihon the correction were hand position and so on, in one dojo (Shotokan) the fact I was slower than the class was called out, in another dojo (Wado) I was corrected on hand placement again etc and that I was to fast this time!

Hence my interest, it seems to me that there is a tempo of some kind of some sort, it comes from somewhere, and I'm of the opinion its from the Kata itself.

Edited October 18, 2013 by Hawkmoon

[sensei8]

Are any of YOU here allowed to set the pace of any said Kata/Form during a testing cycle?

[bushido_man96]

At testing, I don't worry about setting a pace, really. I do the form the way I am comfortable doing it. If the others can't keep up, that's on them.

[sensei8]

At testing, I don't worry about setting a pace, really. I do the form the way I am comfortable doing it. If the others can't keep up, that's on them.

So, students can do the form anyway they want, instead of the way they were taught?? Seems to me that that would not be beneficial because the said form should be performed as exactly as possible as it was taught.

Now, in a form competition, go for it. Do the form anyway one feels most comfortable. But in a testing cycle, not cool, and not allowed.

Paces vary from school to school, but within said school, the pace should be dead on the same.

Imho!!

[bushido_man96]

At testing, I don't worry about setting a pace, really. I do the form the way I am comfortable doing it. If the others can't keep up, that's on them.

So, students can do the form anyway they want, instead of the way they were taught?? Seems to me that that would not be beneficial because the said form should be performed as exactly as possible as it was taught.

Now, in a form competition, go for it. Do the form anyway one feels most comfortable. But in a testing cycle, not cool, and not allowed.

Paces vary from school to school, but within said school, the pace should be dead on the same.

Imho!!

It depends on how well each person testing performs the form. I have, in my head, a pace, a set idea of how the combinations in the form are done, etc. I'm not sure what the guy next to me has in mind, or how he views the form or how he does it. So, I don't worry about him too much. I don't try to race him or anything, but I don't take away from my form to match his, or try to add to mine in pace or speed and end up looking sloppy to try to keep up with some 19 year old athletic kid that can move better than me.

[Hawkmoon]

(consider)

hmmm......

..... so if one student out of three undergoing a grading goes off like a rocket and the guy next to him and the guy next to him go off at different speeds.....everyone can see each mistake in posture hand position and shape etc across all three?

or

....if one student out of three undergoing a grading goes off like a rocket and the guy next to him and the guy next to him go off at different speeds the guy who finished first fails or passes as the other fail or pass because the speed was wrong?

[bushido_man96]

I don't think either of those options need to be considered. Perhaps I have different interpretations of a form than others do, and that would be reflected in my performance. If someone decides to separate each move of a form to the point that he only does one move at a time, whereas I feel some of the moves are performed in combination, then I will do how I think they are performed in combination, and not how the other person does it.