How should a kata be performed?

[Harkon72]

I know it's a different style to my own, and that I have almost no experience of Korean Karate; but they were the strangest Kata I have ever seen. Is this typical? Is it a good example of TKD forms? It's a strange exercise to me, a different focus altogether, but I am ignorant when it comes to this style. The stances for example would not pass an intermediate grading in our Shukokai.

[DWx]

There's a lot of snuffing and puffing going on there! It never really existed in most of Shurite kata from which these are derived so - what's that all about?

The breathing? We are dictated to sharply expel air / grip the core on impact. To brace for impact and stop any secondary movement but also to function somewhat as a method for regulating breathing. A sort of kiai I guess. Again much louder that usual because it's competition.

[DWx]

I know it's a different style to my own, and that I have almost no experience of Korean Karate; but they were the strangest Kata I have ever seen. Is this typical? Is it a good example of TKD forms? It's a strange exercise to me, a different focus altogether, but I am ignorant when it comes to this style. The stances for example would not pass an intermediate grading in our Shukokai.

For ITF yes they are - world championship videos. Stances are spot on too for dimensions and weight distribution. TKD as a whole prefers more mobile thus higher stance so that it is easier to kick. ITF is probably about half way to Karate when you compare it to the WTF poomse:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnvGcIqCPFs

How would they differ for Shukokai? Maybe you could post an example of a good demonstration?

[Harkon72]

Yes, that Kata looks much stronger, I like the height of the kicks too.

Here's a video of a Shukokai Kata. It's Ananku, a 2nd Kyu Brown Belt Kata.

As you can see, the style is a world apart.

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[bushido_man96]

There's a lot of snuffing and puffing going on there! It never really existed in most of Shurite kata from which these are derived so - what's that all about?

We usually breathe out on most techniques, or after a combination of a few techniques. Like DWx mentioned, kind of like a silent kihap.

My style does many of the same forms that DWx does. My current form is Yoo Sin, but I don't do the sine wave motion, I tend to put moves 3 and 4 together as a combo, a short rest, then combo 5 and 6. I don't dip up and down when I do them, though, so they are completed faster.

This is what I mean when I talk about not really concerning myself with someone else's pace of a form. I do mine like I've been taught, and how I feel comfortable with how I think the moves flow and work together.

[DWx]

Yes, that Kata looks much stronger, I like the height of the kicks too.

Here's a video of a Shukokai Kata. It's Ananku, a 2nd Kyu Brown Belt Kata.

As you can see, the style is a world apart.

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Yes it most certainly is. Just as you may find TKD tul or hyung odd, kata practiced in the traditional Japanese / Okinawan way has always looked odd to me.

Wrt the height of the kicks in that video, it's funny because in ITF you would be severely marked down for that. For us, ideally tul is fighting an attacker(s) of similar build to yourself. We would question who he is kicking in the head? For us a high level kick would be directed to the temple / eye level at most, no higher, so any high section kick in you tul should be at exactly this height. Mid section kicks as in my earlier posts must be between hip and shoulder height (shoulder is better for artistic value) and if they go above this height you have not executed the correct move.

If you don't mind, what was it about the stances that was considered poor?

[DWx]

I talk about not really concerning myself with someone else's pace of a form. I do mine like I've been taught, and how I feel comfortable with how I think the moves flow and work together.

Yep totally agree with this. Do whats right by you and your school then you have nothing to worry about! All this is very dependant on why you are practicing the kata in the first place: what are you hoping to develop our improve by doing it? That should dictate how you should practice.

[Harkon72]

I felt that the alignment of the stances were poor, there was no focus or poise in the stance. The best way I can describe a good stance is that there is a good ground to foot to leg to hip to spine to head energy transfer. Only then can there be an efficient transfer of force. At the point of impact, in my view, a ground to impact point transition of energy has to exist, even in jumping kicks, the torque of the spine and hips must have their root in strong posture. When I see "bouncing" stances and breath control that is timed into the kata and has no reflection on the true effort made in the technique, then alarm bells start to ring I'm afraid. Karate is all about energy transfer, we move it from the ground by good focus of breath and synchronized dynamics of our body. Okinawan Karate has few head height kicks, we believe the higher you kick, the more energy you waste. I would rather drop my opponent with a thigh kick than attempt to take off his head with my groin in the air. There is a clash of styles here, even a difference in culture; but as I always say - I Live and Learn.

[Hawkmoon]

There's a lot of snuffing and puffing going on there! It never really existed in most of Shurite kata from which these are derived so - what's that all about?

If you can search for Kyokushins 'Sanchin kata with ibuki....thats fun...its breathing as well like DWx offeres.

'That' kata has created a stir or two in other associations 'open' competition and scored low as it appears to be short small and ...noisy!