What are some go-to kata workouts/routines?

[username19853]

My body seems to go through random periods of being severely prone to injuries. Whenever this happens, I put my focus back on kata until I can pick up the pace again.

So, how do you practice kata? I have a few ideas:

One Step Kata

- Do the first move from the kata, reset. Do the first two moves, reset. Then the first 3 moves, etc. (got this one from The great Noah Legal)

Straight kata

- each kata, X amount of times.

Focused kata

- picking one kata to focus on and do multiple times. I’d probably it still run through each kata once just to get in the repetitions.

Partner kata (if only I had a partner)

- one karateka holds pads for the other karateka to strike while they perform the each movement from the kata.

That’s really all I’ve got! If you have any other ways you enjoy practicing kata, I’d love to hear it.

[sensei8]

In addition to your methods of Kata training, which are solid training tools, I;ve a few to offer...

1. Backwards Kata. If I can do said Kata backwards effortlessly, then I can do it forwards. This has helped me to remember said Kata, especially the far challenged ones, like Unsu.

2. Spot Kata. By starting at any given point of said Kata, I can, in my mind, correlate what's now behind me, and what's next before me in said Kata.

3. Next Card Kata. This can be used with the Spot Kata drill. Take a deck of cards that have been shuffled, and by taking one playing card at a time, I start said Kata at that very point, and then finish that said Kata. OR...I can do just that many steps of said Kata from the start, depending on the face value of the playing card. OR...I go backwards from that exact point of said Kata.

4. Blindfold Kata. I wear a blindfold, then while wearing the blindfold, I do the entire Kata. To add to that, I do same said Kata while on the embusen. Either way, at the end, I take off the blindfold, I then can see how much I wandered here and there, off the beaten path.

Know this though, these drills are both fun and effective for the purpose of learning/memorizing said Kata...nothing else.

[gspell68]

Doing kata slow without power, fast as possible without power, mirror image (starting to the right instead of left, gives a chance to exercise complicated moves on the other side that may only happen once in a kata).

[Miick 11]

My body seems to go through random periods of being severely prone to injuries. Whenever this happens, I put my focus back on kata until I can pick up the pace again.

So, how do you practice kata? I have a few ideas:

One Step Kata

- Do the first move from the kata, reset. Do the first two moves, reset. Then the first 3 moves, etc. (got this one from The great Noah Legal)

That is exactly how I teach kata ! People have trouble learning in class as there is never a breakdown , the whole kata is done . So I teach them , in my lessons , like this :

" Show me the first move 3 times , no mistake ." Then I add the next move . Even if they are up to 8 moves and they are doing it the third time and make a mistake , " Nope, do it 3 times again , when they do THEN the next move is added .

One guy after 6 months still did not know Niharchin Shodan ! he was amazed that he learned it after 20 mins with this method .

Straight kata

- each kata, X amount of times.

Focused kata

- picking one kata to focus on and do multiple times. I’d probably it still run through each kata once just to get in the repetitions.

Partner kata (if only I had a partner)

- one karateka holds pads for the other karateka to strike while they perform the each movement from the kata.

That’s really all I’ve got! If you have any other ways you enjoy practicing kata, I’d love to hear it.

Oh yeah .... but they arent reall 'doing kata' as such . Here is one ; look at a kata and its main technique Eg In our goju-shiho , its a crane form PART of its main techniques , the , wings , beak and neck of 'the crane' are used . So 'sparing ' ( here more like 'flow drill' ie, slower , precise, telegraphed, to an extent , so as not to 'get a point ' but explore technique ) is done with one only using those techniques .

" You ! Fight him ... but only use techniques from Chinto ." - it a very interesting exercise .

Here is an example of 'flow drill ' ;

( Ahhhh .... Sikiran ! I did it my youth )

[Miick 11]

Doing kata slow without power, fast as possible without power, mirror image (starting to the right instead of left, gives a chance to exercise complicated moves on the other side that may only happen once in a kata).

Did you know that if you are teaching any of the Niharchin forms ( 1 - 3 ) , you can stand facing the students and do them in reverse and if the students copy your moves they will be doing it the right way around .

Its a 'mirror image ' kata

[ashworth]

1. Backwards Kata. If I can do said Kata backwards effortlessly, then I can do it forwards. This has helped me to remember said Kata, especially the far challenged ones, like Unsu.

Interesting to know how you approach the jump using this method. I have done basic Heian Kata backwards, but haven't ventured into doing kata like Unsu this way...

[tatsujin]

I have to say, I very much like the idea of being able to do the kata backwards...especially in the teaching role.

Folks tend to "know" the kata, but not really KNOW the kata. I am sure that probably does not make sense...

I have found that people will learn the rote movements, but not really learn the "flow" or what is really happening in the kata. By way of example, back when I was in school, we might have to memorize a poem or a part of the poem and then, usually, be able to recite it back to the class. So, people might learn the poem and be able to say the words but they didn't understand what was being said and why, the inflection was missing, etc. I find the same to be true with kata. They learn the muscle memory of the kata and can do movement 1 to "X" from beginning to end. When you can do it backwards, it helps to understand some of the principles that are being taught and the "flow" that is (hopefully) being done. All in all, I have found this to be a great teaching tool.

[sensei8]

1. Backwards Kata. If I can do said Kata backwards effortlessly, then I can do it forwards. This has helped me to remember said Kata, especially the far challenged ones, like Unsu.

Interesting to know how you approach the jump using this method. I have done basic Heian Kata backwards, but haven't ventured into doing kata like Unsu this way...

Well, I don't do that jump backwards, that's for sure, so whenever I reach that point, I just turn around and assume the landing position because I'm the furthest thing from being a member of the famed Cirque du Soleil, who I'm quite sure that they can do that jump backwards with ease...I mean it took me quite some time to learn how to do it forwards.

[tatsujin]

I especially like the method of doing the kata like Taijiquan (太极拳). That is, doing them slowly with no power or tension. Why? Because I think the true or main purpose(s) of the kata is twofold. One is to develop and understand the concepts of gamaku and chinkuchi.

Gamaku (ガマ) is an Okinawan term or concept of where (and how) power is generated from. Generally speaking, the body's center (although, that is a bit of an oversimplification). You'll see other terms for this like as koshi (腰) in Japanese and kua (胯) in the Chinese arts (primarily Taijiquan, Baguazhang and Xingyiquan).

Chinkuchi (チンクチ) is another Okinawan term or concept for a large "power"

that can be demonstrated in just "a little bit" of movement. Think along the lines of fajin (發勁) from the Chinese internal martial arts.

For a Western approach that does not take the concept of qi (ki or chi) into account, this is very helpful in being able to "feel" and train the proper closed kinetic chains that are used to develop, move and finally express power in the techniques (in this case of the kata).

By way of example...in Taijiquan, the opening of the form is usually called "commencement" or some variation of that (起势 - Qǐshì). for many folks, it is often overlooked, but should not be. In Taijiquan, it is taught that there are "eight gates" (八門 - bamen). These "gates" are the eight ( ways of directing power within the body. The four (4) primary "gates" are peng (ward off - 掤), lu (履 - roll back), ji (擠 - press) and an (按 - push). All four of these primary gates are used in "commencement". You could teach a long seminar just on commencement...but that is another story.

So the point here is to not make karate Taijiquan. Or to make karate an "internal" art (it is not an internal art). But, the slow motion aspect of this does allow us to learn how power is generated at the feet or from the ground, issued through the leg(s), directed through the waist and expressed at the fingers. This cannot be learned by doing the kata full power with full speed. Only through this broken down slow speed does it allow us to concentrate on these particular aspects.

I personally think that one of the major downsides to how "karate" is generally taught in modern times is that power (or, if you prefer, the force generated by a technique) is really only taught via local muscular generation and not through proper closed kinetic chains. This whole process is, generally, learned through a process of trial and error and is only obtained (for most) far down the training timeline. In doing the kata in a slow and relaxed manner (concentrating on the coordination of the muscle/fascia chains) gives you a great head start in achieving the overall goal of the katas.

Your mileage may vary of course...