is kata worth the time

[LeaF]

kata is extremely important, it may even be argued that it is more important that sparring. If one can understand the bunkai (application) behaind the kata, and master it's essence, you will never have to fight a battle. It is interesting that several people on this forum seem to believe that you can have an art without kata, but not without sparing. An art can be extremely effective without ever sparring. For example, in okinawa they don't spar. Traditionally none of the okinawan arts invovled sparing that was added due to japanese influence. So I guess this means all those karate masters couldn't defend themselves, and according to zero they were not even martial artists! Another example can be found in china. Take a look at the shoalin monks, they don't spar (they have their own forms simular to katas), but yet they are able to perform increditable feats of strenght, power, and agility, and you would be a fool to say they can't take care of themselves. It is very important to understand the bunkai and application of the movements, or else they will just be a mere dance. The kata can teach you balence, distance, timing, technique (how to effectively punch, kick, and commit numerous strikes), It's breating can keep your mind in focus so that when a situation of severity occurs your mind will be ready, it increases your reation speed and your ability to react to different situations, we must be able to adapt these kata to different situations, it concentrates and focuses your ki giving you highened awareness and prevalence and again it is not merely a dance. It is very important to visualize your oppentants before you and see yourself commiting the attacks upon them. So as you originally said, I do agree that if left on an island and you just praticed katas, you could easily be one of the best fighters there is if you understand what you are doing. So as you can see the lessons found in kata are invaluable, and some cannot even be taught in sparring, if that could ever be possible!

if you just do kata your just an artist not a martial artist.

 

No Zero, if you just sparr you are not a martial artist, just a fighter. Katas are not just dances, there is some martial value to them believe it or not.

[ZeRo]

ok maybe i should rephrase that, without knowledge of the applications of the movements of kata you are just an artist. but to fully know when to use the movements IMO you need to spar and try them out.

[LeaF]

lol very well perhaps I got a little over emotional on this topic

[ZeRo]

s'ok i can understand what you were saying and to some extent i agree:) but i can see how you got the wrong end of what i was trying to say. hope we got that cleared up

[Kensai]

Leaf,

 

If an MA has no kata it does not make it any less a Martial Art.

 

This sort of art snobbery (which I am also guitly of) gets us nowhere.

 

If someone blindly follows kata, not understanding the intensions of the movements, then it is a dance. Dance does all the things you said above about power and balance etc. The difference between the Congo and Heian Sandan is that fact that Heian Sandan teachs you to break arms the Congo does'nt.

 

 

*Disclaimer, sorry for poor grammer, very tired, plus Judo and CHOKES, I can barely turn my head enough to read across the screen.*

Edited February 17, 2003 by Kensai

[jiu-jitsu fighter]

exactly what kirves said, if you do exercies and drills using the katas and learn how they work and spar and not just do the kata all the time by yourself, than there are benefits

[gheinisch]

Katas are the essence of Karate, without them Karate would be the mere learning of various fighting and self-defense techniques, expressing nothing and allowing for no aesthetic development. Katas are the distilled concentrated wisdom, understanding, and experience of hundreds of great karate peak awareness. When one begins to understand them one glimpses a new world of untold internal riches. The primary meaning of the kata is for the performer himself. If he is unable to immerse himself in the kata and so release his emotions, or life force, a master will say of the performer that he is still "in the dance", that is, unable to emote or express his feelings at will. This poignant karate saying has an even more profound when the sensei refers to a student "coming out of the dance". This is the highest compliment one can recieve. The eventual perfection of the katas lead not only to mastery of the basic forms and techniques, but also to physical and spiritual sensitivity and to complete control of all parts of the body.

 

A good Karateka first develops his katas to perfection and later perfects his Jul-Kumite (sparring) ability.

 

The above is a small portion from my Hon-Shin-Do handbook. I believe katas train your body to act without thinking which is important in a real conflict senario. It only takes a split second of hesitation and you'll be picking yourself up off the ground (if your lucky). One must act without thinking.

 

That's my opinion.

 

Greg

[Venezolano]

I have some point of views about Kata's

 

I like Kata's, they look good, but in what i'm not agree with the MA that practice them, is that many loss many time practicing them and don't spar, or get belts only by know all katas :S

[Shotokan_Fighter]

to me kata is not a waste of time im in a style that is all about kata i really like it and i just got my purple belt so i am learning a whole new kata now it is heian gondan

 

tahnks for the replys

[TJS]

I would prefer to shadow box any day of the week.