Kata, hundreds of years of martial wisdom or cultural dances

[Tote]

I wrote 3 or 4 posts on another thread about this but it was deleted for no reason I can think of.

 

Do you think kata are useful pieces of information or just simple dances? Please list reasons why you feel kata has or will affect you martial arts ability. (If you can please define words that are not in English)

 

I believe kata are nothing more then cardio dancing for tough guys/girls in white pajamas.

[Hohan-1]

What kata from what style? Japanese and Korean karate? Yes, almost entirely useless except for physical fitness. Okinawan or Chinese? No, it is the vehicle of knowledge and technique transfer.

 

Does that answer your query?

[Sasori_Te]

I agree, let's get rid of kata, bowing and the uniforms too. We can all come to class in sweats, shake hands, beat each other senseless with whatever might be handy and go home. Sounds like fun, but it's not karate.

[shotokanwarrior]

I agree with sasori-te, you can enroll in a mma class or jeet kune do and go in there and work out, I have nothing against that. Thoes of us who enjoy karate love it for the art and the way of life, to me self defense is way different than fighting. There are techniques in kata that work very well and if you do bunki it will all make sense.

[Tibby]

I'm with Sasori_Te. If you just want to kick and punch people, join Kick boxing, Karate has elements of Tradition to it.

 

Plus, it helps with Muscle memory and technique.

[gheinisch]

Count me in with Sasori. I believe that kata is 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. IMHO G95Champ has submitted a good article (see articles section above) about kata. It's a very good read, check it out.

[ninjanurse]

Everything you need to know are in the katas.

 

[Sasori_Te]

I've trained with Master Jiro Shiroma in Phoenix. He has changed his entire opinion of what he thought martial arts should be. He's started teaching kick boxing and Thai boxing in his classes along with Brazilian Jujitsu. But you know what? He still does the Shorin Ryu katas. He still gets his inspiration there. At least he did the last time I was there about a year ago.

[Black Dragon]

Pay close attention to those who have good form in their katas, they are usually the best fighters also.

[alanseijas]

Kata is a necessary training tool that promotes good stances, technique, memory, concentration, form, etc.....