What is a Kata? Well in simple terms a Kata is a combination of fighting techniques and moves that are a specific area of training often found within the more traditional martial arts like Taekwondo, Kung Fu and Karate, for example, and also interlinks with stance training at the same time.
So you have learned to do a Kata, (set form), and you can even perform all the techniques correctly? You can even do it at speed and with the required power behind the moves? So far so good. But can you do it with imagination. Kata of course is a practice routine that develops techniques and moves in a combination of ways but the final part is then not to look at how you do the moves and techniques but also to look outwardly at your imaginary opponent so that you can visualize your blocks and strikes against such an imaginary opponents’ attacking actions as you do so. In fact at the final stage of learning a kata you are not looking at yourself and looking at your blocking arm or strike but in fact you are looking at your imaginary opponent in just the same way as if it was for real. When you get to that part of it all and have mastered doing that all the way through then you have reached the required final stage. As for those who look for so-called hidden techniques within a set form and think of it all as spiritual enlightenment, it really is worth noting that is not the case. Kata is practical, uncomplicated, and totally aimed at technique and movement actions, and I hasten to add good strong and fluid stance work. Many also think, by the way, that only a master from ancient times can develop a kata when in fact anyone can do the same thing, if of course they are experienced enough to know what they are doing. The one part of a set form however that is often totally overlooked and totally lacking, is the stances used while performing this training aid routine. Not by all of course but it is more than noticeable within some styles of martial arts. Focus on stances must also be a vital part of it all. Stances used in any combat situation are of course transitional in nature for the most part as you will be going from one stance to another in a fast and hopefully fluid way but there will be moments in time, when it comes to the real thing, when having physical resistance to hard bone on bone contact that can take you off your feet that strong stances will be required. Simply walking through the moves with what I tend to call 'straight robot legs' will for sure let you down. So that being the case, always bend the knees while going from one stance to another or your physical balance will be at great risk. Even a simple cross step action will require the bending of the knees, take note. So the next time you do a Kata don’t just walk through the set form like a nice relaxing walk in the park but also focus on the various stances that you need to use within the form. On a final note on this subject I always say that learning a Kata must involve mastering many of the individual basic techniques first to a good standard before learning any set form. Upon mastering all those single basics with speed, power and technical accuracy first will make a Kata, (set form), far better to do and learn when the time comes. It also means that learning a Kata at a slow pace can be avoided when the student has already learned to do those things to a good fast standard beforehand. Although having said that, the need to not go full speed at first due to remembering the sequence of moves should be taken into account to a degree. The one thing about learning a Kata is that many in the martial arts do a Kata with many mistakes involved due to not doing it that way first. Bent wrist when blocking or punching are just two of many examples of what I mean. When learning the basic individual techniques first to a good standard then striking and kicking methods and effective fighting stances will be a good core factor and a good starting point for when learning a Kata for the first time. For a related article click >HERE< Comments are closed.
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