Kata - Part 1

This is Part 1 of a 3-part blog entry. It was co-authored with Neil MacInnis

Are you unsure of what the point of Kata is, why it is important, and how to get the most benefit from its practice?
 
The internet abounds with hints, tips and strategies for perfecting kicks, punches, and blocks but information and guidance on kata is fairly lacking. Various interpretations of what the moves “mean” in relation to self-defence can be found, but is kata really just a recipe book of techniques strung together to form an imaginary scenario?
 
Kata is one of the three core practises of karate, along with Kihon (repetitive solo practise) and Kumite (partner practise). At its most basic, kata is a series of turns, strikes, blocks, etc., that are completed in a choreographed sequence, but it is also more than that. It is also a mental exercise and a way to learn how to develop body awareness.
 
Almost every school of Japanese karate has their own take on the kata as laid out in Karate-Do Kyohan, the definitive text by Gichin Funakoshi. In Shōtōkai the forms of the kata stay largely true to the written descriptions       found there, although some elements of the kata were modified to better correspond to key Shotokai concepts such as always maintaining a relaxed body condition. Because of this, not all the advice in this article will be fully relevant to practitioners of other styles—even though there may still be some points of interest for them.
 
The goal of kata is to train one’s body and mind—learning how the body works and how to fully focus on the movements. In Shōtōkai the Kata is done with all moves at more or less the same speed, versus the rapid and slow combinations of speeds found in many other schools. There is a continual focus on measured movement throughout; each technique is concluded individually but linked to the motions before and after. It should flow. Most of the time we practice the kata relatively slowly to be able to concentrate on the details of the movements and weight shifts. Even the most basic techniques should involve an awareness of the elements such as torso rotation, use of the elbows, engagement of the hips, pressure in the knees, etc. We want to feel the kata as we move through it.

Part 2 of this blog entry will offer a list of in-depth suggestions on how to improve your kata.