Kata tells you “NO” all day long. It mocks you over and over, telling you “you’re an idiot”. It seems simple; “straighten the back leg as you land in stance”, “keep the hips square, the wrist straight, just move that little faster, stay the same height, elbow stays in…” and so on.

As elementary as it sounds, arduous is the task of having the body carry out these specific actions. We may make the same errors repeatedly or never be quite happy with our speed, snap, fluidity or flexibility. Finding ourselves being mocked by our kata time and time again can be frustrating. Beyond this, we practice hard, becoming accustomed to burning legs and rips in our feet. Does this stop us? No. We persist and soon our feet have rips within rips.

All this work and what is our reward? Our Kata continues to mock us, our instructors harbour a myriad of constructive criticisms, and after giving our all in tournaments, the judge’s score says, “You’ve got a long way to go”.

Is it not surprising that some karate-ka take a disliking to kata, heavily favouring kumite? Kumite, by comparison, does not mock. By-and-large, a block is a block and a punch is a punch. Upon scoring on our opponent, our stance may be slightly off or technique slightly flawed; yet we still feel vindication due to our technique getting in. Some might argue, is this not what matters most?

If kata mocks us all, beginner and master alike, why then do some adore it while others fear it? The answer lies in the way we perceive its mockery; the way in which we perceive our journey of karate.

A Path To Follow 

For practically every technique in kata, we are provided with clear explanation and detail: The position and angle of our feet, legs, knees, hips, shoulders, arms, hands etc. Within a brief period, we become aware of the perfect execution and upon establishing this picture in our mind’s eye, we set about turning our perfect mental picture into a physical reality. From here, whether we become a kata lover or loather largely depends on our perception.

Perfection Is Impossible

The goal of kata is perfection and while we see this in our mind, the downside is that perfection is impossible. We can always be better technically – faster, stronger, more fluent – making perfection a pipedream.

Let’s examine the first side-kick technique in kata, Kanku-dai.

Demonstration of the side kick in Kanku-Dai

• The foot must come up to knee then extend out (not below the knee, not above).
• Next it must travel in a straight line (not curve up) to the point of contact where the foot must be shaped correctly (big toe up, blade pointing out).
• Meanwhile, the returning hand must pull tightly back on the floating ribs (not too high or low) and the other arm parallel to the kicking leg.
• After kicking, the foot must come back into a straight line (not collapse down) before moving into a back leaning stance (weight two thirds back, feet perpendicular, knees bent, hands)…

One could write an essay on this one count alone; this is a highly summarised version. And I was only covering one count in the Kata.

Any deviation from this (in any of the areas) and we have made a mistake. In a tournament, a judge might take off 0.1. Now try doing that at explosive speed, where you are pushing your limits. And then the fact you may have to do it in a tournament, in front of everyone, or a grading where your performance is determining whether you grade or not. Ouch!

For Some, Frustration Builds

Are we sadists? What person aims for perfection knowing it to be impossible? What person starts on a journey that can never be finished?

Despite perfection being a pipedream, our instructors still push us toward it and we are always judged in comparison to it. So as years pass and we progress consistently, each session we are still told, “No”. This constant reminder that we are not perfect, and constant focus on kata’s mockery leads to frustration and is the underlying factor behind kata loathers.

In addition, this mockery can cause havoc on the self-esteem with many regularly talking their ability down, “I’m no good at kata”, “I will never be good at kata”.

Perception Is Reality 

Cue the kata lover. Still far from perfect, still constantly mocked, still pursuing a pipedream, yet sporting a different perspective. These are people who embrace that perfection is unattainable, and find joy and satisfaction by chipping away at their flaws and improving inch by inch.

There is an old adage, ‘Our perception creates our reality’. Take two students who are both told that five or six things need work. One student focuses on the fact that they are still flawed, which leads to frustration and a ‘why bother’ attitude. The other finds joy in making a small number of errors. Think back to school, many of us were delighted to achieve 80% in an exam. Similarly, 5-6 errors in a kata with over 35 moves means about 80% was good. But we don’t focus on this; we focus on the parts we got wrong.

You might argue this is because it is the same test every time. True but it’s a test where 100% is impossible – especially when you’re pushing your limits. This second student also finds the 5-6 points as constructive feedback – even if they have heard it before – in their quest for improvement.

The keyword here is ‘improvement’. Kata lovers focus on this word while those who become frustrated focus on unattainable perfection.

Perfection Is Nothing More Than Enticement 

So while kata mocks without prejudice, those who focus on this and take it personally, those who become increasingly frustrated with their inability to make a physical reality of their mental picture will be those who are worn down by kata. Alternatively, those who perceive kata to be a journey, a destination that cannot be reached but one that simply exists to entice you to continuously work on your technique and make small incremental improvements will be those who enjoy it and flourish.

So don’t be bogged down by an impossible mission of perfection. Why would you even want to be perfect, what then would you have to work on?

By Sensei Nik Jones

Further Reading:

• Expert Tips for Perseverance 
• 10 Signs You May be a Perfectionist
• What is Perfection

The post Kata: Our Perception Of Perfection appeared first on GKR Karate.

The GKR Karate Kata Training Video Collection is now available to purchase from our Online Dojo!

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE THE KATA VIDEO COLLECTION

Kata, often viewed as the artistic dimension of karate, encompasses much more than its aesthetic appeal. These formalized sequences represent a comprehensive range of martial techniques, including striking, blocking, grappling, throwing, and sweeping, making them a cornerstone of traditional karate training. Kata practice is not just about mastering these movements; it’s about weaving them into a coherent strategy that simulates real-life combat scenarios. Click here to learn more about Kata.

Practising kata offers a multifaceted physical workout that enhances endurance, strength, and explosive speed. It also focuses on developing correct posture, coordination, flexibility, and controlled breathing. These elements are crucial for anyone looking to improve their physical fitness and martial arts proficiency. Beyond the physical, kata practice is deeply mental, aiming to fortify a practitioner’s concentration, self-discipline, and resilience.

Within the GKR Karate curriculum, there are 15 distinct kata, each integrated into the grading syllabus. These kata vary not only in the techniques they encompass but also in the philosophies they embody. The diverse array of offensive and defensive moves, with varied stances and directional flows, gives each kata a unique character and set of challenges. This variety ensures practitioners develop a well-rounded skill set, prepared for different self-defence scenarios and enriched by deep-rooted combat strategies known as ninjutsu.

As karate students progress through different levels, the kata becomes increasingly complex and demanding, offering a richer, more engaging experience. What starts as a straightforward learning sequence becomes a deep and intricate exploration of martial arts. Mastering a single kata is a significant achievement for beginners, prompting them to eagerly move on to the next. However, advanced students recognize that with each kata comes deeper layers of understanding and skill, suggesting mastery is not an endpoint but a continuous journey.

This ongoing journey through kata is what makes it a lifelong adventure in the world of karate. Every repeated practice unveils new insights and refinement opportunities, making kata a perpetual challenge that sharpens body and mind. As students delve deeper into each sequence, they realize that the more they learn, the more there remains to discover. Embodying the true spirit of martial arts: endless improvement and relentless pursuit of excellence.

Click here to purchase your lifetime subscription to the Kata video collection. 

Related Articles 

Understanding Kata And Its Relationship To Bunkai 
Why Kata Is An Integral Part of Karate 

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With State/Zone Titles coming up featuring many children competing in a tournament for the first time, we wanted to put together a list of ways that children can improve their chances of getting a medal.

Here are some tips for tournaments that are sure to help their performance.

Tournament Kata Tips

When you do kata, you are not only being judged on your technique. There are other things that the judges are looking for, so keep in mind the following:

Look Sharp

Looking neat and tidy will give the judges a good impression, and it will also help your confidence. Be sure to have mum or dad give you a clean, ironed gi. If you have long hair, have it tied back neatly and try to keep your fringe out of your eyes.

Finally, tie your belt nicely so that both ends hanging down are the same length.

Louder Is Better

Most of you would be used to your parents telling you to keep your voices down. The good news is that in the tournament ring, these rules don’t apply, in fact, in a tournament, louder is better!

When you hear the judge call out your name to come up and perform, respond very loudly with “Hai” as you get up. When you enter the ring and call out the name of your kata, call it out very loud and clear. This tells the judge that you are confident, and when it’s time to kiai in your kata, do it so loud that everyone at the tournament hears you.

Put On Your Kata Face

One thing the judges are looking at is your focus. The better your focus the better the score they will give you. You can show them that you have good focus by putting on your ‘kata face’.  This is one of serious concentration, and NEVER looking around. When you finish your kata, stand still (without fidgeting) while waiting for your score.

Get Down Low And Go, Go, Go

Sometimes we do all our punches and kicks as fast as we can but we forget about our stances.

When the judges are deciding what score to give you, they pay close attention to your stances. Make the decision that before you go up, you will try your hardest to do the longest, lowest and neatest stances you can do.

Be A Good Sport

Manners and respect are important parts of karate. So when you are at a tournament, after each person has completed their kata, be sure to join in and clap and cheer for them. Even if you don’t know them, it shows everyone that you are a good sport. Plus I’m sure they tried his or her hardest and for that, they deserve your applause.

Finally, if you get a medal, that is awesome. But if you don’t get a medal, don’t worry, because as long as you tried your best then you should be proud of yourself and happy.

Tournament Kumite Tips

To Do Well, You Need Energy

Kumite requires lots of energy so be sure to get a good night’s sleep and have a good breakfast. Even if you are a little nervous and don’t feel hungry, eat a bowl of cereal anyway. Also, pack a bottle of water or Gatorade to bring with you to sip between rounds.

Pull Your Punches

It’s not how many punches you throw that scores you points, it’s the quality of your punches. If you want to score points, make sure that after every punch you pull your hand back to your hips.

Kiai Loudly

Every time you punch, you need to yell out a nice, loud kiai. This tells the judge that you were trying your best to punch hard and fast. If you forget to kiai, your point won’t be scored.

Step Forward When You Punch

The most common reason that kids don’t score is that they are too far away from each other. The trick is to take a big step forward with your front foot each time you punch. This will get you close enough to score… but remember it’s non-contact! Another trick is to step forward after each kick.

Keep Up Your Guard

When competing, you have two goals. To try and score points for yourself AND to stop your opponent from scoring points. This is where your guard comes in. You need to keep your guard up high and out from your body. When your opponent throws a punch, move your guard to block as fast as you can.

Have Fun!

Whether you win or lose is not as important as to whether or not you tried your hardest and had a great time. So decide before you start that you are competing for fun. Winning is just a bonus!

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Preparing for a Major Tournament

As the 10th GKR Karate World Cup is drawing closer, we take a look at the story of David and Goliath, which if studied, can unlock principles that can help us to take on our own ‘Goliath’ and win.

David was the youngest of eight sons. He took care of his father’s sheep and, at times, would bravely fight off wild animals that tried to eat his flock. David was fit and strong and as he cared deeply for his sheep, he developed his martial arts prowess through necessity, by way of the sling-shot and practised regularly for the safety of his sheep. Once he killed a lion, and another time, a bear that was carrying away a lamb.

David’s three oldest brothers were soldiers in the army of King Saul. His country of Israel was in a desperate battle against the army of the Philistines. Both armies were camped for many months despite no fighting taking place. This was because both armies were weary and had no real desire for battle. One day David was asked to take food to his brothers on the battlefront. When he arrived, a Philistine giant named Goliath, marched up the hill and yelled to the soldiers of Israel “Choose a man from among you to come fight me. If he can kill me, the Philistines will be your servants. If I kill him, all of you will become servants of the Philistines”. This thundering giant who stood over 9 feet tall struck fear into the hearts of King Saul’s soldiers and the entire army fled, including David.

This went on for days where Goliath challenged the army and no-one accepted. So King Saul offered an incentive, that he who killed Goliath would become a Prince and marry Saul’s daughter. Still, no soldier took up the challenge, focusing not on the reward, but on the certain death that awaited anyone who took on Goliath.

Yet David found much incentive in the title of Prince, marrying a princess and saving his country from war. He had taken up the sling-shot for the self-defence of his sheep, but now it could do far more. So David walked out to face Goliath, carrying with him only his sling and five smooth stones. Breathing a quick prayer, David placed a stone in his sling, drew back his well-trained hand and slung the stone quickly straight into the forehead of the giant. The giant fell face down onto the ground and David ran quickly to his form, grasped the sword from Goliath’s sheath and finished the task. The Philistine army fled in panic for they knew the promise Goliath had made and the people of Israel shouted, danced and sang for joy because of David’s victory.

SO WHAT PRINCIPLES CAN WE TAKE FROM THIS STORY?

Anyone Can Win

David had only ever taken up his martial art for the self-defence of his sheep. He was no war trained-solider, but still had the tools required. Likewise, while you may not have tournament experience or train specifically for tournaments, this by no means says you cannot prevail. You receive all the necessary tools to win, just by training in your dojo.

Perfect Your Arsenal

David had no elaborate array of arsenal. He had his sling-shot. Yet in a second he had killed a giant and won a war. Winning a kumite title is not dissimilar as it does not require all the techniques, just a carefully selected few, or even one (as in David’s case). Bruce Lee always said the two most important ingredients for sparring are ‘timing’ and ‘distance’. A carefully timed, well-placed and clean technique can win any confrontation. Don’t go to work on sixty different techniques. Instead, focus your energies into developing a few attacks and counters and then perfect them through massive repetition and analysis. Aim to minimise telegraphing by every millimetre and develop explosive speed and you are on your way.

Road Test It

David knew he could kill Goliath because he had killed a lion and a bear. Nothing will prepare you better than hours spent road testing your techniques in a tournament scenario. Whether during, before or after class, or even at home with fellow students, make time to tournament spar every week. Create a ring so you are comfortable sparring in a confined space and be strict on all the scoring criteria: form; Kime; stance; control etc.

Develop Your Body

Much is written for kumite on developing self-belief, and for good reason (visualisation, affirmation etc). Developing your body is not only for physical sake, but yet another way to strengthen this. By taking up a physical exercise routine (running, strength training etc) the physical improvements may only be minimal, but the mental benefits are often enormous with new-found confidence. Before taking up the sling-shot, David had to wrestle wild animals. He had a fit, strong body which gave him confidence to do so.

Purely from a physical viewpoint, when the body is tired, the mind soon follows. When the body is weak, the mind will be weak. For every second you are thinking about your tired legs then that is a second you are not thinking about your tactics or your opponent. If a tournament bout runs for two minutes, practise your tournament sparring in four-minute intervals. Become so used to going well beyond time, that come the day, focusing for the entire two minutes is easy.

It Starts With An Incentive

The first time Goliath challenged the Israeli army, all fled, including David. It was not until David had the incentive of the title of Prince that he decided to take on Goliath. An ardently desired goal will move you to train harder, train more often and face your fears. While David focused on the title of Prince, focus on the title of World Champion.

Focus also on what it will make of you, just by doing the training – do this and you will be disciplined. Focus on the sacrifice required or the thought of losing and you will lack the discipline. It is said in life, we live either with discipline, or we live with regret.

Entry to the 2019 GKR Karate World Cup is now open!  For more information regarding the most prestigious event on the GKR Karate calendar, including location, dates and qualification criteria – head to the event page here 

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Kumite: More than Sport

I hope this article speaks volumes to you and succeeds in opening your mind to something bigger than the dojo or tournaments. Regardless of our prowess in kumite, always keep in mind the first aim and purpose of karate is self-defence. This is an important mindset to adopt in your karate.

So for the moment, discard your concept of sparring and draw your attention to a hypothetical real-life confrontation. In most cases, it is the attacker who will initiate the first strike. With this in mind, it is the karate-ka who has taken the time to develop a sound defensive ability that would most likely walk away unharmed. They may not rule their dojo and may lack the prestigious tournament accolades, yet they succeeded when it mattered most.

Please do not mistake my intentions here. I am taking nothing away from those people who have worked hard and won tournaments. Nor am I suggesting that people should spend all their kumite time working on defence. You will have no argument from me that attacking is vital and getting in first is often a wise move – especially in situations involving multiple attackers. Ultimately that is a judgment call based on the situation at hand.

I deeply care about the well-being of all students and hope that all can grasp the concept that sparring is more than a sport. While it is to be enjoyed, it is imperative that sparring has a sense of realness behind it and that we aim to develop a balanced ability in attack and defence. However, this article was conceived through the observation that most students are far more apt in their attacking. I believe one reason for this is that people tend to gravitate towards those things they are good at and avoid those areas where they struggle. To start with, there is no substitute for practice. You may not be proficient in your defence but as long as you appreciate its relevance, you will commit to its practice.

By sharing some important points on defence, I hope to speed up your process of turning a weak defence into success. For many students, during kumite, their primary objective is to attack and get in first. This results in the development of solid, fluent attacking combinations. Perhaps they have the strongest kumite in their dojo or even go on to win a number of tournaments – fantastic! And, while their blocking and counter-striking abilities are often quite limited, they often disregard this weakness in their sparring…after-all, they are dominating in the dojo and in tournaments anyway. To add to this, there is that old cliché “The best defence is a strong offense”.

Stance Counts

Have you ever forbade yourself from moving backward and insisted to yourself that you will stand your ground and block – only to find yourself retreating each time?

Where this could be a number of reasons, it is often a symptom of a sparring stance too short and too high. Many people have a sparring stance that barely extends one shoulder width and virtually no bend in their knees. This results in a high center of gravity, a widely exposed target area and equally important, has absolutely no strength.

Your subconscious will be aware of this and in the face of an attack, will start to retreat backwards – despite your insistence to stand your ground.

Most good counter-attackers will hold a stance at least one shoulder-width long (or one and a half for taller people who have a higher center of gravity) and have their knees well bent. This creates strength and minimizes your opponent’s target area. You should feel quite strong and stable in your stance. You should feel you can move fast, but equally can be steadfast.

A way to practice this and develop confidence is to stand in sparring stance and have someone try to push you backward. You will, over time, develop the body balance and strength to hold your ground.

Angle Counts 

Another reason people struggle with defence is that they stand too square (front-on) as opposed to standing on a 45 degree angle. This bad habit, often spawned by desire to facilitate an attacking reverse punch, requires correcting for two reasons. Firstly, while the attacking reverse punch may come out more easily, it will have less power than if it were to come from a 45 degree angle as the hips are not contributing to the punch’s power. However, for this topic, let us look at its adverse effects on our defence – both mentally and physically.

Most of the vital areas of the body are found down its middle (from the eyes, nose, jaw, throat, solar plexus, stomach and groin). It is inherent to human nature to be aware of these areas, and when faced with danger, our natural reaction in to turn away or go into a fetal position – two traits that detract from karate spirit and ability.

Physically it is far more difficult to protect an open (square) body than it is to protect one turned off. When our stance is on a 45 degree angle, there is less surface area to cover.

Guard Counts

Every person’s guard during kumite communicates. It either says, “stay away, there is no room for your techniques here” or it says “come on in because I won’t stop you”.  What does your guard communicate?

When an opponent sees targets everywhere, they will have more confidence to attack – and with confidence comes competence. When an opponent cannot seem to find any holes or easily see any targets in your guard they will hesitate and attack with less conviction. Your guard is like your fortress and like any good fortress, it best keeps away attackers by its discouraging appearance.

• Stand on a 45 degree angle.
• Hold your front hand higher (around throat height) making it easier to protect your head or attack with a lunge punch.
• Hold your back hand lower (around solar plexus height) making it easier to both protect your body and launch a reverse punch.
• Keep your hands out from your body. This gives you more time to block, enables you to meet an attacking limb further out from your body (where it has less power) and gives your opponent less visible targets.

Reading Your Opponent

Another reason many have a lack lustre defence is due to the old adage that ‘action is faster than reaction’. Because this is very true, and most realize it in sparring, they opt to attack whenever possible. When it comes to sparring, the fatal flaw to this theory is that to the careful observer, the first action is rarely an attack. Actually, most people’s first action is to move into an attacking position before launching their onslaught. For example, a split second before punching they might bring their hand in towards their body, or lower their stance, or suck in a deep breath etc. This split second is the time required for you to react to their attack.

When sparring, become a careful observer to those you are sparring. Try to read their body language and look for signals that they are about to pounce.

The Open Fortress 

Most people believe in sparring that the attacker has the advantage. Perhaps it stems from the previous point. However, once you have developed good reflexes and fluent blocks, it is actually the opposite. Think about it…there you both stand with a good guard, poised and ready to throw a powerful punch from your strong stance. Like a game of chess, you both analyse the situation and look for openings. Patience is paramount. One suddenly launches into a lunge punch. Now let’s freeze it there. Here we find one person waiting patiently with their guard (fortress) still in with its walls secure. Front hand ready to block and reverse hand ready to land a powerful blow. Now let’s examine our attacker mid- flight. To attack they must risk opening up their fortress. Their front hand is out (with a punch) but leaving the soft lower ribs vulnerable. What happens next? To the well-practiced defender, it presents an opportunity to deliver a punch to an open fortress. Their front hand defends the oncoming attack and they make the most of the opportunity presented.

By Shihan Anthony Ryan

Related Articles

Preparing For A Major Tournament
Returning To Karate Training After A Break

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Understanding Kata And Its Relationship To Bunkai

While kata is regarded as the ‘art form’ of karate, the original premise behind all kata is self-defense. Behind each technique lies multiple hidden self-defense application/s. The application of the techniques within kata is known as ‘Bunkai’.

Often, when studying or practicing Bunkai, students try to emulate or resemble the kata as close as possible. In other words, they try to achieve the means without compromising the kata – maintaining formal stances, perfect posture etc. The reason many emulate kata to this degree of detail when practising Bunkai, is due to the way they see the development of Kata. A case of the chicken before the egg; students often see the Kata being the original concept (the egg). They see a kata first being developed and only later, after studying the Kata in detail, could a self-defence meaning be unearthed. While this is true in some sense, people who see the Kata as the egg will tend to show the Kata clearly in Bunkai.

“Kata is both a method of self-defence AND an art form. And while it is two things, they do not have to resemble one another.”

This is not how bunkai is intended to be. One must note that kata is both a method of self-defence AND an art form, and while it is two things they do not have to resemble one another. The actuality is this; the self-defence technique was the egg. The karate forefathers had been training in karate for years before introducing their own kata. Over the years they learnt many self-defence techniques, and in that time developed techniques they swore by and may have even used in self-defence. As the years passed they would formulate a kata based on capturing their fighting philosophies. This is why kata can be seen as a study of history and people.

Lets take a few case studies. Sokon ‘Bushi’ Matsumura is regarded as the first person in Okinawa to teach kata Bassai-Dai. He was the Chief bodyguard to the King and responsible for training the King’s guards. Spending time in Royal grounds, the most likely time he or his men would ever need self-defense was when the town’s people would riot. Now let us examine the techniques of Bassai-dai. It involves fast techniques with quick changes in direction (as if negotiating a rioting crowd). The kata, therefore, illustrates his fighting philosophies. To study a kata developed by Chojun Miyagi (founder of Goju Ryu), one can get a look into this famous master’s fighting style and favoured techniques. Even to study Kancho Sullivan’s two original kata, you can clearly see Kancho’s fighting style come out, in other words, the techniques he would be most confident with in self-defence.

Meeting Kata Criteria

The question many ask is, did these masters intend the bunkai to look exactly like the kata? The answer is no. Remember, the kata is not the egg, the technique is. So if a self-defence technique was to be put into kata it had to meet the criteria for a kata. Kata has formalised stances, formalised hand positioning, perfect posture and clean angles (0, 45, 90 degrees etc). So the techniques had to be modified to fit. What’s more, kata is ultimately an art form, so techniques were changed again in their timing. This tells us by the time a self-defence technique made its way into a kata it no longer resembled its original shape.

“Bunkai takes from kata but need not be kata.”

So why would they do this? Why would they not simply stick to teaching self-defence techniques as they were? In many cases self-defence techniques are taught separately – as they can be done. But when it comes to those in kata, there are numerous reasons.

Firstly, the self-defence applications in kata were made abstract purposefully to hide their true meanings. It was unacceptable to teach a novice lethal techniques before they had revealed pure motives for learning. While they learned basic fighting skills in ‘basic training’, the more lethal techniques hidden in kata were only revealed as they developed their true understanding of karate.

Secondly, one aim of karate was self- mastery. With no formalised structure (eg the front knee placed directly over the foot in long forward stance) there would be no way of charting ones progress. By having formalised kata, it was easy to gauge how successfully a practitioner was mastering control over their body.

Thirdly, many of the postures (such as deep stances) in kata were designed for physical conditioning. To be capable of defending one’s self, knowledge only goes so far as the body itself had to be forged into a weapon. It is interesting to note when studying the Japanese symbol for Kata, that the upper part of the symbol ‘Kei’ means punishment. This symbol sits over another symbol, ‘Doh’ meaning earth or soil. Combined, it roughly translates to strictly imposed, physical punishment taking place outside on the ground.

All this backs up the earlier statement, that while kata is both a method of self-defence AND an art form, these two things do not have to resemble one another. Understanding that kata is the end-result of a self-defence technique, we come to realise the kata can and should be compromised to make Bunkai more effective. Just as self-defence is not so apparent in a kata, kata should not be so apparent in a Bunkai application.

Bunkai Training Involves Compromise 

The conditions go unchanged in kata, yet in real life, very few opponents will stand in their forward stance with their arm outstretched awaiting your next move. This implies compromise has to be made.

Be Distance Adaptable 

Many times you’ll discover in your Bunkai training that you are too far away or too close to execute a fully effective technique. Distance is one of the most important factors in self- defence, thus where distance is out, you should always be willing and ready to correct it. When too far, take an extra step in, add a kick on the way in or even try pulling your opponent inwards. When you are too close for your desired technique to be effective, you may have to change a hand strike to an elbow technique, push them back to create the room or even shove them with your body if very close.

Be Target Adaptable

A kata might depict a body level punch, but you may find in class that your bunkai partner’s arm is in the way of your target. Adaptability is also a key factor in self-defense and where a target is covered; always be willing and ready to change techniques. In such an instance you might deliver your punch to the face or opt for a knife hand strike to the temple.

Be Ready To Add Techniques

A kata may depict a single hand or foot technique. Likely, the kata suggests that you put 100% commitment behind that technique to completely disable your opponent. In life however, there’s always something that may go wrong. You may hit the stomach instead of the solar plexus, the forehead instead of the nose; you may have poor distance rendering the technique weaker etc. Another key factor of self-defence is what the Japanese call ‘Zanshin’ (a continued state of awareness). The aim of bunkai training is self-defence effectiveness, so any time you feel your technique may not have met success, be ready to add techniques. Always be sure you and your partner are careful and aware that extra techniques may come if completely necessary.

Forget The Rules Of Kumite 

When people practise bunkai, they often subconsciously lean their techniques towards the rules of kumite. Don’t be afraid to make a front kick to the stomach a groin kick, or a body punch a throat punch. In any such instance BE VERY CAREFUL, you do not wish to injure your training partner.

Forget Formalised Stances 

While the Kata may involve ‘Sanchin’ or ‘Zenkutsu’ stances, the Bunkai being self-defense orientated need not have perfect stances. In Bunkai training, your stance guide should generally be your distance. If you are close, a shorter fighting stance is ideal, if you are further away, pressing in with a regular fighting stance is ideal. Where you are side on, a relaxed horse or sumo stance can be applied. Whatever the case, the focus is on effectiveness, not Kata. But remember, while your stances need not be formal, a deep- grounded stance is the base of a powerful strike.

Forget Formalised Posture And Hands

During kata, our posture is always straight. In part because good posture is in alignment with good health, and the better the posture the more powerful the technique. That said, there may be times in bunkai training where it is necessary to lean forward in a punch to gain more reach or duck a potential oncoming attack. Furthermore, where kata sees our returning hand come back to the hip, you may feel more secure keeping your returning hand in front of your body or jaw as protection.

The final note is that bunkai takes from kata but need not be kata. Your focus in bunkai should be different to kata. A kata focus is on successfully mastering your body – hence the need to strictly adhere to the formal path laid out. Bunkai’s focus, on the other hand, is on successfully mastering your opponent – hence the need to be adaptable to the path laid out.

By Shihan Anthony Ryan

The post Understanding Kata And Its Relationship To Bunkai appeared first on GKR Karate.

Why Kata is an Integral Part of Karate

There are numerous reasons why kata is such an integral part of karate, Shihan Anthony Ryan explains them below:

1. Kata Is the Art Form of Karate 

Without kata, most styles would be virtually the same – a series of punching and kicking techniques. Kata represents the ‘art’ or ‘culture’ of a style providing a direct link to the past by studying the techniques and principles practiced by karate’s forefathers. By observing a style’s Kata, one can also gain insight into some of a style’s philosophies and, as a student practicing kata, become a moving breathing example of the art itself. In this way, kata almost becomes the signature of an art.

Perhaps the reason kata is associated with karate’s art form is because it is a work of art. While there is no clay to mold, the practitioner is the clay, and their endeavor is to master their body and mold themselves into an incredibly moving sculpture. This may sound over the top but is not far from the truth. Kata is an art that when mastered can appear deadly, yet beautiful. It can appear powerful, yet soft; explosive, yet flowing. When Kata is not mastered, it appears nothing like art and no more than a sequence of abstract fighting techniques or calisthenic exercises.

When Kata is performed properly, like any piece of art, you can see the heart of the person performing it. Like any piece of art, you can see the emotion yet equally, self-control over this emotion. When it is not performed properly it appears empty or over-emotional. When Kata is performed properly, the practitioner appears to be fighting an imaginary opponent. It appears powerful but effortless. When it is not, the practitioner appears to be fighting their own body, their own energies.

This is made apparent when a person is completely worn out after performing just one kata with intensity.

Many warriors throughout the history of the world fascinated themselves with art. For example, it was expected that the great warriors in Spain would also be expert dancers (ballroom dancers). This showed they were masters of their craft, men with culture and finesse, not just ‘men who bore arms’. Many tribal warriors throughout the world not only engaged in dances the evening before the battle, but painted beautiful works of art on their skin beforehand. And most notably, the famous Samurai warriors of Japan often practiced calligraphy for hours on end trying to perfect their technique.

Having art is integral to any martial art for it acts to restore balance. Training in a fighting art generates aggressive qualities (essential for self-defence). However, developing these qualities without balance leads to an aggressive nature.

When we again look back into history, the warriors of Spain and Japan were also famous for being loving fathers and husbands. The art and culture that was endorsed to them helped them to keep balance. While their fighting art trained them to be fierce warriors, the arts helped them maintain self-control and inner harmony. This meant they were also cunning and emotion-controlled warriors, but away from a battle, could be highly respected and noble citizens.

The warriors of other countries who often painted their faces and bodies and danced before battle were also noted as having loving qualities. In many respects, the face painting was about creating a mask and symbolised an alter ego being created solely for battle. This way they could be two people, a warrior and a citizen, but both were different people so one did not disrupt the life of the other.

In comparison, countries throughout history whose warriors trained in fighting arts without any promotion of art or culture often struggled to keep balance, unable to separate the warrior from the man. Away from battle, warriors would often take women against their will, were rude and obnoxious and often misused their skills. They also failed to fit into society, something many war veterans feel from the more modern wars.

2. Kata Teaches Self-Defence

As well as an art form, Kata is also a form of self-defence training. Commonly described as a fight scene against imaginary attackers, each technique or combination of techniques within a kata has a Bunkai (application) based on a self-defence scenario. At times the self-defence applications are easily recognised, while some require slight explanation before becoming apparent.

What has frustrated those unappreciative of kata and led to their labeling it as no more than an art form and an ineffective means of self-defence, is the fact that many kata applications are very abstract, while others required ‘added’ techniques (like a jigsaw) before the technique becomes ‘effective’ and apparent. There are three major influences behind kata having a sense of ‘mystery that needs to be unlocked’.

Firstly, and perhaps the most understandable, is that karate’s forefathers originally created kata with deliberate intention to conceal their self-defence application. This served to prevent casual observers or those who were not serious about learning all things involved with karate (such as the time it takes to develop humility etc) from learning potentially deadly techniques.

The second major influence came in 1901 when Master Yasutsune Itosu introduced karate into the Japanese school system. He believed that kata was too dangerous to be taught to young children so he set about disguising many of the techniques inside.

The third major influence came due to the fact that kata mostly dealt with defence from being grappled and as such, contained numerous highly effective techniques such as eye-gouging, throat grabbing, groin squeezing etc. These techniques were known as entrance techniques. However when karate arrived from Okinawa, the Japanese believed it to be ‘too violent’, therefore resulting in a number of these entrance techniques being removed. Understanding that kata had a number of these entrance techniques removed helps to illuminate the real potential of kata. For example: When studying bunkai, a person will discover that almost all kata have a number of defences against a ‘wrist grab’. Again, some kata critics make a point that it is extremely rare for an attacker to start by grabbing their victim’s wrist.

What must be understood however, is that if our first reaction were an entrance technique (such as the seizing the attacker’s eyes, throat or groin), their likely reaction would be to try and remove your grip (hence grabbing your wrist). From this position it suddenly becomes apparent the advantage of knowing a number of ways to either remove or reverse a wrist grab. Equally, by understanding that the attacker has not just grabbed your wrist for no reason, and that the philosophy is for you to have control, or part control of one of their vital areas, the attacker will have less strength in their arm, making it believable that a weaker person could execute the technique effectively.

By understanding, and even visualizing the Bunkai (application) of the techniques while performing kata, practitioners equip themselves for a self-defence situation by:

• They gain insight into various defenses against numerous situations (defence against both striking and grappling attacks).
• They gain muscle memory of how to move when fighting numerous attackers (such as changing between stances to remain balanced and strong and changing angles).
• It trains a person to execute their techniques with full spirit and Kime. To land their techniques perfectly without fear of hurting their opponent (sparring often fails to endorse this).

Some practitioners proclaim that sparring is modern karate’s best training for self-defence. While it is absolute that sparring is important for self-defence training by developing timing, distance and a familiarity with the mental and physical ramifications of being attacked, all practitioners are limited without kata training. This is because sparring follows a set of rules, a designated distance and rarely involves being grappled or surprised.

3. Kata Promotes Self-mastery 

Is kata entirely essential? A tool for developing self-defence skills and ideologies? Karate’s art, and an historical link to its past? It could be proposed that each of these could be developed by numerous means. Students can, and do learn self-defence during basics, sparring and specific self- defence drills. And the history of karate can be preserved through studying its history. So perhaps the most potent tool that kata equips a student with, is the pursuit of self- mastery. Great emphasis is placed upon the perfection of every aspect of kata, including correct form, breathing, focus, balance and they are designed to perfect the grace, consciousness, and power of the physical self and spirit.

All karate-ka would agree that irrespective of their development, there is always something they need to improve upon, even if only to fine tune every kata they practice. And it is this attitude of self- mastery that is most essential, for without it, all else suffers.

In terms of kata as an art form, any fine artwork is flawless. Consider again that a kata practitioner is like a piece of clay and must mould their kata into an incredible moving sculpture. A practitioner who has no focus towards perfection will never develop a great kata. In terms of self- defence, considering that a self-defence situation can be unpredictable and emotion driven, coming up with highly effective techniques under stress will be difficult for the practitioner who has not developed a focus towards perfection.

Before any technique can be mastered, one must master themselves. Knowing exactly ‘how’ a technique or combination of techniques must be performed can be very different to actually ‘doing’ it. To develop a powerful, well-balanced strike, block or throw, the entire body must work in unison. By practicing kata with the pursuit of perfection, we develop our mind and body connection. Developing this connection is more difficult during basic training as techniques are more often practiced individually while kata involves a series of techniques bound together in a sequential timing.

Getting every movement correct in both timing and technique requires mastery over our entire body, but one cannot master their physical selves until they have mastered their thoughts. Completing an entire kata ‘properly’ so that it is not only representative of the art of Go-Kan-Ryu but also viable as a means of self-defence, requires one to have mastered their thoughts.

A few examples highlighting a lack of self-mastery of the mind are:

Distraction: Being unable to perform a kata beginning to end without being distracted sounds easy but can prove difficult. It often arises when a mistake in technique occurs and the practitioner remains focused on the error rather than mentally moving on.

Nerves: Especially when performing solo, being unable to control one’s nerves causes a person to rush and make vital errors.

Over-effort: Again, especially when performing solo in their attempt to be powerful, a practitioner may put too much effort into techniques. This actually detracts from their power output, slows them down and produces telegraphed movements. It is essential that a student allow the proper technique to provide their power.

Each of the above is not only essential in the unlikely event of a self-defence situation, but in our everyday lives. There will be many times in our lives that the ability to control these emotions and others can pay massive dividends. When we can master our minds, we can master our bodies and our entire world.

Why The Same Kata Can Appear Different?

While most traditional karate styles study a similar kata curriculum, each style will have small differences, its own unique interpretation or method of delivering a technique. Some argue this should never occur and endeavor to find the ‘purest’ form of the Kata so it may be practiced the way it was first intended.

While this would be ideal, original teachings in Okinawa were never written down and many records died with their creators. Furthermore, when some of the top students of the original masters ventured out and taught for themselves – while maintaining the core of the Kata – they made slight adjustments based on their own personal philosophy and educated opinion of a technique.

In the same manner, when their students moved on and taught the same happened again. Even if you visit the top masters in Japan today you will notice that their students will practice kata differently, or associate a different Bunkai (application) to the techniques. Were you to visit Okinawa (the birthplace of karate), you will find the differences even more prevalent.

By Shihan Anthony Ryan

The post Why Kata is an Integral Part of Karate appeared first on GKR Karate.

Training for World Class Kata

Alex Pereda is one of GKR’s top Karate exponents. At the 2001 GKR Karate World Cup, Alex won the World Open Kata Title and also gold for Team Kata. We asked Alex to share some of his tips for training for world class kata.

Choosing a Kata

Do you know whether the Kata you’re contemplating suits your style? When I ask this, ask yourself,

“Am I suited to sharp, explosive and dynamic Kata?  – Such as Bassai-dai, Empi, Kanku-dai and Kanku-sho. Or more suited to the strong and graceful kata?  – Such as Saifa, Seiunchin, Sepai or Kururunfa”.

Our style, GKR Karate has given us the opportunity to learn both styles of kata. I’m not here to say one is better than the other. However, you may be more suited to performing one style more than the other. This may give you the edge you are looking for in the competition. Before choosing your kata, ask yourself, or instructor if need be, what elements the judges are looking for in this particular kata? Then ask yourself, can I provide that? Having said this, do not be over critical of yourself.

Learning the kata

This includes many steps. I liken it to completing a jigsaw puzzle. At times you may want to form the edges first (the pattern), finding some distinguishable pictures (certain moves that go together), and then trying to put them in place. Good kata takes time, as rushing to get results may lead to bad habits which will hurt you later. I suggest that even when you know the kata and are looking to perform it better, continue to take it apart in sections to get the moves and timing right. Once you have put it all together, develop your body’s understanding by performing all moves at a slow pace. When you do this you have time to fully concentrate on each technique. There will be ample time later to add your flare and power.

Finding a role model

Who do you know who has performed this kata well? What did you like most about it? Once you have answered that, go to work on modeling your improvements until you feel energised by the way you perform it. Don’t be disheartened if it doesn’t happen straight away. Remember that person probably trained on it for years also. Challenge yourself to get better and better.

Don’t be afraid to ask for advice.

Don’t let your ego get in the way. Ask them straight up for their help and advice and do make sure you listen to it. If you ask for help, but don’t apply it, that person may not feel it’s worth imparting any more advice to you.

Perform the kata under pressure

Fear causes us to perform at a level below our best. Many people are fearful in the ring while performing kata because it is often the first time they have had so many eyes on them. Having hundreds of eyes on you is a daunting thought, especially when you are used to the dojo, where only your instructor’s eyes are upon you.

No matter how much you practise alone, walking into the ring will zap your confidence. One way to minimise this fear and build confidence to perform your kata under pressure is to ask someone to watch you. After some more time and improvement, perform it in front of your classmates, or at home in front of your family. You’ll have to get used to 5-10 sets of eyes watching you so that later you can handle a few hundred. At first, part of your focus will on those watching. This detracts from the focus your Kata deserves. Over time you will learn to remain focused solely on your Kata and it will seem as if no one is watching.

Train hard with spirit

Overall, kata is the reflection of your training habits. For example, if you constantly come out of stance in class, it will affect your leg strength when you need it. It may seem minor, but this habit will show when you perform kata and lack strength to stay low in stance, or move quickly through your stances for the duration of the entire kata. So get to enjoy the pain. Focus on what it will make of you, not only a better kata exponent but a more self-disciplined person. It is the little extra that you do, that can take you from ordinary to being extraordinary.

Refining the kata

This is a continual process. For this you must look for feedback. It could be comments from classmates or Instructors. One true indication is video evidence – the video won’t present biased opinions. Get to the nitty-gritty and refine each small movement. Don’t just focus on the major parts because often it is the small things that make the biggest difference and what will set you apart from the rest of the competitors.

It’s all in the mind and how determined you want to be. Kata and your karate spirit are very similar to life. We must have an idea of where we want to head and learn the lessons along the way. I see that each kata develops strength. This strength gained is needed to perform that kata well, but is also needed as a building platform for the next kata. If we skip the lessons, the same issues will arise again later, in life or kata.

By Sensei Alex Pereda

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The post Training for World Class Kata appeared first on GKR Karate.

Develop Tournament Winning Kata

When it comes to tournaments, kumite is generally a little easy to work out the winner because you have visible evidence, i.e. did he or she block the oncoming technique or not? Kata, on the other hand, can be very difficult. For one, you have numerous competitors performing different Kata. Then, with those performing the same Kata, different people have different strengths. As an example, one person might be slighter stronger but another slightly neater. One might have cleaner hands while another cleaner stances, these are just a couple of variables that judges have to contend.

The Three-Judge System

If each individual judge was to award their own Gold, Silver, and Bronze, the winners and/or placings might not always be the same. With many variables to contend with, each Judge may score these variables differently. Going back to our above example, one may score the competitor with neater hands 0.1 higher, another might score the competitor with neater stances 0.1 higher, while the third may give tied scores. Having three judges is the fairest way to establish a winner because it means the Gold medallist is the competitor who has impressed the greater number of judges.

The Three Winning Zones

Let’s assume for a moment, in each kata division there were not one, but three Gold medals. A Gold for the person with the best head area (focus, head turns, breathing etc). A Gold for the person with the best torso (speed, snap, fluency, clean technique, timing etc), and a final Gold for the person with the best lower section (correct stances, fluent or speedy movement, balance etc). Your thinking should be that you would take out Gold in each zone.

Rate yourself in each zone. Would you perhaps get a medal in the torso area but fail to place in the lower section? Would you win a medal in the head area but fail to place in the other areas. This type of questioning helps you formulate a better plan of attack for your next tournament. While judges are not scoring with this hypothesis in mind, they are looking for things such as timing, technique, balance, focus, stances, snap, speed etc. By developing each component vital to success in each zone, you are more likely to win favour over the greater number of judges.

Cover All Your Bases 

Understanding this, we get the most potent tip for developing winning kata, that is, cover all your bases. Watch any old Kung-fu movie and you will hear conversations similar to, “My eagle claw will defeat your tiger paw”. They were always claiming that their chosen style would defeat someone else’s. When it comes to Kata, you cannot assume your powerful punches will defeat your opponent’s snappier finish. You cannot assume your deep sumo stances in Seiunchin will defeat your opponent’s focus and speed.

Too often a student hopes their strength (such as their strength, or focus, or speed) will win the event for them. But a judge may weigh up their strengths and weaknesses and decide another competitor, overall, has better Kata. Don’t rely on your strengths and neglect your weaknesses. Cover all the bases and you have a far greater chance of victory.

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The post Develop Tournament Winning Kata appeared first on GKR Karate.

“I know some people do not think too highly of tournaments and that is fine. Yet for me, apart from the enjoyment I get, tournament kata is an essential part of developing yourself as a martial artist. I say this because it is the truest test of your ability to control your emotions and thoughts. Stepping out in front of a huge crowd and to be judged is the ultimate test of courage and focus. You cannot get such a challenging environment in the dojo or during home training and I admire anyone who enters a tournament, irrespective of the result.”

Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance

Always warm up well before your division is called and continue until you’re happy with your flexibility level. Work on various combinations in the Kata and go through the entire Kata at least once. Don’t worry about making last-minute fixes in warming up because you will concentrate on the area you need to fix instead of performing all moves perfectly.

It’s The Practitioner, Not The Kata That Wins

Only perform the Kata you know very well. Doing a lower grade kata skilfully is better than an average higher grade kata. Perform the best Kata you know. This will ensure that you have the correct technique and are comfortable with the rhythm of the Kata. If you don’t know which is your best Kata, ask your instructor before or after class. Usually, it’s the Kata you can do with your eyes closed, in reverse, at a strange angle or on any surface. Never change Kata amid competition; for instance, if you’re in a tiebreaker at the finals and your competitor does the same Kata as the one you planned to do. Many titles have been lost because of the change in Kata at this time. It’s best to perform the Kata you planned to do because you are more comfortable with it. Instead of seeing the situation as a problem, look at it as an opportunity to show the judges how your version of the same Kata is much better. In GKR competitions, judging depends mostly on technique, especially at the beginner to intermediate levels. In the Opens, technique is expected, so judges tend to score you severely for any incorrect technique. They will also look for the power behind your techniques, your ability to be both sharp and smooth, your focus, balance, understanding and most importantly, the finesse with which you perform the Kata.

Don’t Make It More Than What It Is

Some people focus on everything around them on the day: the crowd, the judges, the occasion, etc. Let it go! It is pretty simple. You have been practising your Kata for some time. So warm up, and then go in the ring and execute all those fast moves the fastest, sharpest and snappiest you can. And as for the slow moves, perform them slowly, smoothly, and gracefully. And always, always be relaxed in between moves. It is no different to training, except for the tricks your mind plays on you because of the atmosphere in which you perform. But in the end, it’s just another day of you performing your Kata the best way you can and interpreting it to the best of your ability.

The Person Who Goes First Never Comes First

Does it matter if you are first up, last, or just after someone who always does well in Kata? Will it help you do a great kata? No! Your mind will be focusing on worrying about the performance of the people before or after you, which is miles away from what you should be thinking. The person to walk away with the gold will be the person who managed to best focus on their Kata and then perform it to their best. So, do not allow the situation to determine whether you will win your division.

Get In The ‘Zone’ And Deal With Nervousness

Focus on the Kata. Never focus on a negative result. Focus on the Kata and be in the moment. Take control of your emotions. It is okay to be nervous; everyone gets anxious. Accept the feeling and let it go. Tell yourself, “My thoughts and feelings do not reflect reality”. Your thoughts and feelings are your interpretation of the situation. It has nothing to do with reality. Close your eyes and take deep breaths while waiting for your name to be called. This will make you feel more grounded and in control. The more you practise this when performing your Kata in class, the more accessible performing in competition will be. In the last couple of years, I’ve noticed that it doesn’t matter who the judges are, who you’re competing against, and in what order you have to perform. Besides the fact that it is too stressful to try to control every situation, in the end, all you have complete control over is yourself. So take control of your mind, focus and expect the best!

Angela Uytingco

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The post Performing Your Best Kata When It Counts appeared first on GKR Karate.