Kata

Kata is a fixed sequence of movements which each student must learn correctly. The word kata roughly means 'form' or 'pattern' although there is no direct translation into English. There are many different kata and they each have their own name. The same kata can appear in different styles of karate, but there can be many differences in the way they are performed.

Kata are often wrongly thought of as a form of shadow boxing, as in "you are surrounded by attackers. Block the first three then turn and punch the next one, and then the one after that, who attacks you in exactly the same way". This is not the correct way of translating kata. The movements of kata are designed to teach you body mechanics, strategy, skills, concepts and principles. They are not meant to be used literally because the techniques as they stand are unworkable.

The idea of kata is that they record the teachings of a master or system. The teachings are locked away inside the physical movements and it is important that karate students learn how to unlock the moves to fully understand kata. Think of kata as a self contained syllabus rich in ideas about striking, moving, grappling, breaking and so on. Some people argue that kata is useless in a fight. They are right, kata is not for fighting. It is for preserving teachings and strategies.

Some martial arts schools do not teach kata because they think there is no need for them. Remember that kata originated at a time when communication to the next town was difficult and most people could not read or write. Kata is a system of preserving the teachings of a school without having to use books, videos, DVDs or the internet. Kata remains an important part of karate training, and if performed correctly, provides years of study, skill development and practical training.

In the following sections you will find training aids to help you perform your kata. These are still photographs taken from one angle only. They are not a substitute to learning your kata in a training session, they are simply to allow you to check the sequence of moves while practising away from the dojo.

There is also a DVD available from the club which shows the first five katas at both full speed and much slower. These can be pruchased by club members for £5.00 each.

Do not attempt to learn a new kata from these training aids or the DVD, as neither can replace the dedicated attention of your instructor in a training session.

Kata Training Aids

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