"Kata" - an amateur's perspective

Good thread, haven't read too much of it yet, I'll have to come back when I have more time.

Somebody mentioned strength training earlier. Now lifting weights is simply put the fastest and most efficient manner in which to build strength, my day begins with an hour of weights. However one must remember the fact, weight training is sports specific.

There are many ways to weight train (I use heavy weights with a low rep with a lighter weight circuit thrown in every few weeks), but they all are designed to simply make the targeted muscle stronger. Many body builders have mobility problems, never mind a complete inability to fight.

That said, forms/Kata also have their strength training application. A kata performed slowly under Dynamic Tension (ie tensing all the muscles so they counteract each other, bicep working against tricep etc), will increase strength, both physically and mentally.
Using low, exagerated stances will increase leg strength and mobility/footwork, again a slow speed will give an anaerobic stregth workout, fast a more dynamic and explosive work out.
Have anyof you practiced forms with wrist/ankle weights attached? How about using a rubber band (I use a bicycle inner tube) held in each hand stretched around your back to provide resistance on the arms.
I practiced a fast form with ankle/leg weights and an inner tube several times in one session, then took all the weight off and tried the form again. I very early burst myself I exploded into movement so hard and fast.

Strength is just one of of an vast number of applications to forms/kata practice. Whatever aspect of your training you wish to work on anygiven day, you can find a form to fit (some are performed fast, some slow, some under tension etc) or you can perform any form with a focus on your days goal.

Kata are not dead, not one dimensional mindless patterns. They are a tool to be used to increase your ability to perform your chosen martial art, either on the street, in the dojo or in the ring.

I would love to stay longer but time is against me today.

Keep up the good work

 

er, a little help before I go....

How do I do that thing where you have a little bit of somebody elses entry quoted in your own entry.

This technology buisness is a little byeond me, somebody create a Forum use Kata for me

Cheers

 

It is not really 'technology', it is 'language'.

Find a person you want to quote from, and click the button that says 'QUOTE' within their reply.

Moving into front stance - see that your regular typing window already has the text of the original entry, with an item in 'squared brackets' at the start and finish. The start has the work QUOTE, an 'equals' sign, and the persons user name, and the end as the word QUOTE with a '/' sign in front of it. Do not spoil any of these characters or brackets.

Moving into horse stance - you can get rid of some of the original words to leave only the words you want to quote. Letting the force of good practice sink to your mid-section, realise that it is wise to keep someone elses words 'in context' (even if that means leaving a few extra words in the quote )

Travelling forwards through the rest of the form, using perfect balance as you move, use copy & paste techniques to pull in more quotes between the squared brackets syntax.

Hope this helps If you look at the list of 'forums' from one of the links, you will find there is a 'TESTING' forum where all sorts of odd things go on. Pick on someone and enjoy yourself.

As with all Kata - the essence is here, but the practicallity you put it to is all your own.

 

ROFL

 

*snort* HAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!! That's cool!!!!

 

That's a "gold star" post in my book..... made my day!

 

Nice one.

I was just at a FMA seminar where they have kata (they have another name for it), practiced solo, then practiced as a two person drill.

As a two person drill it is taken as each attack/counterattack is neautralised in sequence, allowing attacker and defender (as they say feeder/receiver) to judge the other persons reactions. Eventually it all moves on to free flow.

While this isn't kata in the classical/traditional sense, I'm sure with a bit of imagination, this method of pratice can be applied to most art forms.