What is kata? (For the Taekwondo stylists the Korean word is taegeuk, form, pattern, etc... kata is the Japanese word for form) A kata is a predetermined set of movements toward an imaginary attacker. This is the definition that my instructor would repeat over and over as new students came in and out of the dojo. I didn’t understand all of kata for a long time. It actually wasn’t until the later part of my training that I began to understand it. When I began to question things I asked about the relevancy of it all. In fact, my instructor was within a hair of throwing it out completely. I don’t believe that he ever understood it as it was meant to be. Honestly, I haven’t done a great job with it either. It wasn’t until the past 2 years I really started understanding some of it. I’m still learning as I go. It actually dawned on me when I started watching a video called “One Strike One Kill” by George Dillman. I don’t agree or believe in some of the Dillman philosophy but he has done extensive research in the art of the kata. What happned was the martial masters (some think for secretive reasons) forbade any of their students to teach the Westerners (and many of their own countryman) the true meaning of the movements in the katas. What actually lies in the kata are many techniques that were dangerous to even practice with another partner. Not every single move in every kata is like that (not at least to my knowledge yet), however, every kata contains legitmate movements that are applicable to real life. The preciseness of the movement may change slightly but the gross movements are effective. Lets take one movement for example: the Up-block. The upblock is highly effective in any combat situation. It’s used in the military, Krav Maga, and basic police tactics. There are a lot of misconceptions about the up-block, however. The “up-block”: As a block: The general motion in the up-block is the rotation of the entire arm in a upward 45 degree angled motion. Why is it at a 45 degree angle? Because if it were at a 180 degree angle (flat) you would get your arm broken when using it as a block against an armed assailant. The up-block as a strike: Using the arm and its rotation to come up at the chin as a strike. Also to be used against swinging blows etc. No block is ever just a block…it is Always a strike too. Every block is a strike. If the attacker had a stick or a knife its purpose changes with as little as the distancing. What does that mean? Well, more easily explained with visual instruction but I’ll do my best. If you have good timing and slide up to catch the attackers arm by hitting forearm against forearm then the harder you thrown the block/strike and possibly catch a pressure point, the more the block isn’t just a block …but it’s own strike…possibly causing the attacker to drop the weapon or at least feel the brief instantaneous shock of pain (which may only last a fraction of a second) could give you the opportunity to follow up. There’s something missing from this description though. What about the other parts of the body. The hand that is coming back “as if you were elbowing”. I will not put limitations on any movements. There is always more than one way to do the techniques. The hand coming back could be used as a grab. Pulling the attacker in for the strike, etc. And the feet? Keeping on balance. Weight distribution. Honing the body for precise movements. Stacks become traps that are used to pull in the attacker while simultaneously striking. Double knife hand “blocks” become traps and strikes. Hoping motions become trips/sweeps. Step over knife hand strikes become a hand/foot grab slide in sweep with the knife hand striking motion to the neck (as a strike and to assist the momentum in the sweep). Many schools simply teach it for tradition. And for a while that’s what I thought I was doing. But outside of the real applications I also began to find other applications. The focus, attention, and discipline from learning a pattern has been some of The Best ways I’ve dealt with those who have learning disabilities. Katas can be practiced with or without another person. Which reminds me…I don’t think in the whole time I’ve been teaching here that we’ve done a kata with a partner. I will do that some night. As I said before, I am still in the process of discovering the many possibilities of every movement. They are in there though. The definition of kata: “Kata means “shape” or “form” in Japanese. All the budo have them. All the arts of Japan, including the tea ceremony, flower arranging, and the martial arts and Ways, have kata as a central precept. Kata, the idea of a set form, is endemic in Japanese civilization. In the budo, kata consists of predetermined movements—sequences of action that may be thought of as the grammar of combat. Some kata maybe practiced solo; others are done in pairs, with an attacker and a defender.” …”The method of learning to fight through a perfection of the kata was the sole way the samurai learned to fight. That alone should make critics think twice before condemning kata as a mere dance.” (The Ultimate Martial Arts Q & A Book, by John Corcoran and John Graden, pg 55)
My encouragement to you would be to break down each technique bit by bit. Focus on the major And minor movements of each. What is this technique and what could it be used for. Be creative and as realistic as possible. Katas weren’t created as random movements but to teach form, focus, power, technical ability, and practicality. I do admit that there would be some minor changes that I would make (and I’ve already made some in my teaching of it) but to think of the most brutal movements and sequences as well as form flow, speed, and timing. Even practice with an attacker, experiment with each of the movements in the kata. If you have any questions let me know and I will answer them to the best of my ability. | 
