Kata : Way of the Invisible Opponent

If you have been practising Karate, Kung Fu or Taekwondo for a year or more now, then the chances are that you will have commenced your Kata, Form or Pattern training, depending on your style. To prevent confusion we will term these methods, 'Katas'.

So what exactly is Kata? Many of those familiar with this art will, no doubt, not only label it as a boring set of movements, although rigorous and difficult to perform, but also as a complete waste of time. The truth is that Kata is a particularly vital form of training essential to the development of one's own particular style. Kata involves a series of defensive and attacking movements against a group of invisible opponents. Ideally the student should be able to clearly visualise his opponent in his mind's 'eye' in order to carry out these movements confidently and beneficially.

Kata is one of the few training forms which can be executed alone, without the aid of a training partner, unlike other forms such as sparring, with which such a method would prove impractical as well as impossible. But it is this very 'solo' aspect which makes Kata appear mundane and monotonous to beginners.

'Katas' generally consist of blocks, punches and kicks in sets of calculated movements, performed in such a way as to perfect balance, speed, power and technique.

Karate 'Katas' are best described as basic, strong, co- ordinated techniques, whereas Kung Fu forms consist of softer, flowing movements, with Taekwondo being somewhere inbetween.

'Kata's' are a much more difficult way of practising the basics, in contrast to the usual drilling your way up and down the training hall. With the latter it is easy enough to distract your attention from your techniques and simply 'go through the motions'. With Kata your mind must be focused firmly on the techniques to avoid making any mistakes.

Besides being a way of practising your particular art, 'Katas' can be used in competition against other practitioners, accommodating not only your own methods but other different styles also.

Kata has not only a physical side to consider, there is also a great deal of mental discipline involved. Learning and remembering up to 90 movements of a Kata can be very mentally demanding and considering some styles have 30 or more 'Kata's' in their full system it is not surprising this form is so difficult to master.

The 1980s present us with a  totally new concept of using 'Katas'. Traditional 'Katas' have always reigned supreme on the tournament circuit, but more recently we have witnessed the introduction of Musical 'Katas'. This form is gradually receiving the recognition it deserves as both an entertaining and spectacular art. Traditionalists may well cringe at the thought of Kata being adapted to music, but to see someone such as American Forms Superstar, John Chung, perform to the music of Beethoven's symphony or, on the home front, Ray Smeathers, now famous Pattern unvanquished, perform to Theme from the Tripods, would impress even those with the most staunch of opinion.

So if you are a student embarking on your first Kata and finding the going tough, don't, like so many others before you, blame it on boredom, because the artistic and challenging way of the invisible opponent is anything but.