Good kata?

**PizDoff** · Posted On: 8/26/2003 12:50pm

Peedee, in your opinion, is there a good kata?

This can range to other arts as well.

Personally, I don't like a lot of the TKD and karate kata I've seen.
Too boring and pointless imo. Yet different styles seem to have different uses for their forms/kata.

--
Hard Work, Patience, Dedication

Fighting Multiples - http://bullshido.com/article_read.asp?id=162

**PeedeeShaolin** · Posted On: 8/26/2003 2:03pm

You know what man, I DO think there are "good" kata. Ive practiced kata for ALOT longer than Ive praciticed grappling and I can say that kata can help you get into shape and can help with balance.

The only problem I have is when people start saying that kata will help you defend yourself and thats why it should be practiced.

Kata will never help you defend yourself. Its just not that type of excersise and it was never INTENDED to be.

I can throw a punch in kata and hit the air or I can throw a punch from a natural stance on a solid target. This bulids alot more than the kata application. It builds power, timing, distance and accuracy. Punching the air will only make your techniques APPEAR effective.

Kata is great for kids though, for a few reasons. Its fun for them and it gives them a sense of accomplishment, thats the first. They also can use it as a way to excersise and can learn balance and control of their bodies, all while throwing techniques, even if most of those thechniques would not be used in the same way they're practicing them.

Im really not into the more "modern" katas. I like hard, fast, explosive old-school katas, like from Kyokushin. They are demanding and give you a great workout. "Modern" katas are supposed to represent a more realistic technique and get you ready for the "real thing". But if your getting ready for the real thing you shouldnt do it on the air or with a partner and pre rehearsed movements.

Hit some focus pads and get the feel for striking actual targets and moving realistically. If you want to do kata its fine with me(I still do) but Im just not under the illusion that it will help me in a self defense situation.

People will try and tell you about all the many hidden movements and techniques but REALLY man this stuff is NOT rocket science. MArtial arts is like any other field...study the right way and you can learn ALOT in a short period of time. Just cut out the mumbo jumbo.

**PizDoff** · Posted On: 8/26/2003 3:09pm

Peedee does kata!!!!!

*SHOCK!!!!*

alrighty then,

if any other practitioners have info about the
FMA "kata" that would be appreciated

--
Hard Work, Patience, Dedication

Fighting Multiples - http://bullshido.com/article_read.asp?id=162

**grimel** · Posted On: 9/06/2003 9:47pm

What you wanna know? That in the full formal form the body slaps are locations for blades and the practical form the body slaps goto where you actually have your **** stashed? That the forms show you high, middle, and low attack lines? That they can be done on a heavy bag?

**tallpaul50** · Posted On: 9/07/2003 8:55am

I enjoy practicing kata myself, and I agree with PD that they aren't designed to teach you fighting, but rather to teach your body/muscles how to move.

I do quite a few old style kata, the older the version the better. I enjoy all of them, but there are a few that I'm not real crazy about, just because they are a bit simple and boring after all this time. There are others, and not necessarily the newest, more "advanced" ones for me, that I always enjoy doing over and over again, just because I like the movements and the flow to them.

If you happen to know these kata, my favorites are Pinan Yondan/Godan, Naihachin Sandan, Passai Di and Chinto.

Vegetarian - that's an old Indian word meaning
'lousy hunter.--- Andy Rooney

**patfromlogan** · Posted On: 9/07/2003 6:59pm

Taikyoku Shodan (Kihon Kata), your basic 'I' shaped with downward blocks and straight punches is ok for beginners to learn body movements. The champs can do it in under four seconds. I like the heian four and five the best. I'm learning Bassai Dai, and I want to learn Naihanchi.
http://www.isshinryu.com/kata.htm has several kata illustrated well.

**PizDoff** · Posted On: 9/14/2003 1:47pm

thank you

--
Hard Work, Patience, Dedication
Fighting Multiples - http://bullshido.com/article_read.asp?id=162

"Okay Mr. Mcfu I've got to ask.....what kind of bullshit technique is that one in your sig?" Posted by omega.

**Matt Stone** · Posted On: 9/14/2003 4:22pm

It is too bad that so few people know what forms training really does, but it is amazing how many people think they know what it was originally "intended" for...

So many people are concerned with strength, power and speed. But so many people also forget (or at least appear to, though that could be a misunderstanding based on omission of statements to that effect) that development of technique can be done without resistance of any kind... The same way forms, shadow boxing, basic drills while "hitting the air," and other exercises produce new neural pathways in the brain to allow the nerves to fire in the correct sequence to allow certain movements to occur...

Forms do teach self defence, but not in the way that phrase sounds. Forms are textbooks, recording for posterity combinations, theories, etc., about certain techniques. Forms teach distance, timing, rhythm, points of impact, angles, etc. There is much more to forms practice than "getting a good workout."

But, in the end, to each their own. Do what you like, since whatever you do is inevitable anyway.

**PeedeeShaolin** · Posted On: 9/15/2003 12:31am

I see no way that forms teach any concept of distance....not realistically anyway. You simply cant learn anything truly worthwhile from a make believe partner who throws make believe strikes from about 1000 years ago that NOBODY would even THINK about throwing for real.

The combinations forms teach are outdated and the classical blocking is simply garbage. Nobody has ever been able to pull it off for real.

Real people throw fast, effective blows from distances of less than 2 feet. Classical blocking belongs in the toilet in that situation.

Its amazing that in ANY other field of human endeavor someone can actually ADMIT that newer studies are better than the old. Only in martial arts do we have people so closed minded as to actually be offended when someone might suggest that modern techniqes, built after careful analysis of the old, are simply more effective.

**PizDoff** · Posted On: 9/17/2003 12:49am

the hell?

"Forms teach distance,"
maybe if you working on a wooden dummy or other inanimate object to have a reference point on

"Its amazing that in ANY other field of human endeavor someone can actually ADMIT that newer studies are better than the old. Only in martial arts do we have people so closed minded as to actually be offended when someone might suggest that modern techniqes, built after careful analysis of the old, are simply more effective."
well, those people are living in the past

--
Hard Work, Patience, Dedication

(Thanks brandeissansoo)