The Meaning Behind Kata
Understanding the meaning behind kata is valuable for any karate practitioner wishing to improve their training. Practicing kata is an integral and vital part of our karate training. But to truly understand its purpose and meaning, we need take a deeper look at not only its complex history but also its many benefits.
Regularly practicing kata regardless of while style you train in helps develops proper body mechanics, muscle memory, mindfulness and breathing awareness. but its soul purpose is the core of karate.
UNDERSTANDING KATA
If we want to understand the purpose of kata, it is essential to have some understanding of the history and development of karate as a whole.
As you know, the art of fighting that came to be known as karate was developed hundreds of years ago on the island of Okinawa. Formerly known as the Ryukyu Kingdom, modern-day Okinawa is a chain of subtropical islands that lies approximately halfway between China and Japan.
The Ryukyu Kingdom always had a commercial and cultural relationship with mainland Japan, but around the 10th century, the Kingdom started to have active commercial exchanges with China.
In 1377, the relationship intensified as the king of Ryukyu expressed his allegiance to the Emperor of China, which resulted in a significant influence of Chinese culture and customs in the Kingdom.
KATA’S EVOLUTION OVER TIME
Lets go back to 1383 as we begin our kata journey, this is where the Ming Dynasty sent over a group of 36 families from Fujian Province (China) to make a permanent Chinese settlement in Kume village, present day Naha (Okinawa).
Within this group there was a combined number of bureaucrats and craftsmen who brought with them the knowledge of different Chinese skills, arts, and various customs to the people of Ryukyu. These included astronomy, navigation, shipbuilding, written language, medicine and paper making. The Ryukyuans adopted many of these concepts such as the Chinese lunar calendar, clothing styles and even education systems.
CHINESE MARTIAL ARTS
Chinese martial arts, like Fujian Kung-Fu, had a massive influence on the development of native Ryukyuan empty-handed fighting. These methods were adapted and further developed by the Okinawans and came to be known as Te (meaning “hand” in Japanese) or Tode (“Chinese hand”) which would be later known as Karate.
After researching this article in depth I found that early Tode (karate) was not practiced by Okinawan farmers, but by the Ryukyu aristocrat class called Yukatchu. Old Ryukyuan documents recently discovered confirm that Tode was only practiced by the Yukatchu class.
The Yukatchu existed in Ryukyu for many centuries and were part of the caste system. These scholar-bureaucrats were not only in charge of the Royal bureaucracy, but also government officials within the Kingdom. In the early days, Kata was the primary form of transmission of martial arts, clearly showing that Chinese Kung-Fu masters shared their kata with the Ryukyuans.
In the beginning, each master would know only a handful of katas but would train them to the point of near perfection and then was passed down from generations to generations. Just like we do today in modern society.
KING OF RYUKYU BANS WEAPONS
In 1477, King Sho Shin imposed a ban on ownership of personal weapons. The strategy of this ban on such weapons e.g. swords was one of the steps to reduce the power of Aji or regional Lords and avoid rebellion. Contrary to popular belief, the King Sho Shin didn’t ban all weapons from Okinawa (Ryukyu), but only prohibited the carrying of swords in public. He also would keep a storage of weapons for the royal court in warehouses for the soul purpose of defending the country.
This event had a significant impact on the evolution of Karate’s kata. As the banning of weapons resulted in Yukatchu focusing even more on unarmed combat skills, advancement and development of kata as a way of Chinese Hand.
SATSUMA INVASION
The Kingdom of Ryukyu was invaded by the clan Satsuma of Kyushu.
Another significant event that had an influence on the development of Karate and kata was the Satsuma invasion. In 1609, under the influence of the Tokugawa shogunate (Japan), the Satsuma clan invaded the Ryukyu Kingdom.
The invasion itself involved very little casualties, as Ryukyu had little military strength compared to the 3000 Satsuma samurai armed with guns and more than 100 ships. The people were swiftly ordered by King Sho Nei to surrender avoid any further bloodshed. It has been stated that the king and other vassals were kept hostage in Kagoshima Japan for approximately two years.
Also Satsuma invaders also placed a ban on weapons and martial arts from Ryukyu. This is believed this ban is what helped refine Karate as a form of unarmed combat. Some historians claim that Karate was taught and practiced in secret, at night on beaches or in caves along the Okinawan shores. This second ban also contributed significantly to the development of Kobudo, an Okinawan martial which uses common household, fishing and farming tools as weapons.
Further refinement came with the influence of Tode master who went to study fighting arts in China.
WHAT IS KATA?
Kata, a Japanese word meaning “form” and is a system of individual training incorporating practical combat skills and notions that have been cultivated and polished throughout the centuries. Ancient masters would create a variety of solo combat forms used to store the various patterns of combat techniques and concepts. Therefore, making it easier to remember these forms and then being able to pass them down to future generations.
To the untrained eyes, kata can be compared to dance-like drills, but in reality, they contain fundamental principles and concepts of Karate like stances, footwork, punches, kicks, blocks, joint locks and takedowns.
As any traditional karate practitioner will tell you, kata requires a great deal of training and repetition to execute and understand a kata fully. The vast majority of kata you will see in a dojo today can be traced right back to China and Okinawa (Ryukyu). Remember without the concept of Bunkai, there would be no kata.
WHY KATA IS IMPORTANT IN KARATE ?
The practice of kata offers numerous benefits to every karate practitioner worldwide.
Let’s examine why training kata is so important in the art of karate.
BODY MECHANICS
Kata helps refine techniques and improve proper body mechanics, helping you to generate power in your techniques. It’s common knowledge that most of your power comes from your hips and core and not just from your arms and legs. Katas also execute training in speed, precision, and explosiveness. Developing proper footwork and balance is also vital as it helps keep your center of gravity in the right place.
MUSCLE MEMORY
Developing muscle memory is vital not in martial arts but also in your daily life. Practicing something over and over again, gives you the muscle memory to do it without thinking. Kata also helps with self defence skills, so certain moves become “automated”. This means you won’t need to think about blocking a punch or when to kick.
When we consistently make the same motions, our mind will become more comfortable with its execution. Therefore, any movements of defence or counter-attack will come more of a natural instinct.
MINDFULNESS
Strongly influenced by Zen Buddhism in Japan. Kata is a fantastic way of teaching you to be completely focused on the task in hand and not detracted from any outside influences. This is the only way you will able to execute the perfect technique and forms.
PROPER BREATHING TECHNIQUES
Diaphragmatic breathing is used in traditional Chinese and Japanese martial arts, but unfortunately it’s not something that that many modern dojo’s focus on. Learning proper breathing exercises not only helps you kata but also your karate trying as a whole. A kata that does not have good breathing technique will lack power, snap, or explosiveness – it will feel and look weak.
By applying breathing exercises into your training you will learn to slow down your breathing and your body will start to adjust automatically. Teaching yourself to exhale at the end of a technique. Giving you an increase in strength, energy, and stability. Also if it is practiced during, kihon, kumite or kata, karate breathing always come from the hara or deep belly, and not from the thorax.
HOW CAN I DO MY KATA CORRECTLY ?
When practicing kata, always give your best effort every time. But most importantly be patient with yourself.
There are many aspects or points that need to be understood and practiced in order to execute a kata properly. Let’s do this
BE PRESENT
During kata, keep your mind in the present moment, be fully present and engaged. Forget what you doing before training or what you will do after, just focus on the task at hand.
APPLY THE PHILOSOPHIES OF MUSHIN/FUDOSHIN
During the practice of both kumite and kata, the delicate balance of Mushin and Fudoshin must be acquired. Mushin is an empty mind, a mind beyond thoughts and desire, entirely in the present moment. Fudoshin is an unshakable mind, a spirit burning with intention. Together, they represent the state of mind of a karateka, a mind that is paradoxically both “empty”, adaptable and determined.
STRIKE HARD, STRIKE FAST
During kata, imagine the worst cause scenario and that every single attack or block should be executed with the intention of eliminating your attacker. In order for you to get to safety. You need to show a brave, resolute, and determined spirit.
APPLYING CORRECT TECHNIQUES
While performing kata, every technique and movement should be executed properly. Never “cut corners” and perform with perfect harmony and mechanical synchronicity. Also pay attention on your hips and hara as this is the foundation of every single one of your movements.
GIVE IT YOUR All
When doing kata, give it your all, with your mind, body and soul. Be momentarily consumed by it. Give all you have in every single strike, in every single movement. Demand the very best of yourselves each time. Execute every kata like it will be your last action on this earth before you die. See each kata as your life’s legacy.
LEARN HOW TO INTERPRET THE MOVEMENT
Never do a kata blindly, without understanding it or knowing the meaning of its movements. Research, investigate and ask your sensei for their interpretation of the kata you are learning. Trust me the more you understand the kata, the better its execution will be.
MY TOP TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR KATA
Here is a list of my top tips that will help you with improving the execution of your kata.
RELAX
Regardless if you are practicing kimono, kata or kumite you need to stay relaxed. It is a common misconception that muscular tension equals power. When actually, it’s the opposite. You see the more relax you are, the more power you’ll generate and the quicker you strike would be. Start each movement or technique firmly but relaxed, tense up right at the moment of impact or when blocking, then relax right after.
PRACTICE KATA CONSISTENTLY
Practicing all your kata consistently. Never just focus on the kata for your next grading and forget the others. Keep training the basic ones too. I was always taught that you could tell how good a blackbelt was, by watching how they did their first kata.
Training kata once or twice a week is not enough, you need to repeat them over and over again to develop muscle memory. If you are unable to get to the dojo every day, which is hard for most people. Then practice at home, do it while you’re waiting for the kettle to boil in the morning. You don’t have to do a one-hour session, but any time you have some spare time will make a dramatic impact on your training .
BREAKING DOWN YOUR KATA
Katas are complex, most have around 30 to 60 moves, sometimes more. Break down your kata into series of 3-5 movements and practice each set until it becomes second nature. By breaking your kata into a small series of moves, you can concentrate on perfecting each part. Once you are happy with each “block of movements”, put it all together and practice it as a whole. This is the concept of Achieving Mastery Through Kaizen.
GET YOUR SENSEI TO FILM YOU
Filming yourself doing kata is a great way for you see any technical errors that you might make. So I would recommend getting an instructor or advanced practitioner to give you constructive criticism on your kata. And taking on any feedback on how you can improve.
VISUALISE
Visualization is one of the main tools used in sports psychology and by world-class athletes. It’s an incredibly powerful tool that will help you improving kata or any other aspect of your art.
Visualization in sports or mental imagery is a way of conditioning for your brain for successful outcomes. Visualizing kata, kihon or kumite in your mind’s eye programs your body and your mind for success. It is proven by science that when athletes visualize or imagine a successful competition. Then it actually stimulates the as if they are physically performing that same action.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE MEANING BEHIND KATA
When we begin are karate journey, our kata start out relatively simple to learn and perform. But as we move through the belt ranks they start to become more complex and challenging. I remember when I first started training in karate you worked hard on your first kata. You want to move open to the next, not really thinking about the application. As I advanced I realised the kata extends beyond just learning and understanding. But also applying the countless self-defence techniques and strategies, of each kata.
There will be times in your karate journey where you may find kata mentally and generally frustrating. Sometimes you might doubt or even question yourself. But if you never give up and continuing to work on it. You will achieve major breakthroughs and as a result grow in confidence and self-esteem. Developing an appreciation of Kata brings to your training.
https://sciendo.com/pdf/10.1515/pcssr-2017-0031