What is Kata?In Karate, kata is a sequence of moves organized into a pre-arranged fight against imaginary opponents. The kata consists of kicks, punches, sweeps, strikes, blocks, and throws. Body movement in various kata includes stepping, twisting, turning, dropping to the ground, and jumping. Kata is not a performance or a demonstration, but is for individual karateka to practice full techniques– with every technique potentially a killing blow (ikken hisatsu), while paying particular attention to form and timing (rhythm). The standard kata in (Shotokan) Karate are: Hangetsu KataThe one characteristic of this kata that makes it so important in the Shotokan syllabus is the attention to the breathing. Different associations use breathing in this kata differently, but all place emphasis on the deep inhalation and exhalation, particularly on the opening sequences of uchi-uke -gyaku tsuki. When applied, the techniques for this kata are perfect for close-quarter defence and close-quarter counter-attacks, with the feet movements representing the desire to fight from a close-proximity, with the intent of pressurising, unbalancing and thus weakening the opponent. |
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