What Does Kata Mean To You?

When I was younger, my fantastic instructor always used to tell us, “When you perform a fast move in kata, do it like your life depends on it. If you do, you’ll never have any problems with self-defense.” I wholeheartedly agree with that. There’s a significant difference between just “training” and truly effective training.

I remember watching Yahara Sensei demonstrate the kata Unsu at full speed. I was sitting very close to him, and it was genuinely scary. It was beautiful, but terrifying, it was as if his life truly depended on every single movement. That intense mindset was deeply ingrained in us when we were younger.

The Evolution of Perspective
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve noticed a shift in focus, people who compete in karate competition, they want their kata to look amazing and their techniques to appear perfect, with clean stops and precise movements. I understand that aesthetic drive. However, my own perspective has evolved. I’m now far more concerned with what a kata feels like rather than what it looks like.

I still practice kata with speed and strength, but I’ve also grown to appreciate and enjoy practicing slow, flowing kata. There’s a certain relaxation that comes with it, a different kind of focus on the internal feeling of the movements.

Beyond Appearances The True Essence of Kata
I’d love to hear your thoughts on what kata means to you.

I often feel that people get too caught up in how someone looks when they perform a technique. On the flip side, others are too fixated on how a kata can be immediately effective in a self-defense situation.

For me, at this point in my journey, it’s definitively about what it feels like. I truly enjoy doing kata now, and that enjoyment is currently my top priority. Of course, that might change again next year!