Continuing Steps in Karate

This post is related to, but is not a direct follow-on from the previous post on the original kata. In my school, and within its parent tradition, many of the kata have different variations.  For instance, in the kata Saifa, there are two different starts, two different ways to do the first section and two variants on the turn/sweep/hammerfist that are not only different from each other, but from other traditions as well.  Similar (accepted and taught) alternate variations exist in sanseru, shisochin, suparinpei, kururunfa, sepai, and seienchin.  Some of these kata have only one or two minor alternatives, others have more, with varying degrees of difference. Why? And what does it mean for understanding the origins and purpose of kata? There are obvious advantages pedagogically for teaching only one version of a kata, particularly to large groups of individuals.  Having a standard approach for everyone and every time makes it easier for the instructor to not onl...

When I started karate I thought after orange belt that I knew a bit and was pretty good. Then, a couple of years later I got my brown belt and knew everything my school taught.  And I thought I knew a lot and was pretty good - especially compared to the me of a few years ago. Then, I also did some other martial arts and after a while in those I felt like I knew a bit more and was pretty good - much better than a brown belt who only did karate; what had I been thinking? After doing these other martial arts some more I felt that even though I knew more, I actually knew less than before. Then, after a break I came back to karate; a different school, a different style, a different teacher.  And I felt that I knew a bit and would be pretty good.  And I was - for an orange belt. After a while, I got my black belt and I felt that I knew a little bit, but didn't feel that I was pretty good. Now, almost a year and a half since then, I feel like I know a bit more, ...

There seem to be three ways to get meaning from/into kata:  "sensei says", reverse engineering, and "that looks like..." In "sensei says", the movements in kata have a certain meaning because the instructor/organisation says they have that meaning.  And the meaning might be bloody good, effective and easy to apply under pressure (Or it might be in the "jumping over swords" category).  It is just something that is taught.  And what is often attached as technique to the kata might be attached there to emphasise a certain point and not actually be the best or only meaning for a kata that that instructor will teach if you stick around long enough (but that's another blog post). Reverse engineering is essentially looking at the movements in the kata and playing around with them (preferably with a test-dummy  training partner) until you find something that works.  That can then become the meaning behind the kata. The third way is "that l...