Training in a traditional martial arts school means that you regularly practice something called kata. Kata (or forms) is a series of martial arts techniques arranged in a manner that simulates a fight against one or many imaginary opponents. While performing a kata, you move, block, strike and counterattack to ward off opponents coming at you from different directions. There are katas at every belt level, starting with very basic techniques and advancing to the more complicated black-belt forms.

Kata as a practice has been taking a beating. Many students complain and find them a boring waste of time. Many modern karate instructors who have opted for military-style self-defense based classes have removed kata from the curriculum claiming it is useless. Some teachers go through the formalities of kata practice, without encouraging any spirit or enthusiasm in their students. In some schools, the only reason kata is practiced is for tournament competition. When you look at some of the katas that are performed today on the karate tournament circuit, they look more like gymnastics or dancing routines. Where's the simulated fight?

Unfortunately, kata loses it meaning when there is no understanding of its application. Bunkai is a Japanese word that means understanding the application of the kata. After teaching you the form's basic movements, a competent instructor introduces the practical application or bunkai by explaining what is happening and why.

The instructor breaks down the form in bits and pieces and shows you how it applies in self-defense situations. While there are standard interpretations of most forms, an instructor may have different insights into the movements and enjoy passing them along to eager students. The best way to apply the bunkai training is to work with a partner so you have the experience of dealing with a real life person.

A good instructor will also modify the bunkai of a form. Because many katas deal with long-range movements and classical stances that may not serve you well in close quarter street fighting, a good instructor will help you modify these movements for today's standards.

Traditional karate masters practiced and still practice katas religiously. Many martial arts instructors trained in the traditional styles have said that good kata AND bunkai practitioners make good fighters. Why? The first reason is that kata practice helps build muscle memory. Have you ever watched someone play the piano and noticed that they just make it look so easy? This is muscle memory. They've played so much that the fingers just work on their own. If you practice forms and bunkai with the same diligence, you can draw out the techniques when you need them. Regular practice of kata and its practical applications also develop speed, timing, balance, coordination, and reaction response.

Proper bunkai training brings a kata to life! Look at your katas in a new way and find an instructor who appreciates bringing the two together.

Calasanz is a master of Goju-Ryu Karate. Click to see Kata Videos

This entry was posted on Friday, July 24th, 2009 at 9:34 pm and is filed under Martial Arts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.