Kata: Putting the Art Back in Martial Creatively

Kata is Important, Let's get Creative

People often forget that Judo is a martial art and Kata is the foundation of the art of this martial art.

Stand Tall: Respect and Affect
Click Here For More Information

Competition Judo players often complain that they are required to do Kata as part of their grading but fail to consider that the reason why judo does not go the way of so many martial arts is because of Kata. Many of that modern Jujutsu schools (not all) have become bastions of teachers, teaching things that they believe works but does not and for as long as judo has been about it has not fallen for this trap because of Kata.

If a player is finding that a throw is not working properly they can go to the Kata that contains it and find out why.

Competition players who complain about Kata also forget that every time they do Uchi Komi the are practising a form of Kata. I've even had one competition player brag how they don't do Uchi Komi either; yet when asked do they practice a throw or a set of throw repeatedly they have said: "of course" and that is Kata.

Wait... More Martial Arts Judo Information Loading

Add to this that Kata allows a much wider range of player to continue Judo long after their competition days are gone and that it preserves throws that go out of fashion so that there is no loss of skill when they come back into fashion then we find that Kata is integral to Judo. It cannot survive without the Art side of the martial.

Then you get really clever people who really get it!

Here is an example of Judoka who really get it. They have taken their sport and moved it to the next level. This is truly the Art of the martial. Maybe if more judoka could see and appreciate this we would not only have a better appreciation of and more prominent Kata but much better Judo.

Enjoy
    Sensai
        Richard