(Approx 2 minute 20 second read)

When you look into kata and their applications, breaking things down, you usually look at individual techniques, sometimes obsessing over what’s going on in a specific movement.
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You probably consider the terminology of a technique too, using it to try and work out how a series of moves might connect. Occasionally, you zoom out and try to grasp the overall theme of the kata. But, more often than not, you’re fixated on individual techniques or small sequences, hoping to uncover their purpose.
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And sometimes, you strike gold. You find an application that fits, and aligns with the theme of the kata. That’s a great feeling – there’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of finding something that works, especially when it proves useful in practice.
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But, here’s where the trap lies: you can get caught up in trying to make techniques fit your preconceived ideas that you miss the bigger picture. You settle on your interpretation, pat yourselves on the back, and move on to the next technique.
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However, it’s easy to overlook the intent behind the movements, and that’s where real understanding happens.
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The individual techniques or sequences that everyone searches for are just examples. They’re teaching tools for broader concepts. Once you grasp the concept, you can adapt it to many different situations giving you a myriad of movements to choose from, far beyond what’s explicitly shown in the kata.
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Let me give you an example.
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Take the opening movements of any of the Pinan kata. They start by moving left. Someone is not attacking from the left, you are moving left to get off an attack line, hoping to gain an advantage.
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Now, this isn’t just about that one angular movement – it’s about the concept of attacking or defending at an angle. That’s the lesson. Once you understand this, you can apply it in countless ways, even in situations where the movement doesn’t look exactly like the kata.
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Kata isn’t trying to teach you isolated techniques. It’s giving you examples that illustrate principles. The angular movement in the Pinan kata are templates, not a rulebook.
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When you recognize these templates, the possibilities become endless.
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Each kata has segments that showcase specific strategies. These segments are not the final word on how to apply a concept – they’re starting points. Just like the way people often practice by concentrating on the end of the technique, instead of viewing the beginning and the middle, which can be equally important, if not more.
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As an example, just as in math(s) where addition isn’t about memorizing hundreds of sums, but understanding a simple process to combine numbers, kata movements provide a framework to explore and apply underlying principles.
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This can be a tough pill to swallow for those who’ve been taught that kata applications must look exactly like the movements in the form. But those movements are just examples, designed to teach the concept, which will look very different under the pressure of a real-world attack.
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I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: you don’t fight with kata. You fight with the principles and concepts within them. And when you understand those principles, you’ll realize they offer far more than just techniques tied to specific terminology.
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Written by Adam Carter
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Photo Credit: Stockcake