In-between movements

 

I find it interesting and wanted to solicit your opinions regarding the in-between movements in kata. Some teachers put a lot of importance on the in-between movements and transitions. Other teachers place more emphasis on the actual techniques. Still others focus on changes in speed and power. Lastly, some teachers place the most emphasis on footwork; all footwork within the kata.

In short, my feeling/method is to practice all aspects of the kata somewhat in this fashion:

1) Learn the pattern and techniques
2) Focus on the stances
3) Focus on executing the techniques properly
3) Focus on the changes of speed and power (Go and Jug)
4) Focus on the timing
5) Focus on the transitions
6) Focus on the breathing
7) Now add in all of the proper body height changes, attempt to make long movements such as Zuri ashi proper, proper kime in the right places, and other little details.
8) Repeated practice with all of these aspects seeking to bring the kata to life.

I'm curious as to how much time and emphasis you folks put on the in-between movements or if your method of learning and practicing kata are similar to mine.

Steve Wilson

Hi Ron:

See responses below. Please remember I am referring to "learning and practicing the kata."

My thoughts...

In #2, What do you mean by focus on the stances... you mean getting stiffer and stronger ... or proper alignment...or what you can do with it as you are going into and out of it???

I'm referring to teaching the stances contained within the kata, how to properly execute those stances when running the kata. Many people run kata and the observer has no idea what stances are contained within the kata because the performer doesn't really execute or hit proper stances. I often watch and do not know if a person is in Sanchin or Heiko, Zenkutsu or Hanzenkutsu because they do not really do stances so to speak. This is not because they are high level and moved away from stances but because they are not high level karate-ka and have poor stances or they execute them poorly. So much so that nobody can recognize what they are doing.
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In #3, what are you calling a properly executed technique???

The strike is to Jodan, did you execute Jodan or somewhere in-between Chudan and Jodan? Did you forget your hiki? Did you transfer your power or just use your arm? Is your posture correct? Is your chin up or down? These are the things I am referring too.
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In #4, in foot work, in hand work, in left vs right side?In staggering the timing???

Much more simple, I was referencing where you go fast, where you go slow, where you pause, where you escalate.
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In #5 transitions between hands ...stances... sequences or techniques???

Transition of sequences.
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In #6, coordinating it with hands, with feet with punches/blocks???

With everything. Are you holding your breath, exhaling when you should be inhaling or vice versa, etc.
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In #7, again, how are you defining proper places???

Not to be a wise ass, but exactly as I stated it in my post. Reread 7 for answer as I elaborated on that one in my description, so not sure what to add here, sorry.
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In # 8, how is it alive if it is so confined or defined??? doesn that not make it a prisioner and not a viable living entity??? (:) (:)

Not at all in my opinion. I personally feel when you are learning a kata you need to do the above in order to reach the "alive, free, less defined, eventual development. From my experience, students that do not go through some form of structure and break down of the specific components and purpose of the kata and techniques within the kata just end up looking like flailing shitty kata performers. Most just look like they learned too much too quickly without enough practice time or understanding before moving on. Initially structure, practice, and understanding are necessary before it becomes alive and less defined.

Then again, I personally think most people do pretty bad kata, even very high ranked well known people. Arrogant? Maybe. But I would like to think it is more because I have seen and had high level kata performance demonstrated and explained to me. Once one experiences that from more than one practitioner, the far majority then fail by comparison. Elitist? Perhaps, but then again I can't help it that I notice these things in kata performance because I was shown them and had them explained to me. I've been fortunate in that I have had wonderful teachers who have literally said, these are some of the things that create a very high level kata that comes to life. Very few people have achieved that in my view.

Frankly, most practitioners who try to be less defined, more free, less formal, less ridged in their initial practice simply start out looking like shit and continue throughout their entire training life looking like shit. Just my opinion. I don't know if I saw your kata if I would think that you perform a high level, free, alive kata or if I would think that you flail through your kata and look like shit. I haven't seen it yet:)

Then again, when I sought out via discussion with some very high level practitioners regarding how they achieved their level, there were many similarities. I simply am trying to duplicate those processes for my students and myself in hopes of eventually developing the unconfined alive kata you reference. However that cannot occur at the beginning.

Cheers and thanks for writing.

Steve