What time does to kata performance

I never recorded all my students performances, I used the video recorder to mostly record average performance at various levels of training,   But my two senior students Mike Cassidy and Young Lee, began with me in 1985 and it is interesting how they show how one kata, Kusanku, develops over the years.  I do not know of anyone else who has shown this occurring.

 

I was their source instructor and both of them were nearly identical in their individual performances.

  

 

Mike Cassidy demonstrates solid brown belt execution

 about 1990 after 5 years of training.   

 

 

 

Young Lee demonstrates his newer black belt performance

about 1992 after  say  7 years of training,  

 

 

 

Young Lee demonstrated a more mature black belt performance

in the Early 2000’s after about 17 years of training.

 

 

 

Young Lee demonstrated a further matured black belt performance in 2014  

after 30 years of training.   

 

 

As a rule of thumb after the performer has about 10 years of work on the form, their body begins to relax during the kata execution.   When the relaxation of the muscles under execution of the form takes place, the center of the body naturally sinks. And when the center sinks then the power within each technique increases.

 

That does not mean earlier performances are not good, it just shows that time adds another dimension to personal practice over the years. Of course that is just an approximate answer; the individual may require less time or more time. But as a rule it seems to work for me.

 

And that really is only the beginning of what will occur over the following decades.

 

It matters not whether you learn the form as a white belt, as a new black belt or as an experienced black belt.  The same amount of time seems to remain constant. I know of no short cut to hasten the practice. Simply keep training on the form.