Note from your Webmaster:
Kata is many things– a book of techniques from before we had video, a training system, a fight with an imaginary opponent, a set of exercises to keep you fighting fit. Whatever it is, it isn’t easy and the kata competition isn’t a talent show. It’s more a demonstration of work in progress, allowing club members to show each other and their parents what they’ve achieved, and to see how much they will achieve in the future. Click on ‘Start Slideshow’ above. Then click here to return to the results page.
Kata Competition 2007
Everyone wants to help.
Medals are not on her mind.
What did the judge see?
Even the youngest...
...are fully immersed...
...and concentrating.
They understand...
...although you perform...
...the performance isn’t...
..a dance.
There is a fight...
...with an imaginary opponent...
...who is in motion...
and is in a certain space.
You have...
...weapons to attack...
...and shields to block with.
There are holds...
...and arm locks...
...and sometimes you just hit them.
As the students...
...progress...
...you can see increasing accuracy...
...active involvement of the whole body...
...and awareness.
The longer you train...
...the more you find.
The senior grades...
...learn the applications of the techniques.
The senior katas...
...are increasingly physical.
Matsukaze,
Seienchun,
and Bassai Dai are required black belt kata.
Looking at the upper body...
...as you click through these photos...
...can you see...
...the enemy?
It’s often said...
...that the judges are looking...
...first to make sure...
...that the stances are correct.
Can you tell if the stances...
...are good if you can’t see the legs?
Now we’re looking at teams.
Synchronisation is important...
...as are all the right moves...
...in the right order.
But still...
...the judges are looking...
at the stances.
Some say that kata is...
...a join - the - dots activity...
...and the stances are the dots.
The real challenge...
...is in drawing the line...
...between the dots.
With practice...
...the dots are correctly placed...
...and the line becomes...
...progressively smoother.
When you draw a good picture...
...it doesn’t matter when the shutter opens...
...the line still flows...
...from one dot to the next.
