Kata is NOT for Fighting

The goal determines the strategies used to achieve that goal; the strategies dictate the tactics; and the tactics determine the choice of technique. “Winning a fight that I agreed to partake in” is not the same as “avoiding harm from unwanted criminal violence”. You can’t take the strategies, tactics and techniques used to achieve one goal and think they can be “copy and pasted” to achieve an alternative goal. This is NOT a value judgement of good or bad, but instead what is appropriate and relevant to a specific objective and context. Change the goal and everything else changes too.

In this video I discuss why kata is not for consensual violence / fighting but instead is for non-consensual violence. I also discuss why an understanding of the huge differences between consensual and non-consensual violence is vital if we are to understand the methodology recorded in traditional kata.

All the best,

Iain

[teikarate]

Interesting concept "consensual violence" Pat McCarthy talks about it a lot in his Bubishi book - really worth reading. Iain's explanation really puts into context why the old masters would spend years on just one kata, because they were thinking about all sorts of ways to use the techniques according to all of the potential non consensual violence situations you could end up in. Great video.

[daniel-san]

as a black belt who's trained diligently since teenage years and now i am 35 i had a wake up call when i was 33 - i was overwhelmed by a slightly older but significantly stronger aggressive male. he was pushing me and swearing at me loudly, i knew i could do stuff, i had several openings when this guy uncoordinately flapped about, including when he jumped the fence to rush me and fell over, but the whole time i knew doing anything would escalate the situation with him and his pit bull dog to a really bad level where there would be blood (the dog was able to get around the fence), broken bones and potential loss of life, so i just kept my cool and tried to calm him down a bit. it proved successful, but i still feel slightly pride struck that i allowed myself to be overwhelmed and pushed for around 20minutes without retaliating in some magical muscle memory fashion at the slightest glimpse of an opening. the eye opener was just how effective aggression alone can be in stunning someone and that my character is flawed to be a pacifist. after the altercation i had with this guy i actually felt thankful more than anything, i felt that he gave me a gift. I've done work in security for many years and dealt with many angry people, but none threatened me quite the way this situation did, ever since then i've doubled my training efforts and worked a lot on my physical strength

[blockmasterscott]

So many people do not and not only do not, they also refuse to realize this about katas.

[kevinbrown]

Great post Iain insightful and inspiring as usual. A bad workman will blame his tools, but a great tradesman will have the right tools and know exactly when & how to use them efficiently and effectively

[fisioxande]

Great explanation already on the video description. Makes total sense! Can't wait to see the video! 🙂

[adamcarts]

Isn't it funny that no matter how you try to encourage some people to learn and understand the differences, they just don't want to accept it. "Paintbrush and nail" is an analogy that works on so many levels. A great video Iain, I sincerely hope that it reaches many karate-ka, as the process of this understanding in some, is not accepted, or at the very least, is very slow. Thank you.

[EN]

LOVE EVERYTHING Sensei ABERNETHY seminars on! A great martial artist!!

[GrahamG-rmjx]

As always, fantastic insight, knowledge and practical examples. Great video.👍🏼

[huntergrant]

I spent my first years studying the old masters of Okinawan karate. I read everything printed about them. I wanted to understand the old mindset and goals. Your analysis is spot on. I got so lucky with teachers and mentors

[gw]

I'm a kung fu practitioner, not a karateka, but it always seemed to me that a lot of the problem is that we use the same word ("form") for too many different things. Sometimes (like in wu shu) you use the word form to refer to an artistic display of skill. Sometimes (like in wing chun) you use the word form to refer to a catalogue of concepts or techniques, listed for comprehensiveness more than for application. Sometimes (like in Okinawan karate) you use the word form to refer to a self-defense formula (a "combo" in boxing speak) for application to a specific situation.

If "kata" had originally been translated as "combination" instead of "form", I wonder if karate's history would be different.

[swdw]

Hi Iain! I've used the Habitual Acts of violence list to show how kata is designed for self defense (non consensual violence), and not fighting. Great to see your presentation. Will share it. (And will make sure Marc sees it., too) BTW, when you said kata is not about winning, senior Okinawans are now saying the importance isn't to win, it's to not lose. I've seen people scratching their heads at that because they can't grasp the difference as they are too focused on consensual fighting.

As you know, when we were out here, our ippons are started from the distance where the participants are only an arms length apart or less, and the defender has to start in a natural stance with their hands down. This has freaked out people who are used to the one steps being at a longer distance with their hands already up. Have watched people with 20+ years of experience fall apart on even simple defenses under just that one change.

[TyCloses]

Your knowledge is excellent. Thank you for the ebook. We appreciate you!

[NMIBUBBLE]

I really like how he explained this, i knew this 30 plus years ago and like training in different martial arts. It served its purpose and still till this day i'm still learning it's crazy how far we've come while practicing and teaching martial arts through the century's.

[eamonob]

That avoidance of injury point sounds a lot like the old school Gracie methodology for jiu jitsu. They always talked about that and how their focus was self defense. In fact, one of the first American black belts, Chris Hauter, has a saying “think street, train sport”.

[YoukaiSlayer]

So it can be said: “Always perform the kata exactly; combat is another matter’.” applies towards the needs of different types of confrontations.

[rachellemiller-]

Thanks Iain!! This was great! You said it so eloquently!

[mikeyork]

Very informitive video, I'm sharing this with all my whatsapp groups.

[TomOKelly-hejs]

Always like your video's, very informative and thought provoking.

[leetshots]

my flabby and brief karate career was ended by an over enthusiastic throw and a wrenched knee, but this is still v interesting and to the point. as usual!

[patrickrobles]

I’ve been a proponent of this sort of thinking for 20 years.