Tree of Many Branches
…Yet, it is this constant struggle in the fray of survival that a student of the Arts seeks to alleviate, from a very personal standpoint. Not all fights are fought with fists. So, to study the Arts, then, is largely to acquire a guide that teaches the student effective and profound methods for dealing with, and diffusing or eliminating, the discord that is, in a very real sense, her steady companion. Kata shapes a significant part of this guidance."
Kata are generally accepted to be series of movements performed in a sequential manner that give the martial arts’ student an understanding of basic defensive moves. The martial arts’ practitioner can then call upon these movements when faced with an adversary.
No doubt, this is a good definition. It is a good starting point to understanding their meaning.However, to leave it at that, in our opinion, is akin to describing the Himalayas as a big mountain range. No matter how you look at it, the description fails to suit. It just falls short of the mark.
In reality, kata expresses a wealth of knowledge, and an in-depth look will show you an almost inconceivable scope of information and know-how that even the simplest of kata can provide. Nevertheless, to understand this, you have to look beyond the common – beyond the accepted – and into the further reaches to what’s there waiting to be revealed. Indeed, to fully understand the purpose of kata, you have to take a multi-dimensional look.
In and of itself, a kata is a story that unfolds with determined precision. It is concisely relayed in the language of the mind – a universal language, if-you-will: movement. As such, kata gives the martial arts’ student historical insight into the ways of old and connects the warrior to the past – to the origins of his Art and, most importantly, to the discoverers of the wisdom s/he now seeks to make her/his own. It is, in a very true sense, the soul of the martial arts.
The student of the Arts, then, is well advised to recognize early on in her training that this connection with the past should never be underplayed. It is in this connection that a oneness of spirit with the great masters of ancient times is formed to evolve as a timeless bond that, itself, emerges as a teacher in her own right.
Now, it is also important for the student to understand that the martial arts are not a lesson in violence. They are in effect a study of life, which is, itself, a conflict. Though you could probably say that life is a constant conflict, it is nonetheless a far cry from being a violent confrontation.
Yet, it is this constant struggle in the fray of survival that a student of the Arts seeks to alleviate, from a very personal standpoint. Not all fights are fought with fists. So, to study the Arts, then, is largely to acquire a guide that teaches the student effective and profound methods for dealing with, and diffusing or eliminating, the discord that is, in a very real sense, her steady companion. Kata shapes a significant part of this guidance.
Like a book with a fantastic story to tell, kata opens minds and molds character. Much in the way that a reader extracts greater meaning with each perusal of the book s/he studies, one kata can voice many things at different times and at various levels of its single learning. It really all depends on the student’s readiness to discern. This is saying a lot, I know. But there is a lot to be said.
Take, for instance, the upper block. It is a common training tool for many martial arts’ styles, and is often found in many beginning katas. Instructors teach it as a block (at least initially), and beginning students learn it as a block. But could it be more? The answer is yes, of course. It could be (and is!) more.
No advanced martial arts master would ever conceive of blocking an upper strike with what is traditionally known as an upper block. It would make no sense. Anatomically speaking, the forearm, which is used to block, consists of two bones: the ulna and the radius. The radius is the larger of the two bones, and is situated on the inner side of the forearm. The ulna, which is situated on the outer side of the arm, is the contact point in the execution of a block. Now, why would anyone want to use the weakest part of the arm to fend off a potentially lethal blow?
So, again, the real question is: Is an upper block exclusively a block or is there more to be known about that movement? The truth is that there is more to be known. It is not the name given the movement that determines the purpose but, rather, the movement itself that defines its multiplicity of function.
In other words, the movement known as the “upper block” has a multitude of functions not the least of which is to deflect an arm grab that, when pulled, compromises the opponent’s balance and body alignment. This gives the practitioner the opening required to move in and finish the fight and, in effect, end the conflict.
To teach the upper block as an upper block in the initial stages of a student’s development is, however, appropriate. The instructor is soft-wiring the movement into the student’s repertoire of tactics. On the other hand, to end the teaching at that during all levels of the student’s development is not only short-sighted, it is foolish. It is a failure to understand body mechanics and human anatomy in the process of dynamic movement – something which we truly believe the originators of kata were keenly aware of.
Although we understand that this is a simple example using one uncomplicated movement, consider the implications when you extend these principles to the broader picture of training in kata as a whole. Without an understanding of human anatomy, kata just becomes a whole lot of movements which, though graceful, have little or no applicability in a real world fight. In fact, here is where you uncover the vast disparity between kata and fighting technique that a student typically experiences when training in the Arts.
When compared to actual combat, certain moves found in kata seem archaic at best and completely inapplicable at worst. Nonetheless, we can assure you that this is a misperception that, although common, is founded on a poor translation of the movements themselves. Decoding valid and applicable know-how from kata is almost a lost art, and sadly so, because there is a wealth of knowledge there to be had.
In fact, it is kata that keeps the student centered on the very concepts the martial arts are built upon. Kata are the essence of understanding the warrior arts at their core. To be sure, sooner or later the student discovers through the continuity found in their practice that mind, body and spirit are, indeed, able to work together. Arriving at this conclusion – which the student inevitably will – is a recognition of no small consequence. After all, the greatest adversary a student has to face – the root of all her conflict – is herself. To suspend the struggle, even if for a brief moment, such as you do in the concert of mind, body and spirit acting as one in the performance of kata, is a monumental accomplishment.
There is a progression to the practice and performance of kata that a warrior should know. It goes like this:
Remember that a true warrior never enters combat with pre-conceived ideas or a pre-determined attitude. S/he responds only to what is there. And although kata are, in themselves, prearranged movements, following the progression given above in the application of any kata will, in time, give the warrior the ability to confront any adversary in a creative, true-to-the-moment manner. The ability to recognize and keep universal principles alive is intact, and the warrior understands that the outcome of a battle is decided not by brute strength and force but by mental fiber and firm attitude.
To clear the mind is to expand the awareness. This is taught in the very first stance of kata – shizen tai or natural stance. It brings the warrior to the here and now. In this, s/he learns to be 100% anchored in the present moment where there is intense alliance of mind, body and spirit. A student of the martial arts should never forget this. A kata should start strong and finish strong. Done correctly, shizen tai teaches the warrior to arrive at a precise moment in time where s/he can unquestionably commit to whatsoever is there. This allows awareness to explode like a force field of energy that itself proclaims this commitment.
Finally, realize that the two most important aspects in combat are timing and balance. However, neither are available to the warrior lost in thought. So remember that, taught appropriately, kata teaches both. In fact, kata should never be regarded as archaic or lacking in real application. To do so is to grossly underplay one of the most peerless and timeless teachers the warrior could ever come to know.
Accordingly, it should follow, then, that training in kata extends beyond the learning of a series of movements. It extends, therefore, beyond its commonly accepted definition. In the final analysis, kata is an exploration for the warrior – a sojourn, if you will – into the mind and soul of the art that his body will one day be a full expression of.
