Repetition is miss understood and therefore the concept of learning, or becoming more through repetition, is lost. To learn through repetition requires more than simply reading the same passage in a book over and over again. In the world of karate, running through Kata month-after-month can become boring, and is often seen as pointless. But this is necessary in understanding, and understanding can take a long time. As a Karate-ka, you have to learn to “listen to kata”.

Years ago, when I started focusing on only two kata and drills per class instead of teaching all the kata over a long period of time, some students asked why we weren’t covering all the kata. I explained that simply running through all the kata is pointless without intention. To practice with intention, you need to think critically about your movements.  The students didn’t realize that the drills were designed to provide different ways to look at the movements in the kata.  

To benefit from repetition, the learner has to question and actively think about small points in what he is reading, listening too, or in the case of Kata, what he’s doing. In this regard, we can think of Kata as a book that reads through the mind’s eye as the body is doing. In most schools to learn Kata, the students are taught through repetition. Initially, the goal of the repetition is to learn the movements and order of the movements that comprise the Kata. As time progresses, the students continue repeating the Kata, with minor corrections. When left alone, they will simply run through the Kata. It is believed that running through and endlessly repeating Kata is the key to learning the Kata. But, without applying critical thinking to what one is doing, there is no learning. Over many years, I have asked a good deal of seasoned Karate-ka why this or that move in Kata, the reply I get are superficial bunkai that beginners are taught. It’s painfully obvious that they have focused on memorizing and perfecting the template, but have done little to expand their understanding of the kata.

Once the learner has memorized the template of the kata, there is little reason to run through the entire kata in its entirety numerous times. Instead, pull a snippet of the kata (3 or 4 movements) and focus on only these small parts. Constantly questioning, ask yourself: Why are these moves put together? How can the movements be used? Dream up options, regardless of how silly they may seem, and find a partner to test your ideas with. Continually review the snippets for as long as it takes to extract an understanding of the movements. Don’t be afraid to break down the kata, remove redundancies . This is the process of reduction. Reduce the kata to its most fundamental principals. This requires that you think about what you are leaving in, but more importantly, what you are taking out and why.

Explore the movements, not just the arms, but the body & legs. Look at the concepts that are being used. Don’t confuse concepts with arm and leg movements. Consider changing concepts such as the angles. Instead of only moving left, move left at a 45-degree angle, or move forward. Timing, consider putting 3 or 4 movements together while maintaining separation. Find a variation that resonates with you. Visualize how it can be applied. Think about everything you are doing. Is the Middle Block really a block, personally I don’t like the word “block” at all and have been looking for a different word that conveys the idea to be given, or to receive, but no such word exists in english.  To receive a strike, or to shift your weight, change your timing, be mindful of your breathing, these are all concepts that need to be studied both independently and together.  Keep in mind that repetition of kata is useless unless you are thinking about the concepts, and these concepts are abundant.  This  process I described here is Bunkai, and it shouldn’t be confused with simply an interpretation of moves that nowadays passes as “BUNKAI”.

I have over the years asked many a karate-ka how they understand various Kata sequences, what I am generally always provided with is, “this is the Bunkai.” While Bunkai is what I am explaining, analyzing the kata movements, dissecting, examining, & putting back together. Bunkai has been watered down to the superficial, as if there is only one approved final analysis. Independent, critical thinking is not encouraged in most traditional karate dojos, and because of this the following method of further analysis needs to be carried out carefully.

Ask other karate-ka what their understanding is. Don’t just ask those within the walls of your dojo. Odds are you’ll get the same canned explanation that you have already heard. Seek out students from different schools, systems and organizations. Your goal is to challenge your current understanding and this will require you to be open to new and different ideas that may be fundamentally different to what you have been taught.

There is a method to this type of inquiry learning. Observe their kata and movements. Find the movements that parallel what you do. The movements don’t have to be exactly the same, but somewhat similar. This isn’t difficult as our bodies have the same built-in limitations with regards to movement. Once you have found the commonality that is of interest, start off by explaining in my Kata X, we have these moves, similar to your Kata moves, but different. Ask opened ended questions such as “What do these Kata movements mean to you?” , “How are these movements applied?” Your goal is to find different ways to view the same thing.

When you encounter a new idea, it’s essential to embrace it fully, make an effort to comprehend it, and incorporate it into your practice of Karate. You should ask yourself which specific kata would be most suitable for applying this concept. If necessary, be willing to modify certain aspects of a kata to align with this new concept – don’t hesitate to make those changes. Rest assured, the Karate God’s won’t punish you for doing so!

Once you have added the idea to your kata, practice it, this is where the power or repetition comes in, repetition will imprint the concept and it will become muscle memory. 

As an example, when I was approximately seven years old, I learned Naihanchi Shodan. Over the decades, I’ve integrated various concepts from different martial arts systems into this particular kata. For instance, many years ago, I observed an instructor from Ueichi Ryu and noticed how they employed hand movements akin to a bird’s wings for parrying. I decided to implement this concept into Naihanchi Shodan, and it has since found its way into other kata as well. 

A few words of caution. When asking other Martial artists about their understanding of the movements, don’t be surprised if you get push back. Common push back sounds like:

• • The Redirect: They ask you what your understanding is. It’s very common they don’t know the answer. In this case, explain your understanding and ask them what they think.

• • Ask Your Sensei: Implying that they don’t know or that they may think that your instructor doesn’t know.

• • Rude or inappropriate: Many seniors find it rude or even inappropriate to even ask them specific questions. I once had a senior tell me that I used the wrong form of questioning, this instructors ego was so big, that he thought I was challenging his understanding. Simply because I said “I saw your kata, what are these 3 movements?” He lectured me how I should ask next time. He never did answer the question. I can only assume he didn’t know the answer.

• • Your rank isn’t high enough: I have heard this in different ways. Seniors, based on belt colors, may believe that “lower ranks” shouldn’t ask more seniors questions. Or that the understanding isn’t appropriate for your level.

• • It’s a secret: Once I asked a fellow martial artist at a competition about his kata. He said it’s a secret, meaning it is only to be taught to members of his school.

These push backs are rare, but they do exist. Don’t be discourage to seek out answers, ideas and concepts that are not being taught in your school. The Karate you ultimately end up with needs to be a manifestation of your understanding, derived from your own critical thinking. What you get from your school is a foundation, it’s your responsibly to build upon it. 

By Sean Schroeder,  Director
CoVa Kai Karate, Cova Karate