I have heard a lot of discussion lately from students of different schools as to how they feel about Kata or Forms. They seem to feel that it is not necessary to learn any forms because they are of no use in learning the modern Martial Arts; the techniques are outdated and do not apply to modern day situations. I personally have been practicing Martial Arts since 1960 and do not find that any techniques I learned way back when are not useful, as a matter of fact they work just as well today as they did back then. Perhaps they are too basic and not flashy enough for tournament, could be that is the problem, however most, change a form until it is almost not recognizable any way. What is a Form or Kata? It is a systematic organization of kicks, blocks and punches used to defend against multiple attackers of two or more. Kata is also referred to as Formal Exercises, If you have ever tried doing one you can appreciate why. I believe that the comment Kata is of no value is some what of a short sighted view. Different Kata teach different techniques, but they also teach body shifting, balance and coordination. I believe that is lacking in some places I visited. Are they hard to learn, yes sometimes, are they boring, that depends on your frame of mind. Anything that is repeated over and over can become boring. I believe that Kata is important to the development of a Martial Artist, whether it is performed in the traditional sense or in a more modern form, they are still valuable. Perhaps they are too hard to learn or require too much discipline. What do you think?

Article by Ken Bloom