An Introduction to Katas
History of Goju Ryu Katas:
The term kata, translate to “form” or “shape”. Katas are a series of choreographed offensive and defensive postures. Kata in Okinawan
Goju Ryu play a very important role in the essence of the ryuha (system).
In the times of the Goju Ryu founder, Chojun Miyagi Sensei, kata
were not taught in a specific order as is now done in modern days.
Kata were taught primarily based on first considering the personal physical conditions and natural abilities of the students.
The majority of the Okinawan Goju Ryu kata practiced today, originated in China. Unfortunately, the names of
the people responsible to formulating each kata, and the exact date of their creation are presently untraceable. Nonetheless, all those kata were brought from China to Okinawa by Kanryo Higaonna Sensei who learned them
from Ryu Ryu Ko Sensei in Fuchow. Miyagi Sensei's contribution to the Goju Ryu kata set includes the creation
of Gekisai Dai Ichi, Gekisai Dai Ni, Tensho and Sanchin.
Katas –in Simple Terms:
In short, each kata is a formalized sequences of movements put together to represent various offensive and
defensive techniques, strategies and postures. Some involve striking, blocking, wrestling and grappling, throwing, sweeping, and destabilizing techniques. Katas are generally regarded as the art form of karate but its practice extends well beyond an art form.
Health and Fitness:
Kata practice is an excellent physical workout, especially when focusing on developing endurance, strength,
explosive speed, correct posture, coordination, flexibility and breathing. From a self-defense perspective, karate
katas seek to forge a student’s body into a unique weapon and then teach the student how to use the weapon.
Self-Defense:
Katas also allow a student to develop their self-defense skills on their own (at any time or any place). Similarly,
boxing clubs often have students spend hours hitting punching bags. Boxing along with many Martial Arts forms, focus predominantly on striking with a closed fist to a hard area of the body (jaw, face, ribs etc.). Karate by comparison focusses on directing techniques towards vulnerable areas; anatomical weak points (such as the
eyes, nose, throat, groin, etc.). As such, developing enormous power is unessential, whereas speed and
swiftness become quintessential. The advantage of this focus is, a smaller person can cause serious damage
to a much larger opponent. This is virtually impossible using the sport style of closed fisted punching strikes.
"The katas are the essence of karate; without them karate would be the mere learning of various fighting and self-defense techniques, expressing nothing and allowing for no aesthetic development. Katas are the distilled, concentrated wisdom, understanding and experience of hundreds of great karate masters, translated into a
language of rhythmical movement, breathing, and peak awareness. When one begins to understand them, one glimpses a new world of untold internal riches."
Sensei Peter Urban
Mental Training and Relaxation:
Performing katas also train the mind, developing a student’s concentration skills and self-discipline. Every
technique within every kata has an exact path laid out and the goal of each technique is to perform it with
perfection. This helps develop an attitude of a personal “commitment to excellence” that can be carried on
into regular life. Some say it also helps direct a student’s focus inward. Modern society often has us focused
on our hectic, stressful lives and as a result, too few of us take time for ourselves. Therefore, the inward focus
of katas can teach us to let go of everything in our mind and bring our attention back to ourselves. The focus
on correct breathing and posture often has kata referred to as a form of “mobile meditation”.
There are four steps to follow as you learn a new kata:
Key Focus Points on Kata
There are six key points to focus on and incorporated into your katas. They are:
"It should be known that the secret principles of Goju-Ryu exist within the kata."
Master Chojun Miyagi - Founder of Goju-Ryu
"Kata" are not simply an exhibition of form. They are a concrete manifestation of techniques which can be transformed at any time to any form. It is in the kata that the essence of karate has assumed a definite form.
We should always remember that the kata are a crystallization of the essence of karate and that we should always begin afresh and train hard. It is only through the training of kata that you will reach "gokui",
the essential teachings.
Gekisai-Ichi - Attack/Smash One
Gekisai-Ni - Attack/Smash Two
Sanchin - "Three Battles/Conflicts"
Tensho - Rotating Palms/Revolving Hands
Saifa - Smash and Destroy
Seiunchin - "Attack, Conquer, Suppress"
Sanseru - "36 Hands"
Seipai - Dragon
Shisochin - "Four Directions of Battle"
Seisan - "13 Hands"
Kururunfa - "Holding on long and striking suddenly"
Suparempei - "108 Hands"
The term kata, translate to “form” or “shape”. Katas are a series of choreographed offensive and defensive postures. Kata in Okinawan
Goju Ryu play a very important role in the essence of the ryuha (system).
In the times of the Goju Ryu founder, Chojun Miyagi Sensei, kata
were not taught in a specific order as is now done in modern days.
Kata were taught primarily based on first considering the personal physical conditions and natural abilities of the students.
The majority of the Okinawan Goju Ryu kata practiced today, originated in China. Unfortunately, the names of
the people responsible to formulating each kata, and the exact date of their creation are presently untraceable. Nonetheless, all those kata were brought from China to Okinawa by Kanryo Higaonna Sensei who learned them
from Ryu Ryu Ko Sensei in Fuchow. Miyagi Sensei's contribution to the Goju Ryu kata set includes the creation
of Gekisai Dai Ichi, Gekisai Dai Ni, Tensho and Sanchin.
Katas –in Simple Terms:
In short, each kata is a formalized sequences of movements put together to represent various offensive and
defensive techniques, strategies and postures. Some involve striking, blocking, wrestling and grappling, throwing, sweeping, and destabilizing techniques. Katas are generally regarded as the art form of karate but its practice extends well beyond an art form.
Health and Fitness:
Kata practice is an excellent physical workout, especially when focusing on developing endurance, strength,
explosive speed, correct posture, coordination, flexibility and breathing. From a self-defense perspective, karate
katas seek to forge a student’s body into a unique weapon and then teach the student how to use the weapon.
Self-Defense:
Katas also allow a student to develop their self-defense skills on their own (at any time or any place). Similarly,
boxing clubs often have students spend hours hitting punching bags. Boxing along with many Martial Arts forms, focus predominantly on striking with a closed fist to a hard area of the body (jaw, face, ribs etc.). Karate by comparison focusses on directing techniques towards vulnerable areas; anatomical weak points (such as the
eyes, nose, throat, groin, etc.). As such, developing enormous power is unessential, whereas speed and
swiftness become quintessential. The advantage of this focus is, a smaller person can cause serious damage
to a much larger opponent. This is virtually impossible using the sport style of closed fisted punching strikes.
"The katas are the essence of karate; without them karate would be the mere learning of various fighting and self-defense techniques, expressing nothing and allowing for no aesthetic development. Katas are the distilled, concentrated wisdom, understanding and experience of hundreds of great karate masters, translated into a
language of rhythmical movement, breathing, and peak awareness. When one begins to understand them, one glimpses a new world of untold internal riches."
Sensei Peter Urban
Mental Training and Relaxation:
Performing katas also train the mind, developing a student’s concentration skills and self-discipline. Every
technique within every kata has an exact path laid out and the goal of each technique is to perform it with
perfection. This helps develop an attitude of a personal “commitment to excellence” that can be carried on
into regular life. Some say it also helps direct a student’s focus inward. Modern society often has us focused
on our hectic, stressful lives and as a result, too few of us take time for ourselves. Therefore, the inward focus
of katas can teach us to let go of everything in our mind and bring our attention back to ourselves. The focus
on correct breathing and posture often has kata referred to as a form of “mobile meditation”.
There are four steps to follow as you learn a new kata:
- Learn the schematics of the form (the basic moves and the pattern of movement)
- Learn the proper pace of the form
- Learn to do the form without thinking
- Become one with the kata (make it your own)
Key Focus Points on Kata
There are six key points to focus on and incorporated into your katas. They are:
- Eyes (always look before you move in a new direction, look with intensity)
- Pace (every kata has a rhythm to be followed)
- Breathing (inhale and exhale in the appropriate places)
- Technique (crisp clean form is the backbone of a good kata and should not be sacrificed for speed or strength)
- Focus (concentrate fully on the kata, use expansion and contraction in the appropriate places)
- Kiai (it should come from the belly not the throat and must be done with intensity.
"It should be known that the secret principles of Goju-Ryu exist within the kata."
Master Chojun Miyagi - Founder of Goju-Ryu
"Kata" are not simply an exhibition of form. They are a concrete manifestation of techniques which can be transformed at any time to any form. It is in the kata that the essence of karate has assumed a definite form.
We should always remember that the kata are a crystallization of the essence of karate and that we should always begin afresh and train hard. It is only through the training of kata that you will reach "gokui",
the essential teachings.
Gekisai-Ichi - Attack/Smash One
Gekisai-Ni - Attack/Smash Two
Sanchin - "Three Battles/Conflicts"
Tensho - Rotating Palms/Revolving Hands
Saifa - Smash and Destroy
Seiunchin - "Attack, Conquer, Suppress"
Sanseru - "36 Hands"
Seipai - Dragon
Shisochin - "Four Directions of Battle"
Seisan - "13 Hands"
Kururunfa - "Holding on long and striking suddenly"
Suparempei - "108 Hands"
