Question of Kata is a very good one and there is no one answer. If one is lets say a sports karateka who compites only in free fights, kata might not be the best way to practice (well it might be something good to anyway.)

Why do he do kata? To learn a technic you have to do the technic 10000 times. After that you have to repeat it to stay in shape. Kata is good so that we can compine technics. It is no use to repeat one technic - we need to be able to do compinations.

BUT for me kata is a rutine. It is a good way to stay in shape. It is like a morning exercise. In thaichi you do the same “kata” for a very long time. In karate you can change katas quite often. Learn mayby 10 - 20 katas if you want to. (I think that 5 - 10 is quite enough.)

Why should we do kata - because it is fun!

My worry is when static movements are translated into dynamic ones. Movements in kata, after all, are quite different from movements in chi sao or sparring. Often, movement from kata will need to be unlearned and adapted, in order to have true, flowing movement.

You probably also develop good movement just through drills. I find kata more interesting than just doing drills, though in the end, aren’t all katas merely long drills?

Kata / forms are neither good nor bad — just a different way of understanding. Just my opinion, of course!

Nice inside thought on ‘Kata’, even got me rethinking about the 3 forms we perform in our Wing Tsun training.

My opinion about them, is that they are more as a reference guide. A guidline on how some key hand moves or stances are performed.

Even the most basic thought is put into the forms, like how do we hold the Wu Sao… the importance of the center line is apparent.
Without the form it can also be taught, but the form will give a student a system to correct wrong positioning on his own.

That is my view anyway
Greets
Depechie