Is kata good or bad? Kata, or forms, are the practice of a set of pre-defined moves, usually done alone. When I studied Aikido Kokikai, I was struck by the lack of kata. This is typical of many styles of Aikido (though there are some, such as Tomiki Aikido, which apparently use them). In my current study of Gu Lao Wing Chun, I found that, again, I don’t have kata. In this case, it’s a little unusual compared to other styles, as the most popular styles of Wing Chun use three basic forms.

The purpose of kata or forms varies, depending on what you’re studying. Some use them to illustrate proper execution of technique, or proper footwork. Others use them to develop internal strength. In styles that use them, kata are considered a basic step in learning any art. You have to master them before you master anything else. To the very end, Yip Man (a legend in Wing Chun and the source of most Wing Chun in the US today) would do forms, spending long periods of time on specific parts. Though he had practiced them for all his life, he still found things to learn.

The Karate Kid, Part III showcased kata as a means towards calming the mind to win a fight. Yeah, even they didn’t know quite how to show the value of learning kata.

The problem is that some McDojos use kata as a way to collect fees. By teaching the same form for years on end, they slowly milk people out of money. Plus, the very notion that katas are done alone for the most part makes one wonder how it develops any self defense application whatsoever: if you don’t spar with someone, how do you know if a technique works?

I don’t think kata is necessarily bad, despite many opinions to the contrary. The way I look at it is as a physical handbook to moves for an art. Rather than pass along written pages, you pass along the forms. The trick is to realize that there’s no such thing as a “perfect” way to execute techniques (they always vary on application), and to not use it as a substitute for other training. Training in kata alone will probably not yield much result for the average person in terms of fighting proficiency.

Many arts, after all, find that you have to “train out” what you learned in kata, to develop good, flowing movement for fighting. It seems kind of counterproductive to learn a form, only to have to unlearn it later.

I’d still find the study of the sil nim/lim tao, chum kiu, and bil gee sets of Wing Chun fascinating, just as a way to see the catalog of different moves. I’d just hate to have to spend years learning them, only to have to unlearn them.