Please post your reasons for your vote.



If asked about a month ago I would have said Kata. Now I think Kumite is my favourite part. It's so much more fun when you have an idea of what you are doing.



Please note: Viewing results will count as your vote.

Thanks for the warning on that one Matt (see here).

I voted for kumite. I like kata aswell but i really enjoy kumite.
I guess i get a rush from kumite that i don't get from anything else.

It has to be Kumite... but on the condition that I have a good partner.

Sparring a good partner who pushes you without trying to knock you head off is great. Sparring an aggresive partner that is only in it to get you makes sparring irritating.

It would also be nice to get in a few more rounds in classes *hint* *hint*
... especially in senior class *double frickin hint*

- benjamin

being a dancer i would have to say kata
its what i find more interesting and easy to learn

though i used to HATE sparring, ive been getting in a bit more practice at senior training lately and finding im enjoying it a lot more

and benjamin...
...plenty of time for that...
...patience young grasshopper.

i chose kata, because i firmly believe that kata is the basis of karate, you have kihon which gives you the basic skills to do kata and kumite, practising kata and the application of kata improves kihon and kata unbelievably well. now saying this i do love my kumite and kihon, but kata holds that spot on the pedistal for me.

Ian :thumbwink:

Kumite is what I wish to work on more, but Kata still remains my favourite. As far as training goes, it's kind of a centrepiece.

Kata is a good tool to assess your progress, and that of others. Kumite isn't, in that the bigger, stronger, faster person always has the upper-hand, but not necessarily the better Karate application.

Craig.

Well I voted kata - again (for those who've read my views on other boards hehehe)

I enjoy kumite and basics, but kata holds that "something special" for me

I'd like to add something however. Over the years, I've had the pleasure of training with Shihan a number of times - both at special seminars and at senior training when he's just "popped in" (one of the perks of living in the same region in Sydney as Kancho and Shihan is they do pop in when the whim takes them - or did until Shihan moved back to Adelaide for a while). Anyway, back to my point - many many times, I've heard another instructor or student ask Shihan how they can improve their kata, what "secret" technique he suggests to add power, focus and "dimension" to their kata .... his answer ? WORK ON THE BASICS. Others will ask Kancho how they can improve thier kumite ... his answer ? WORK ON THE BASICS. Both Kancho and Shihan believe that working on and improving basic technique lead to greater "skill" (for want of a better word at 12.30am) in both kata and kumite.

Interesting then that most of us cite kata or kumite as our "favourite", when its the basic techniques that increase our growth in these areas.

Yep, I believe in the karate triangle/pyramid/diamond idea (choose your own analogy ) - that all are linked to each other - but where is the starting point ? I believe with the basics - if we dont continue to develop this area, our kata and kumite suffer - in that our technique slips and isnt as sharp/focused as requiredbut becomes sloppy and ineffectual.

Just some thoughts ... and all humble ones

Keep smiling
Jo

Some very interesting comments all.......

Sensett you are lucky having been able to have Shihan and Kancho just "pop in"
Man.... our RM lives so far away visits arent possible (about 30-40 minute drive). very envious about that one. I guess you can see why we're all freaking out over his visit.

Personally I really would have like two choices...I love sparring, but every now and then kata just really appeals. Guess its the "artistic" side of our style.

Freaking out! Jipers, he may be the head of GKR, but he's not a scarey man! :thumbgrin:

My advice: bring a note pad - he talks a lot! Haven't been to a Kancho seminar yet where my heart rate got above 110 bpm. I have heard of hard sessions with him, it's just, I haven't seen one!

Shihan - different story: bring a towel, plenty to drink, warm-up and stretch properly, get ready for the ride!!

Craig.

by 'freaking out' i dont think Matt meant 'scared' i think it was meant more along the lines of 'going ape' 'going nuts' 'getting excited' etc etc

this doesnt happen often here
let's just hope it IS something to "go ape over'

Hmm. I've been thinking about this one and so I haven't voted. Yet. Cos I like it all, I don't really have a favourite.

When we do a standard basic format class I am thinking "cool". When we do kata I am thinking "cool" as well. And when we get to sparring...again.

Maybe I'll wait a bit longer.


Mick

I voted Kata
Don't know why just do

me kata too, Coz it's in it where I can express myself without having to have psychological warfare with anyone like in kumite. But still I also like kumite, but it depends on my physical conditions. For kata I can do with any condition. Even now I'm thinking if I can take another style sothat I can do weapon kata.

And some of the moves are sort of fancy that you might never use it in kumite.
BTW what sort of kumite you are refering about?

I decided to vote kumite, :thumbgrin:

although i do love all of them i feel that after learnin the basics kumite is the most useful with developing techniques as you get to develop them to almost real life situations, and then the moves becom more fluen

Basics work best for me

Cannot remember kata and scared to fight :thumbgrin:

Well its Kata for Victoria,she loves competing against herself to make her Kata the best it can be.
Sam is undoubtabley Kumite(think its a man boy thing)Funny thing is he is better at Kata than Kumite.Victoria is better at Kumite than Kata,is anyone else like that or is it just us.
For me its Kumite,two votes to one so kumite gets our vote. :thumbwink:
Nigel

kumite nothing even gets close to a good sparring session, it improves your speed, control, footwork and reflexes, that has to be good for you

Ever heard 'having good kata will reflect in your kumite'?

yep myrsh i'v been told that. i think that it is the sensei's way of getting people like me to do kata, maybe i'm just not looking at it right, but most kata moves you would never use in kumite, and if you did you certainly would have to change the stance. sumo in sparring not for me.

hehe, just recently I realise that I just created a new combo that I used for weeks and just remember couple days ago that it's from second kata :thumbwink:

And I sometimes use sumo stance too just for fun

they say that good kata will reflect in your kumite, i believe it does help because kata teaches you to move your body using both hand and feet techniques, however haveing strong kata doesnot mean that you WILL have strong kumite or vice versa.

yep it does that it also teaches you to change direction pretty well. but in reality if you want to impove your kumite do combos, they will help alot more and you can focus on what you need to work on not some useless piece of dance work. now i am bias here because i really dislike kata, boardering on a hate issue yes i can do kata up to and including 3rd dan ones, and i have taught sensei's some of the higher ones so i must be passable at them, i will never be real good at them because of my dislike for them .
myrsh you must be a real good sparer because if i ever tryed to do a sumo on my oponents in sparring they would wipe the floor with me, i'd love you to teach me some moves someday. oh i have used the sumo, horseriding stances but that was against low belts just starting out in sparing. it was to give them the chance to throw combos at me in a low stance and to improve my blocking, and sideways movement. not sure it helped my movement but i think it helped my blocking :thumbwink: .

Oh fang.

I can't believe how much you HATE kata.
Kata is the best part of karate. It's a showcase of your skills. A great kata shows other styles how good OUR style is. All styles spar and can spar against each other (that's what the NAS tournaments are for), but not all styles do kata the way we do them.

I've seen some patterns, forms and/or katas from a lot of different styles recently and I found that it was the katas/forms/patterns that told me more about the style than the sparring did.

I voted for Kata. When I do Kata, I can self-check my technique and if I need to, go back to basics and work on them. If I’m happy with my Kata, I usually enjoy Kumite. Kata I can do anytime, even when I don't feel good, I just slow it down or adjust it to suite. When doing Kata I don't need to rely on a partner, unless I want some feedback. :thumbwink:

Will, you are Will Schmidt right?

Lol, Fang if I'm a good sparrer, I should choose kumite rather than kata
As I said I use sumo stance only for fun (like for taunting my opponent), in tourney, I almost never use it, I use the normal stances, short and long lots, also cat stance, good for counter attack :thumbwink:

hehe i know some real good sparrers that still would choose the dance steps ooooooooops sorry kata. and i wasn't having a go at you about using your stances, i have heard of people that use them and i'd really love to know how and when, i'v tryed them and some of my sparring parteners have to for no result. a nice lady like you taunting people i'm shocked , i'd try it now you have told me one use for them but i'd find getting up a bit slow and wear one .

Since I'm not at a level that I am allowed to spar yet I can't comment on that one. But being a weak little girl having to learn full contact sparring with big bulky guys (there are limited girls in these classes) I think I'll stick to forms.

I'm currently learning the second full form (we learn half forms per grade) which is a staff form. Our first weapon form. At first I hated it. I couldn't co-ordinate the big stick properly. Now I'm beginning to really get into it. I'm still not as co-ordinated as I'd like to be but I'll get there.

pratise makes it easyer glad you are getting to like it :thumbwink:. yep full contact sparring would be scary and not just for females, when you start let me know what you think of it plse. as a beginner i'd think they would take it a bit easy on you or you would hope so.

LoL LoL You'll be surprised when you meet me, Fang
Butter-cup, just FYI, i'm only 160 cm tall. You can be sure that in the tournament you'll spot me easily. Yet I'm not afraid taking on bigger opponents, rather I find them a challenge.

Share you the way I think, might look like over confident, but if it can boost my confidence and reduce my worriness, heck, why not? :thumbwink:
Try statement like this 'I see you are bigger and much taller, but I'm faster and more cunning, you can top me today but I'll top you even more next time'
This kind of thinking keeps me motivated to come back more and more till achieve my goal.

I see the thinking that you are weak little girl sparring big bulk guy is the one that lets you down.

This was a hard one. A few months ago I would have said kumite easy, but lately, I have really been getting alot out of my kata. I think I have officially found my zone! (About bloody time!)

Still haven't voted yet...


Mick

what not kata mick vote kumite and make my day, hey i'm a poet and don't know it :thumbgrin:

Well I do like kata and studying kata. But I also like kumite. And I like the relationship between them. Fang, maybe you could start a bidding war to determine how I should vote? And the proceeds could go to a worthwhile charity? (And no, the Fang Retirement Fund is not a charity)


Mick

how about the fang christmas pissup fund? :thumbgrin:. that ok with you mick just to sway you abit you are invited over to help me drink it.

Sounds ok to me


Mick

Kumite is my favourate. Kihon and Kata provide the basics, stances and staged application. Kumite is where it all comes together for me. I prefer continous sparring as it has greater realisism and practical application than point sparring. Also point sparring can be in the hands of the gods (judges) when ajudicating a scoring shot. The nationals highlighted this in appalling fashion. Full blooded round house and front kicks that were pulled up just a mm from hitting a totally unblocked target didn't even get a score let alone an ippon. Then the other competitor gets a score just because they managed to through a punch in the general direction of their opponent.

Thankfully it's non-contact, otherwise several medal winners would of been in hospital. No, I was not adversely affected by this.

I do not think any less of a kihon or kata student because we all train for different reasons.