Three Pillars of Japanese Karate: Structural Integrity; Coherence; Intent

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When using kata to learn and practice kata from Japan you may want to consider these pillars as the supports and structure that make the kata a worthwhile endeavor. Look at them as points that create a tripod where structure and balance connect it to the reality of application, i.e., the three legs of stability that say this kata, if applied properly, would deliver the fundamental principled multiple methodologies for defense. 

“Structural Integrity: The movements may be fast and light, or slow and heavy, but they make sense. They’re applicable.” They flow, have rhythm and a cadence that is about their use in defense, in violent situations, as long as all the fundamental principles are present and applied universally and correctly. 

“Coherence: Shin, or “mind,” is a familiar term to martial artists. In this context, it refers to the coherence of the kata. If you think of kotai as the bones of the kata, shin is the collection of muscles that allow it to articulate. Those muscles have to work in concert.” The interrelatedness of principles through a physiokinetic way toward multiple methodologies that will get the job done - right. If the kata loses that coherent connectivity then something is missing and has been inserted as a weak link that will fail in combat. 

“Intent: A real kata has intent behind it. There’s a unifying set of principles. In some, these principles will be rapid movement, either in and out or laterally. In others, it will be a strong sense of predation — karateka doing it looks like a tiger stalking prey.” The mind-set and mind-state of one who has to deal with conflict and its often violent outcome. To have such intent in the kata is to have that intent in the fight for defense. This assuming that one has trained with all six fundamental principles. 

This is a concept of kata as taught and practiced from the Japanese systems so we can ask ourselves with all the differences between Japanese karate and Okinawan karate as they apply to kata, can the Okinawan kata of karate use the three pillars to quantify and validate the practice of their kata? I would say, “Yes.” All the above even if not stressed in such a way as the three pillars of Japanese karate are still necessary traits of good Okinawan kata practice, training and morphology into applicable principled multiple methodological defense. 

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