Judging Kata Form

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A mainstay of all karate training because, as the ancients knew and believed, kata was then as now the cornerstone of all karate training. As you already know kata form is also a cornerstone to judging the kata in competition because how one performs that kata in its form is judged on how it looks but is that true?

When I sit in judgement of one's kata I do two major things. First, I look at form but not just the way it looks but how that form would function and survive up against the reality of violence while achieving efficiency, effectiveness and ???. Second, I look at how well one performs in regard to rhythm, cadence and timing because that included gives one the best formula of success in the chaos and reality of violence. 

You see, even if the form looks great and they are holding what they believe is proper structure, alignment and balance - naming a few as you see below in the notes - but they must be able to understand its applications against a variety of multiple methods and methodologies used under the duress of the adrenal stress-conditions found out there on the street battling a dedicated and predatory attacker against the rain of violence they will bring to the job. 

Many of the sub-principles listed in the notes that follow are very difficult to judge and often it is in need of testing through the best possible stress inducing adrenal triggering training of the most realistic kind otherwise one has to assume to much and hope for the best if they are attacked. Yes, competitive sparring matches will provide some but not all of what you can expect but remember that sport and competition have rules and restrictions you will not find out in nature. Also, nsture's events often have other rules seldom discussed, studied and understood in karate self-defense and that are the rules of the criminal as well as both society and the legal system. 

When judging one's kata performance you don't just observe and judge the kata itself, but the person as to attitude, effort and their interpretation by verbalizing a visualization of movement that is the kata as to the reality of self-protective methods and methodologies. Then you must judge their efforts in other area's of expertise such as basics, kata drills with two persons and their kumite efforts from kata to reality. 

Notes: the following are the two major fundamental principles involved in the judging and performance of one's kata. The one's that hold the most weight are in bold. 

PRINCIPLE TWO: PHYSIOKINETIC PRINCIPLES (Breathing, posture, triangle guard, centerline, primary gate, spinal alignment, axis, minor axis, structure, heaviness, relaxation, wave energy, convergence, centeredness, triangulation point, the dynamic sphere, body-mind, void, centripetal force, centrifugal force, sequential locking and sequential relaxation, peripheral vision, tactile sensitivity, rooting, attack hubs, attack posture, possibly the chemical cocktail, Multiple Methodologies [actual tactics and attack methodologies of impacts, drives (pushes), pulls, twists, takedowns/throws and compression, etc. are best for stopping a threat]???see below)

PRINCIPLE THREE: PRINCIPLES OF TECHNIQUE (techniques vs. technique, equal rights, compliment, economical motion, active movement, positioning, angling, leading control, complex force, indirect pressure, live energy and dead energy, torsion and pinning, speed, timing, rhythm, balance, reactive control, natural and unnatural motion, weak link, non-telegraphing, extension and penetration, Uke. Multiple Methodologies [actual tactics and attack methodologies of impacts, drives (pushes), pulls, twists, takedowns/throws and compression, etc. are best for stopping a threat])

Understand, this is not a comprehensive complete rendering of what, when, where, how and why we do kata and judge kata, it is merely a teaser and the practitioner no matter what level or status must study and research and test this and what they learn and discover to master the karate kata.

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