Selfish Kata?
One thing I've regretted is not placing at the Japanese Toyama Ryu tournaments in the kata events. I've always done well in cutting related events and gekken but I couldn't place in kata. Of course you don't train to win events, but it is a good test to see how things are seen from the overall community.
When shimpan see your kata, they put their 2 cents in when they decide who to give the flag to. Sometimes even the teachers you work with will give the other guy the flag. So you try to figure out what you need to do to improve. But because kata is somewhat subjective, it is tougher to do.
When I usually demonstrate kata in public events, I try to show MY kata which is what people describe as, fast, aggressive, sexy (I know *wink*) and strong. To me, I like to show my kata as something in which i'm "fighting" rather than just a set of movements. I mean I have all the technical points displayed but the way I present it is what I understand it as selfish now.
It's selfish because I don't think it's something people can learn from. I realized how selfish my personal kata was because I won the kata division for the first time at the 36th annual All Japan Toyama Ryu Tai Kai. What the difference was, was that instead of expressing my personal kata, I did the version of the kata that I use to demonstrate and teach with in class.
At the Nakamura Tai Kai this past April, I competed in the kata division, and got 5th place. Drawdy sensei was nice enough to give me some advice afterwards. He said my kata was strong and focused but at this level (godan and up division) it's about poise and presence and that is what I need to focus on showing. I've been trying to develop that for the last 5 or 6 years! How do I do that?
So at this recent Toyama Tai Kai, when it was my turn to go up, I just said to mysef, what do I need to do different? Then I decided I will do the kata that I do in class to help teach and demonstrate to beginners, which is a bit slower, and helps focus on certain aspects of kata more but with a strong cutting feel. And lo and behold I got to semi finals! I said oh snap! I can try do MY kata now for the semi-final rounds, but instead I said, let me do those katas like I do in class again and I got the win for the division.
I can't tell you how ecstatic I was, because that was my lightbulb blowing up over my head. I don't care about the win (it is nice) but I felt like I finally found what I was looking for.
After getting my Renshi status (which is another whole entry) at the end of the tai kai, and with my realization, I realized I have no room to be selfish.
When shimpan see your kata, they put their 2 cents in when they decide who to give the flag to. Sometimes even the teachers you work with will give the other guy the flag. So you try to figure out what you need to do to improve. But because kata is somewhat subjective, it is tougher to do.
When I usually demonstrate kata in public events, I try to show MY kata which is what people describe as, fast, aggressive, sexy (I know *wink*) and strong. To me, I like to show my kata as something in which i'm "fighting" rather than just a set of movements. I mean I have all the technical points displayed but the way I present it is what I understand it as selfish now.
It's selfish because I don't think it's something people can learn from. I realized how selfish my personal kata was because I won the kata division for the first time at the 36th annual All Japan Toyama Ryu Tai Kai. What the difference was, was that instead of expressing my personal kata, I did the version of the kata that I use to demonstrate and teach with in class.
At the Nakamura Tai Kai this past April, I competed in the kata division, and got 5th place. Drawdy sensei was nice enough to give me some advice afterwards. He said my kata was strong and focused but at this level (godan and up division) it's about poise and presence and that is what I need to focus on showing. I've been trying to develop that for the last 5 or 6 years! How do I do that?
So at this recent Toyama Tai Kai, when it was my turn to go up, I just said to mysef, what do I need to do different? Then I decided I will do the kata that I do in class to help teach and demonstrate to beginners, which is a bit slower, and helps focus on certain aspects of kata more but with a strong cutting feel. And lo and behold I got to semi finals! I said oh snap! I can try do MY kata now for the semi-final rounds, but instead I said, let me do those katas like I do in class again and I got the win for the division.
I can't tell you how ecstatic I was, because that was my lightbulb blowing up over my head. I don't care about the win (it is nice) but I felt like I finally found what I was looking for.
After getting my Renshi status (which is another whole entry) at the end of the tai kai, and with my realization, I realized I have no room to be selfish.
Comments
Proud to be a student-
Its funny how the worst enemy we have is ourselves.
I will take this as an example of how to get out of my own way.