I see kata in both views - traditional and modern.
I would not practice kata if i was entering a tournament. Nothing beats the real thing. If i was entering a kata tournament i would rarely fight.
That being said, i like katas. It's great way to work on the basics in a way that you can't in kumite.
For example, many people punch with their shoulders all tight and raised. They also have problems with punching with the right knuckles. When i do kata, i try to get absolute perfect technique. If you can do it easily during kata, then it's second nature during kumite.
So when people say kata is a practiced fight they dont only mean "pretend this guy does this and he does that" but practicing how to attack and block effectively. It's basically shadow boxing.
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