Quote:
Originally Posted by seienchin
I have been watching this thread with some interest, and after reading some of the very informative posts, I have just had a thought that I would be interested in hearing others views on.
I actually don't know a single excellent tournament fighter (and I have known many national and international champions) who was not also excellent at kata. The two just seem to go together.
Now that may reflect the discipline and attitudes of the dojos that they came from, but from the really really good fighters from within traditional kyokushin, I can't think of a single one who either scorned kata training, or who was bad at it.
Now, it is a different question altogether whether kata training helped their kumite. I can certainly see that as open for debate. But here is my question - maybe early aptitude at kata is a predictor that someone has the potential to be a good fighter. Maybe aptitude at kata is a measure of athleticism, co-ordination, weight distribution, focus, breath control and a host of other things that actually are also useful in kumite.
Thoughts?
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osu seienchin! how about the "wushu" fighters that almost hi-jacked the british and european opens at one time...?
i think this boils down to opinion, gary is a ex british open champion...and kata champion...and i read it that he thinks kata does not improve your knockdown skills(i might be wrong)
mauy thai fighters when they turn their hand to it are more than usefull at knockdown.
my humble opinion is that kata does not make a knockdown fighter. if you want to progress in kyokushin you can`t shun kata, as i know you are aware..so it has to go hand in hand a little bit. we had a 3rd dan in our dojo who represented g.b all styles at kata..he didn`t do very well in the k.d tournaments...
what i would say is that initially it teaches movement and balance and starts to put the jigsaw puzzle together, however once a certain level has been achieved i just cannot see how it improve the k.d skills.
but there again you are a highly respected karateka and you think it does.....so i think this is something that is down to personal opinion....but i have say a very interesting discussion!