Yalp, well specifically when doing kata do you prefer to sort of drag your feet or slide them across the ground when changing stances, or picking them up?
I tend pick pick mine up whethor a sweep or stomp is intended or not. I remember at a tournament one time, I was doing kata and when I slid my foot I nearly fell over from the sticky gym floor. Either way I like to pick my feet up so that when I land I land usually (I hope) in the correct form. I see a lot in my dojo of people sliding their feet, on certain movments it's necessary/prefered but yup.
What's your thoughts?

I think different styles prefer a slightly different approach, for competition purposes at least. I know my style (shotokan) has accepted slight changes to the katas implentation since I first learnt some of them, but in my experience I think it is best to complete and execute each stance in its own right - so definately no "feet sliding". If you imagine that your kata is against opponents I think that you will see the benefit that that would make...

For a shotokan KUGB competition I would think that someone with "sliding feet" was not strong in their technique - in a similar way as a novice would "dance" through a kata, but then like I said, different styles call for different approaches.

Hope I understood your question!

Steven

for the vast ammount of kata 'step', however sliding motion is extremly important in karate and appears in several parts of kata.

so the awnser IMO is both sliding and stepping have their uses!

I slide as in ashi-sabaki to enhance tai-sabaki, but I don't drag my feet as in driving with the parking-brakes on

there are both slide and step movements in matsubayashi shorin ryu kata.

Obviously differnet mechanics at work in each case, dependant on what you are trying to do.

Sliding doesn't mean your feet must always touch the ground. It's always preferable to raise your feet only as much as is needed because this will reduce your up-&-down movement. You want all your momentum going forward (or any other direction) to enhance power.

Have you ever watched an Olympic hurdler compared to an average person jumping over hurdles? The hurdler's head remains on the same plane whether running or clearing the hurdle. The average person's head goes up-&-down. An exagerated but valid analogy.

That's a very good analogy butterfly. I think stepping and sliding(not dragging) have their place and applications.Consider the cross step as trapping a leg,stomp,etc. hawa!!

I once heard that in styles using a Hakama, shifting between stances, shouldn't be revealed. So the rest of your body shouldn't telegraph your intentions.
Thinking of this Hakama, you would be almost everytime sliding, asfor not to move the Hakama a lot.

I try to slide just half a centimeter above the floor. And step when needed.
It depends on the kata or move you are performing.

(I must say that I don't wear a Hakama, but I only heard of this. Maybe someone could confirm?)

Paul

In AKK, when moving a foot, it is preferable that, if the foot does not remain in contact with the ground it stays close to it. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line, so when able, keeping the foot close to the ground is the best option, as this also helps with stability.