I read this in a book a while back and havent thought to post it on here. It presents a unique and interesting view on kata. Here is my best representation of what the author said.

A kata is comparable to water. What we learn and what we teach to others is the kata in its "ice" form. It is unchanging and un-fluid. Sometimes people take the "ice" and chizzel some of it away or add some, slightly changing the kata.

Now when we are learning or practicing the bunkai (application)of the kata, it must melt down and become fluid and changeable to be effective.

So basically we learn the unchanging "ice" like kata, but under the "heat" of combat or through the training of the bunkai we melt it down and it becomes fluid to be applicable.

Phew... I hope I got that out alright. This may be a common idea for yall but for some reason I just thought it was an awesome way to look at it.

Thoughts? Stupid? Brilliant? Typed poorly?

Hello Salek:

Its a pretty image, I guess. But we must start with that "ice". Any other form except the ice (ie roughest, most tangible) because its too subtle, too much detail causes...

Huge, simple... easy to grasp.
J

Pretty way of looking at it and I agree with Ronin1966 that at the beginning the only way is to look at the big picture. As in added note, Funakoshi was supposed to have said "practice the kata only as taught but a fight is a different matter" or something like that, sorry for any mistakes.

What was the name of this book and who was the author?

It sounds like a fair analogy.

That is a great way to put it.

I would like to know the name of the book too.

I think it might be the book called "Shotokan's Secret" By Bruce D Clayton.

I am not in posession of the book right now, so I am not positive. I will check though and get back to you guys

I got it from "The twenty precepts of Karate training" that was posted on the wall were I once trained. Here are some links online twenty precepts 1 and twenty precepts 2. I know that there are books out there but I don't have any at the moment.

My theory is,,,,,,,,,
We learn the kata and the movements in the kata. If those movements need to be altered to be effective then practicing them the way they are in the kata is a waste of time. The movements from the kata should be usable as they are.

Your fight will not appear as a kata but the movements/applications you use will be drawn from your kata.

Would you practice the 100 yard dash to get ready for a cross country run?