I LOVE INNERCYCLING and to me it is based upon the Martial Arts. My experience in this Art form began in 1997 in my first Spinning class as Billy Garcia’s Story will explain my foundation began in this Art/Sport. Innercycling is Indoor cycling and Martial Arts combined in a representation based upon what is called Kata or prescribed and premeditated motions, movements and patterns. Below is detailed definitions of KATA from www.dictionary.com and one must become versed in it to understand how it applies here. Before Innercycling my life had no awareness of the relationship between my repetitions and my patterns, my motions and my movements and the vicious cycles that would lead me to no where and especially the fact that exercise that I was teaching 24 times a week involved literally GOING NOWHERE.. As I became aware of my KATAS I began to perfect my Art and the fact that I became quite present in the moment allowed me the point of view to see both forward and backwards in my life. I will not say that this was easy because it involved almost 10,000 hours of teaching on record and thousands of hours training at 45 different health clubs and countless hours hovering over fixing and waxing indoor bike after indoor bike. I drenched myself with the KATAS of innercycling because the exercise on the bike had only a couple of hand positions and a couple of movements and through these limitations I found freedom to express myself for there are no limitation in the mind if the mind SEES no limitations. I saw and still see millions of places I can go and millions of things I can do in my mind and I still to this day pedal towards them. I was finally in a place in my life where I could just stop moving long enough to be aware. You see to become enlightened one must incorporate a great comprehension of awareness of ones life and the inevitable effects of it on ones self . In other words the things you do affect you. In Innercycling I began to realize the unspoken form of language I would speak through my motions and my movements. In Martial arts the practice of repetitions or KATAS is an age old technique of perfecting one motions and ones movement and not just physically but also mentally and spiritually. To slow down and move with intention is far different than just to move quickly to another point. KATA involves a true realization ones self through different forms of meditation and breathing, yes breathing and not just breath but breathing. In the East all Arts and many Life variables including Medicine are based with breath work as a intricate and inseparable component in them. How here in the west we don’t acknowledge this is crazy to me. As one becomes aware of the most inportant thing you will ever do you will be in the moment and as you find yourself in the moment you be practicing Kata and Meditation.(continuously being continued)
kata
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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1) - Cite This Source
təan exercise consisting of several of the specific movements of a martial art, esp. a pattern prescribed for defending oneself against several attackers, used in judo and karate training.
APA:kata. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1). Retrieved November 23, 2006, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/kata MLA:“kata.” Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1). Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006. 23 Nov. 2006. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/kata> Chicago Style:kata. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1), Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/kata (accessed: November 23, 2006). |
| Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006. |
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source ka·ta (kä
tä) Pronunciation Key 
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n. pl. kata or ka·tas
- A system of basic body positioning and movement excercises, as in karate or judo.
APA:
kata. (n.d.). The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Retrieved November 23, 2006, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/kata
MLA:
“kata.” The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 23 Nov. 2006. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/kata>
Chicago Style:
kata. Dictionary.com. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/kata (accessed: November 23, 2006).
Kata
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - Cite This Source
- “Kata” redirects here. For other uses, see Kata (disambiguation).
| Kata | |
|---|---|
| Japanese Name | |
| Kanji | 型 or 形 |
| Hiragana | かた |
| Kobudo kata with staff | |
Kata (型 or 形) (literally: “form”) is a Japanese word describing detailed patterns of movements practiced either solo or in pairs. Kata are used in many traditional Japanese arts such as theater forms like kabuki and schools of tea ceremony (chado), but are most commonly known for the presence in the martial arts. Kata are used by most traditional Japanese and Okinawan martial arts, such as aikido, iaido, jodo, judo, jujitsu, kendo and karate. Other arts such as T’ai Chi Ch’uan and Taekwondo feature the same kind of training, but use the respective Chinese and Korean words instead.
Explanation
In Japanese martial arts practice, kata is often seen as an essential partner to randori training with one complementing the other. However, the actual type and frequency of kata versus randori training varies from art to art. In iaido, solo kata using the Japanese sword (katana) comprises almost all of the training. Whereas in judo, kata training is de-emphasized and usually only prepared for Dan grading.
Kenjutsu paired kata at the beginners level can appear to be stilted. At higher levels serious injury is prevented only by a high sensitivity of both participants to important concepts being taught and trained for. These include timing and distance, with the kata practiced at high speed. This adjustability of kata training is found in other Japanese arts with roles of attacker and defender often interchanging within the sequence.
Many martial arts use kata for public demonstrations and in competitions, awarding points for such aspects of technique as style, balance, timing, and verisimilitude (appearance of being real).
Kata in Karate
The most popular image associated with kata is that of a karate practitioner performing a series of punches and kicks in the air. The kata are executed as a specified series of approximately 20 to 70 moves, generally with stepping and turning, while attempting to maintain perfect form. There are perhaps 100 kata across the various forms of karate, each with many minor variations. The number of moves in a kata may be referred to in the name of the kata, eg. Gojushiho, which means “54 steps.” The number of moves may also have links with Buddhist spirituality. The number 108 is significant in Buddhism, and kata with 54, 36, or 27 moves (divisors of 108) are common. The practitioner is generally counselled to visualize the enemy attacks, and his or her responses, as actually occurring, and karateka are often told to “read” a kata, to explain the imagined events.
In teaching the open handed kata, most styles of Karate start with a series of three, or sometimes two, very simple kata called blocking forms before advancing to five basic kata named Pinan in some systems and Heian in others. By working through this series (in order: Shodan, Nidan, Sandan, Yondan, Godan (except in Wado Ryu Karate, where Shodan and Nidan are reversed)) the practitioner learns all the basic stances and techniques before moving on to more advanced kata. Traditionally, kata are taught in stages. Previously learned kata are returned to in order to show more advanced techniques or ways of doing things, as beginners do not have the same knowledge and experience that practitioners further up the ranks have. It is not uncommon in some styles for students testing for Shodan (first rank black belt) to have to repeat every kata they have learned from the first belt, but at a “black belt” level, for example, with better technique, power, amongst others. This system is often used for the lower grades as well. The student will perform one new kata and one or two previous ones, to demonstrate how much they have progressed and how quickly they can learn new things.
Kata in Judo
Judo has several kata, mostly created in the late 19th century by Jigoro Kano, the founder of judo. All but one of the judo kata involve two participants. Judo kata preserve a number of techniques that are not permitted in competition or in randori, including punches, kicks, and the use of the katana and other weapons. The study of kata is usually begun much later in judo than in karate, typically at around the brown belt level. The most commonly studied judo kata is Nage-no-kata, which consists of fifteen throwing techniques. The Katame-no-kata is composed of pinning techniques, chokes, and joint locks. Kime-no-kata is a long kata consisting of self-defense techniques against both unarmed attacks, and attacks with swords and knives.
Criticism of kata training
The effectiveness of kata as a training method is often debated in martial arts circles.The critics frequently make the following claims:
- Kata training does not teach anything that is useful in a real situation
- A kata is just a “dead pattern”, and by following a pattern one becomes bound by it
- Kata are taught because they provide an easy source of income for the instructor
- Kata are unnecessary ritual and tradition for tradition’s sake
The proponents often claim that:
- Kata IS karate. It is the syllabus of any given traditional style. The practise of kata is analogous to studying classical music. Although a musician can create songs learning only a few basic chords, there is no doubt that a musician with a broad classical training can create music of far greater depth. The same holds true for karate studies. There is a point, reached very early on, that will limit all but the most gifted few cannot go beyond without in depth training. Kihon are the basic chords, kata are the songs. Once learned and understood, the practitioner has skill-set allowing greater variations.
- Katas give us a better understanding of the theories taught by a style
- Some techniques are too dangerous for sparring, they can only be safely practised in a pre-arranged fashion
- Sparring with padded weapons is too unrealistic and limiting, kata allows for training the full range of weapon techniques and weapons
- Practising kata is akin to moving meditation, providing increased focus, awareness and self-discipline
- Kata is an essential tradition, preserving the teachings of previous generations
The debate of “kata vs. sparring” is not a new one and is unlikely to be resolved soon. Nevertheless, the two methods may not be as far from each other as they may seem. Advanced students in traditional arts may diverge from the form and introduce variation, while a modern martial artist might train a combination of punches in a kata-like fashion. It is also important to bear in mind that in most arts, kata is just one aspect of the style’s overall training regimen.
Refrences:
APA
kata. (n.d.). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved November 23, 2006, from Reference.com website: http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Kata
MLA:
“kata.” Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 23 Nov. 2006. http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Kata>
Chicago Style:
kata. Reference.com. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Kata (accessed: November 23, 2006).
These definitions are to help put together the basis of the design of what I teach in my classes (to be continued)
