17
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Why is more time dedicated to exercises and very less for sparring? Is it for the fee?
This is a good question. And to answer it, you have to understand why karate kata (forms) exist, what their original purpose was, and how kata practice differs from sparring.
The original purpose of ...
- 17.3k
14
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Name and meaning of stance where you stand with fists on hips?
Your intuition is correct. It is a very vulnerable position. That should give you a clue about its bunkai.
For those that don't know, Bunkai is the Okinawan karate term used to refer to the practice ...
- 17.3k
11
votes
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Why do we teach unrealistic bunkai?
The answer is simple: Because the vast majority of karate is taught by instructors who don't know what realistic bunkai is. And that's because their instructors were never taught it. And their ...
- 17.3k
10
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How to train for improved balance?
Improve your leg Strength.
Do this first because it feeds into any activity requiring balance.
Try:
Hindu squats. These are great because they have you coming up on the ball of your foot while ...
- 4,081
10
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Why do the 2020 Summer Olympics have Kata but not Poomsae?
There are several reasons, but in my opinion, they are somewhat of a cop-out - and yet a relief. Keep in mind, getting into the Olympics is a herculean task: there needs to be a federation ...
- 3,851
9
votes
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How long should the Tai Chi basic 24 form take?
This may be new information to you, or it might be something you already understand. Taiji is done slowly for a very good reason. It's not for meditation, although many Taiji schools teach it that way....
- 17.3k
9
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If Karate is supposed to be way of the empty-handed, then why does Gosoku-ryū use weapon katas?
Just because a karate style may include weapon katas does not mean that the name "karate" is invalidated. You can think of Kobudo as an extension, or sister art(s) to Karate. Okinawan weapon arts ...
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9
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Practicing a form with closed eyes
Are you doing Taiji entirely for meditation, relaxation, and chi-kung? If so, go ahead and do it with your eyes closed. Or better yet, do it sitting down on the floor while just "thinking" of how the ...
- 17.3k
8
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What is the name of this Taekwondo black belt bo form?
I don't believe there is a "traditional taekwondo black belt bo form".
The Kukkiwon (at the Foreign Taekwondo Master Training Course in 2013) says there are no weapons in Taekwondo, but some ...
- 1,081
8
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Utility of pre planned moves
Traditional teachers of different style say many different things, of which, some have more, or less validity.
Here's some things I've heard said about forms in general:
It teaches you how to relax ...
- 8,533
7
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What is the purpose of slow movements in poomsae / kata / taolu for?
The answer to this question entirely depends on the form and the history behind it.
Most forms have changed in small and often big ways since they were first created. Sometimes movements are repeated ...
- 17.3k
6
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Utility of pre planned moves
Kata is sparring.
Due to the facts that:
kata are a static sequence of moves
for most junior members (and even some senior members) sparring is a free form unplanned sequence of moves (for new ...
- 8,245
6
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Is there any IWUF-compliant material of Wushu techniques and forms for reference?
My wife got pretty far into contemporary wushu. She had good teachers, but one book she frequently turned to was Fundamentals of High Performance Wushu: Taolu Jumps and Spins by Raymond Wu. You can ...
- 17.3k
6
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How to train for improved balance?
A simple practical exercise that will improve your kicking balance: Do straight leg kicks without ever setting the kicking leg down.
You don't have to do them aggressively or high at first. Even a ...
- 1,609
6
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Why is more time dedicated to exercises and very less for sparring? Is it for the fee?
People get hurt sparring, and they get hurt worse fighting. This is a fact of life. It's why professional fighters may only fight a few times a year, and why you can't just pound each other in martial ...
- 13.6k
6
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Why is more time dedicated to exercises and very less for sparring? Is it for the fee?
mattm and Steve have adequately covered the angles of injury and the basis of kata. I would also add two more factors, efficiency and the need to set a physical foundation.
Efficiency
It's not easy ...
- 10.9k
6
votes
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Taekwondo technique similar to "Kamehameha"?
I did some research and found the technique in the Kukkiwon website. The Information section on Techniques describes the taesan milgi:
Taesan-milgi (태산밀기) Steep Mountain Pushing
A motion of ...
- 2,009
6
votes
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Is there an actual standards document for poomsae?
These are official videos. There are also coach's documents available you can get from TeamUSA, or from your country's Olympic site. The coach's document specifies competition-specific details, such ...
- 3,851
5
votes
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What drill or form can I practice with a push broom while sweeping the sidewalk?
Try these footwork patterns:
Stepping forward in a low bow/front stance as you push the broom, alternating legs. It will be a challenge to actually effect the sweeping while doing this.
Fighting ...
- 4,081
5
votes
How to avoid being encircled by a body triangle?
Step one of defending the body triangle is rolling to the side so that your opponent's feet are on the ground, rather than their knee.
Step two is turning into the body triangle. You need to turn ...
- 1,756
5
votes
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Explanation of the goshin-ho kata…
⚠ Disclaimer: I am still learning about the goshin-ho and thus the below is best seen as a work in progress… Anyone with a more complete answer is welcome to post it. Any errors, confusion, and ...
5
votes
Why kata competitors wear red and blue belts?
It is as Meer states, that they distinguish between opponents. However, not all styles use red and blue. In Taekwondo, it is required to wear the color of your belt (for poomsae competition), while ...
- 3,851
5
votes
Why do we teach unrealistic bunkai?
This is a complex question deserving a complex answer. In your question, you explicitly refer to gedan barai as an example of a generally "bad" bunkai. In this answer, I will start from there to ...
- 2,247
5
votes
Reasons for a Karate Kata disqualification?
In the WKF 2018 competition rules document, the following are considered valid reasons for disqualification during a kata competition :
Not presenting yourself when called
Performing the wrong kata ...
- 2,247
5
votes
Japanese Short Sword Kata
First, don't drill anything you haven't been taught in person by a good teacher. You can learn a lot watching videos, but videos don't give you feedback and correction. I'm worried that you'll be ...
- 17.3k
5
votes
Why is judo's Katame-no-Kata so free-form relative to Nage-no-Kata?
Throwing someone is difficult and depends on particular openings, balance, and grips; staying standing is the easier "default". In contrast, pins are the opposite: the escape is difficult ...
- 21.2k
5
votes
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Is Karate artistic on purpose or is it unintentional?
As ever so often, this is a result of the ways of training prevalent in the respective arts. Even if not intentional as such, it is a logical outcome of the history of (Shotokan) Karate:
Originally, (...
- 5,900
4
votes
How to train for improved balance?
Slow kicks and slow leg raises. Balance is a feedback game - your proprioception and your muscle response. How fast you can sense your own balance, and how fast you can get your stabilizers to do ...
- 8,533
4
votes
How to train for improved balance?
zhan zhuang or stand like a post. (the article is rather terse, but the references at the bottom will probably be helpful. I'm not sure this is a skill I'd want to learn from the internet, but any ...
- 3,465
4
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Need help with sanchin kata
In Isshin-ryu's Sanchin, the right foot is first to step out, but my understanding is that this kata varies from style to style.
Obviously the best way to learn the technicalities of Sanchin(or any ...
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