Is Kata useful in fighting? No, not at all.
Kata comes from a time of illiteracy. Kata served as a tool to communicate to another person, “I have found this works when the bad guy comes.” Let’s look at this idea that kata doesn’t work in fighting through the lens of a boxing technique called, The Liver Shot.
Liver Shot
A liver shot is painful and can stop a modern boxing or MAA contest. Bernard Hopkins (55-8-2) knocked out Oscar De La Hoya (39-6) with a liver shot.
Like most punches in boxing and MAA striking combinations rule the day. Combinations are a set of strikes in a predesigned pattern to score a strike and/or create an opening for a strike.
The orthodox method of teaching this boxing combination is a left punch to the opponent’s right ribs.
This strike is designed to get the opponent to drop their right arm to protect the ribs, and liver. Followed by an immediate strike with the same hand to the now uncovered side of the opponent’s head.
Take The Head, Or Take The Liver When You Fight
A wonderful and classic combination designed to get the opponent to open the side of their head and jaw. The fastest way to win a boxing match is to get a knockout. To create a circuit overload in the brain and make it shut-off.
The Black Knight from the “Monty Python and The Holy Grail,” proves the point in a bloody and comical way. The sword fight between the Black Knight and King Arthur reaches comical heights. King Arthur doesn’t decapitate the Black Knight to end the fight. King Arthur worked the problem backward. The King was not going for the win.
“Irish” Mickey Ward (38-13) was the subject of the movie, “The Fighter.” Ward used an interesting combination of punches. He reversed the classic pattern that is taught as Liver, Head, to Head, Liver seeking damage and the knockout. Mickey Ward would hit the opponent’s head and get the opponent to lift their hand to cover the side of the head and then go to the Liver.
Ward changed the pattern. He reversed it from the classic way it is taught. Ward used the principle expressed in the tactics to seek a liver shot, and a knock out if possible. Would Ward have been as successful if he had stuck with the classic pattern? He did, he used the classic pattern as well.
The point is looking at kata as a pattern of how people will behave in a combative situation is childlike. Is kata useful in fighting? no, not the way it is usually presented. Here is one method of view that likely will help.
Kata Is No Use In Fighting
The principals, the cluster of techniques are useful in fighting. There are triggers built into kata and there are triggers built into boxing. A trigger may be as simple as when the boxing opponent drops his right shoulder, you left jab to the face. In karate, it may be after a front kick is thrown, charge in with punches.
A way to approach kata is not wholly as a, “How to,” but as a, “Here’s some.” Like a song the movements of kata are strung together, to make them memorable, and useful. The creation of triggers.
Like “Irish” Micky Ward, The World Boxing Union Light Welterweight Champion. Don’t count on a pattern to save you, understand what the pattern is teaching, and apply that insight.
The Face On Mars
The human mind seeks patterns. It is called Apophenia. Apophenia is the tendency to see connections between unrelated items. Think of the face on mars, somehow the human mind can take a massive amount of rocks and the correct shadow and build a face. The human mind wants to make sense of what it experiences.
Kata takes a chaotic moment of fighting and brings order and structure to the moment via the training, and then we make the mental leap, “This is how it’s done.”
If you are looking for a kata to be useful in fighting, stop doing that now.
You will progress farther faster and with a greater quality of experience when you do. See the song, understand the song, and see the notes as well.
Here is a video breakdown of the Liver Shot from a Medical Doctor: This is What Happens to Your Body After a Liver Punch | MMA, UFC, Boxing
A link to a better practice of Sanchin Kata
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KRIS WILDER
Kris Wilder is a martial artist based in Seattle Washington. He has authored many martial art books, including the classic, The Way of Kata. Making no apologies for his obsession of Football he can be found telling any who will listen about the nuances of the Canadian Football League.