1. Myth:The Kata applications have been lost in time.
Fact: While there is some truth to this, there are however many instructors that have been taught them and continue to pass down old style applications and their associated tactics. The difficulty is that they are far and few between and you certainly won’t find them teaching the applications on a public forum like youtube. 99% of what is presented publicly is anything but representative of old style karate, yet is often claimed as such.
2. Myth: Kata applications were created to be used against untrained fighters only.
Fact: Instructors who make this claim confusingly also peddle Myth number one. If you claim myth one you can’t seriously claim number myth number two. We know for a fact that many of the old school kareteka used to spar against one another – using bunkai as they went. Here is a modern day version by Lyoto Machida (View Here) – a classic application used against an experience and highly trained fighter. Some of the best techniques are ones you can use in free sparring.
3. Myth: The Kata “Tells” us how to apply the movements.
Fact: Any application of kata is merely an interpretation. Certain movements may lend themselves more fully to certain applications, however this is highly dependent on the karateka’s knowledge/understanding of techniques and tactics. Instruction in old style methods will also help the karateka to realise very useful applications.
4. Myth: The movements in kata are actually all secret locks and throws.
Fact: While it is true that there are many locks and throws etc in kata, sometimes a punch is a punch and a kick is a kick. There is a real danger in over interpretation. A good example is when instructors try to use a gedan beraai or downward block as a dozen varieties of throws and locks. It is all good in theory, but the practise of this is disaster. While there are multiple uses of the gedan beraai, over-interpretation just leads to a range of second rate techniques that aren’t really worth spending time to learn.
5. Myth: The kata are composed entirely of defensive techniques.
Fact: It is important to be able to take the fight to our opponent. Relying on pure defence doesn’t always work, sometimes the best dfence in an offence, hence the kata provide a wealth of very direct attacking techniques. Any karateka with experience of sparring/fighting should understand this.
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