My Thoughts on Yelling Kata

Of the many formalities that come along with traditional martial arts, shouting kata names has to be one of the most noticeable.

The actual execution of the kata announcement varies wildly, from calm utterances to screams that cause nearby glass to shatter. Interestingly, the act of yelling a kata name is extremely old and almost universally practiced among traditionalists.

Lately I’ve been doing it less and less. I’d like to share some thoughts on when I think it’s appropriate, and when you might be able to forego it.

When To Shout It Out

There are a few realities in modern training that make kata announcement necessary. The first, and most obvious, is tournament play.

Judges can’t possibly know what form competitors will be attempting, so it’s prudent to give them a heads up. Of course, judges of different styles many never have heard of the form anyway, and even if they have their style might perform it differently. Nevertheless, it seems like fair courtesy to inform them.

But if you walk up to the judges and tell them the name of the kata, do you need to yell it again right before you start? By informing them of your name/style/kata, didn’t you negate the need for the big name-scream-dramatics?

I’ve always found the polite, informative introduction to be more prudent.

Another time kata yelling seems appropriate is in a big group setting. A teacher has to keep all pupils on the same page. When a student is first learning a kata, it is quite helpful to repeat the name in context over and over again. This repetition helps learn proper pronunciation as well as mental association of the name with the movements.

When I’m teaching, I’ll generally announce the kata and wait a moment for the students to repeat. We’ll all then begin together.

Declaring the kata name puts everyone’s focus on the kata. I can use the tone of my voice to indicate what level of intensity students should be expending. If I say the kata softly and calmly, they can infer that our intent is to go slowly and discuss things. If I say the kata forcefully, they will know that a high level of power is expected.

By saying the name of the kata, I can also transition from one form to the next without an extended explanation. In a dojo environment where there are multiple students, this seems like a reasonable practice.

Foregoing the Shout

When I train alone or via the older Okinawan methods of ‘independent togetherness’ I rarely announce kata because the intent and focus is much different.

When training a kata for depth, a severe amount of visualization must occur. The mind becomes like a taut string. Intensity has to be carefully balanced with control and purpose. This mixture of emotional content and physical expression is directed at the imaginary yet vivid opponent in front of you.

Shouting the name of kata in that environment is awkward and rips you from the moment, reminding you that you are practicing a form. If there were an opponent in front of you, you certainly would not begin your life protection by yelling kata at him/her.

You might argue that yelling the kata gets you amped up or puts you in the right frame of mind for combat, but I don’t think that is a good habit to rely upon. “Flipping the switch” into a mental state of readiness should occur quickly and silently; a subtle shift that causes the hair on the back of your opponent’s neck to stand on end.

There is also a bit of ego and showmanship that can slip in with kata yelling. It’s a moment that can be used to draw attention to oneself, even in a group setting. Therefore a student may become obsessed with yelling louder than anyone else. During individual performance, they could be worried about how tough and intimidating they want their shout to sound.

It’s all distracting, peripheral stuff that doesn’t relate to good performance of kata.

How to Shout

To me, the best kata announcement is serious but not obnoxious. Whenever I have someone screaming kata at me it makes me doubt their focus. Screaming is a result of uncontrolled anger and intensity. These aren’t the makings of a skilled martial artist.

On the other hand, meekness or lackadaisical tone gives me a clue that the practitioner is not yet in the right state of mind. What are they waiting for? I feel like the focus should be activated well before the kata name is spoken.

Final Thoughts

You won’t catch me lecturing people away from saying kata names before performance if they want to do it. In fact, I do it myself in certain situations. But at times it feels like it goes against the true nature and culture of Okinawan karate (my personal background). As such, I’ll be voicing my kata less and less….

Interview: Bill Hayes, “Old Student”, Okinawa Shobayashi-ryu Karate-do (Part 2)

This is a continuation of the interview with Bill Hayes Sensei. Part 1 can be found here. Hayes Sensei is a senior practitioner of Shobayashi-Ryu Karate-do and a keeper of the old ways of Okinawan study. His personal experiences with Eizo Shimabukuro Sensei and the United States Marines (retired Major) have given him unique insight into the Ryukyuan Arts.

Hayes Sensei is a martial historian, subject matter expert for the U.S. Marines, and applications expert. He can often be found providing advice and insight to even the highest ranked instructors around the world. He refers to himself simply as “old student”.

bill hayes shorin ryu karate

And now the conclusion of the interview.

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Broken Kata, Bunkai, and Allowable Differences

Hayes Sensei discusses how Eizo Shimabukuro Sensei would consider certain student’s kata “broken”. This often occurred after long periods of time away from training on Okinawa, and sometimes after the ego of the practitioner had gotten ahold of his art and changed it for the worse. Also discussed are the matters of bunkai, oyo bunkai, and tichiki, the varying levels of application of kata. The final topic is that of hacho, allowable differences in order to make karate unique and effective for each individual.
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Grandmaster Book, Hinkaku (Special Dignity), and the Power of Nature

There are very few texts available that accurately portray old style training of karate on Okinawa, and Hayes Sensei is the author of one of those books. My Journey With the Grandmaster provides us with a unique glimpse into the culture, training, and philosophy of “te” as Hayes Sensei intermingles personal stories with technical and historical knowledge. This book is not available via standard resell. If you are interested in acquiring a copy, please print out this order form or contact Hayes Sensei directly with a book request.

Also discussed in this video is the concept of Hinkaku, a special dignity that only the highest gentleman (or gentlewoman) karateka can attain. The last topic mentioned is the power of nature in our training, and how to integrate it with meaning.

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Diet, Wellness, and Longevity

The Okinawans have been studied for years due to their unusual longevity and quality of life. Okinawa is a Blue Zone, and a combination of fitness, diet, community, and low stress has created a society of virtually no crime and strong, happy living. Hayes Sensei has spent much of his life adopting the ways of the Okinawans and figuring out ways in which western culture might successfully integrate some of those “good ideas” and apply them in their own lives.
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Personal Regiment, Hojo Undo (Body Conditioning), and Your Vision for Karate

In this final video Hayes Sensei discusses his own personal training. He describes how training can change as one ages and improves in skill level. He also mentions how he utilizes hojo undo, the classical method of Okinawan body conditioning. The video is finished with a discussion regarding his vision for the Okinawa Shorin Ryu Karatedo Kenkyu Kai Shobayashi-Kan, and how he would like to positively effect those who train with him.

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Many thanks to Hayes Sensei for his participation in this interview and for his tireless efforts in spreading “the way”!

Interview: Bill Hayes, “Old Student”, Okinawa Shobayashi-ryu Karate-do (Part 1)

I’m very pleased to present this interview with Bill Hayes, Kyoshi of Shobayashi Karate-do. Hayes Sensei became a senior student of famed Okinawan instructor Eizo Shimabukuro and has worked diligently to pass along karate as it was originally taught to him over the course of multiple decades.

bill hayes karate tuite

Hayes Sensei is a retired Major of the United States Marine Corps, having served two active tours of duty in Vietnam as well as three tours on Okinawa. He is often considered the “complete package” of Okinawan Karate, embodying Okinawan culture, diligent wellness, strong character, and technical transcendence.

Hayes Sensei is the author of the book “My Journey With the Grandmaster“, a work not originally intended for public consumption but now a staple in many traditional artist’s libraries. Hayes Sensei also publishes a quarterly newsletter containing rare bits of history and wisdom accrued over many years of research and study.

These days Hayes Sensei heads the Okinawa Shorin Ryu Karatedo Kenkyu Kai Shobayashi-Kan, a semi-private research group that he uses to guide students in a very personal way that mirrors the core essence of his original training on Okinawa.

I recently had the chance to sit down with Hayes Sensei and ask him a wide variety of questions, ranging from his personal experiences to matters of technique, as well as philosophical issues in present day training. I hope you enjoy the following videos, broken into topical sections.

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Beginnings, and Training with Eizo Shimabukuro OSensei

In the first video I ask Hayes Sensei to explain how he originally became interested in martial arts training. We go on to explore his original tours of duty in Vietnam and how they introduced him to the island of Okinawa. Also discussed is how Hayes Sensei originally met Eizo Shimabukuro, and what about OSensei made him so special.
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Karate Influences and Learning Theory, Meeting Korean “Tae Kwon Do”

Hayes Sensei explores some of his karate influences, as well as explaining how learning changes and adapts over the course of many years. Also discussed is some of Hayes Sensei’s travels to Okinawa and Japan, as well as training and teaching with South Korean Marines in Vietnam.
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Okinawa Evolves, The Tournament Scene, and the Development of MCMAP

In this video Hayes Sensei explains how he has seen Okinawa evolve over the years, and how certain “pipelines” of karate are fading away. Hayes Sensei also discusses his involvement with tournaments in the early days, and how he gained a reputation as a top tier Sai practitioner. The video is concluded with a discussion on Hayes Sensei’s involvement with the development of MCMAP, the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program.
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