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....
Question: How to be a Good Martial Arts Teacher?
Remember 5 questions in 5 days? That seemed to go over well so I figured I would take some more questions.
This one is a doozy: "How does one learn to become a good teacher? Can lower ranking students teach?"
When considering this question I quickly realized that I couldn't create a prescription for what makes a good teacher. There are far too many varied approaches that can work given the right personality and skillset. Nevertheless, I think I distilled some ideas that can help in recognizing the path of a "sensei" in the classical sense (that is to say, what a sensei was meant to be and what they can be in the modern world). Please enjoy:
I know this video is pretty extensive, so here is a breakdown of some of the main bullet points I touched upon for your notes and reference:
What a Good Teacher Isn't
A Coach
- A coach is responsible for the physical performance and readiness of his athletes.
- Some modern instructors do fit that description, especially in the realm of MMA athletes and tournament competitors (like tkd olympics).
- The classical sensei's subject matter is far more pressing. They are concerned with their students taking other human life in their hands. They have to impart the mental and character skillset to recognize the repercussions of damaging a life, not just on the targeted person, but on their family, on the student, on the student's family, and in a broader sense, deciding what kind of societal impact the decision process will have (will this individual go on to hurt others?).
- There is also inherent right and wrong matters that a sensei must address. Whenever we see a martial artist doing something disgraceful, we suggest that his/her sensei should have helped him/her in controlling their abilities. In old times, every action of a student reflected upon the sensei significantly, so there was a deeper connection than mere coaching.
A Life Guru
- Being a sensei does not grant someone automatic license to give advice on all life matters.
- Most sensei are not professional trained psychologists, therapists, financial experts, etc. Therefore they are not qualified to give relationship advice, financial advice, etc etc.
- In classical times, the sensei or sifu was a much more integrated part of village life. Their training often made them not just the most deadly individual, but also the best trained in medicine, herbs, physiology, and more general education like literacy, government policy, etc etc. These sensei were highly integrated into a town's ecosystem. Sometimes farmers would ask advice for when to plant crops and parents would seek out help for naming their children (so as to avoid bad luck).
- That is no longer the case for modern sensei. In our connected society we have real professionals that do all these other things, and modern sensei are not trained to be village counselors.
A Good Teacher...
- finds the proper balance between coach and guru.
- will focus on passing on the curriculum as it was handed down to them, preserving it as best as possible for the students to explore. They'll resist the ego stroke of flavoring everything with their own flair.
- will understand how to minimize the politics of rank and ego.
- will find the balance between physical technique, mental tuning, and character development. Too much of one will begin to sacrifice the others.
- will understand when to guide students strictly and when to allow them space to explore on their own.
- will do their best to help their students surpass them, giving them tools when they are ready and without ego-based restrictions.
- will recognize the difference between a student who is ready for higher learning, and one who has yet to develop the right character.
To learn how to become a good teacher, you need to pinpoint those unique aspects of instructors you've met and absorb them. You need to find ways to embody those things that a teacher should be and avoid those things a teacher shouldn't be. That's why lower rank students can help teach. They can assist higher ranks or even take classes once in awhile. But it takes many years of analyzing their instructor and understanding what makes him/her so special in order to integrate that into themselves, and be able to use it to benefit students.
Today’s Mind
The other day I revisited a cartoon I used to watch as a kid. After about 10 minutes I realized I was gritting my teeth and wondering what the heck was going on.
The plot was nonexistent and the voice acting made me want to find the mute button in a hurry. Nevertheless, when I was young this cartoon made all the sense in the world and I loved it.
Was I wrong as a kid to hold it up as greatness? Am I wrong now for seeing it differently? No. I simply have a different mind today than I did all those years ago.
Of course, growing out of a cartoon isn't a very monumental personal development. But there are more subtle examples of how the mind can develop year to year, week to week, and day to day.
Books, in general, are read once and then filed away. Every now and then one stands out to each of us in such a way that it demands closer inspection. Most prudent martial artists have a few specific books about the arts that they deem exceptional, and have revisited them from time to time.
The important thing about special books isn't the raw information but the complexity of the concepts; the depth of the insight that reveals more over time, and improves as the reader's experience improves.
The cartoon of my childhood was entertaining, but it lacked depth. On the contrary, I can watch certain movies that I grew up with and experience them like they are brand new, filled with powerful emotion and drama.
The Point
I'm not suggesting you should go reread old books (although you should). Nor am I suggesting you should revisit old movies (although you could). What I'm saying is that every day you have a new mind. Sometimes the difference between yesterday and today is infinitesimally small. But of course, the depth of that development is entirely on you.
Every time you step into the dojo you are bringing a new set of experiences, a deeper wisdom, and a broadened outlook. Just how much of that growth you supply is dictated by your desire to learn new things and keep an open mind.
This reality is critical when practicing the fundamentals of your system, sometimes called "basics" or "kihon". Every time you execute a technique you have a chance to see it in a new light with new context. Your mind today can see with better potential than you could yesterday. Of course, not every repetition will result in spontaneous enlightenment, and if you get entirely lost inside your own mind you'll soon feel mental fatigue. As in all things there should be balance. Indeed, sometimes quieting the mind through pure physical expression can be more valuable than analysis. Regardless, the decision should be conscious and aimed at higher goals.
If you find yourself settling for "knowing enough" or going through the motions, then you've allowed yourself to become stagnant. Participation without thought and emotion is a waste of Today's Mind, and a disservice to yourself.
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STORY:
After a hard evening's workout, a sweat drenched student approached her instructor. She shuffled her feet for a moment, then asked, "Sensei why do we always do our blocks the same?"
The sensei replied, "Because that is how my sensei always taught them. We are carrying on tradition."
The girl asked, "But why did he do it that way?"
The sensei replied, "Because that is how his teacher taught him! You know, I've explained the fundamentals of our blocks, the physics of our movements and how each block compliments our stances. I'm surprised you don't know all this already! Certainly by your rank you should know."
The girl responded, "Yes, but I was just wondering if there is no better way to do it. Are we sure we are doing it the best way?"
The sensei replied, "Yes of course. This way has always proven effective for me and those that have gone before me. Are you doubting your own system?"
The girl responded, "Not doubting, just curious."
The sensei learned a valuable lesson that evening.
