We’re all hoping for it, but realistically, how much muscle memory / reflexes can one develop from Kata training for self-defence? Beyond Kata Bunkai that should be practiced regularly, muscle memory/ reflexes development, has in part to do with how much each student put into practicing Kata. Kata training is based on repetition, so the many more time you do it, the more your body absorb each concept included in each Kata. In order to rip the benefits of Kata when it comes to developing muscle memory / reflexes, it is necessary to practice each Kata until it becomes so intuitive that you don’t even need to think about what the next move is going to be. When you reach that point, you are virtually able to do a Kata properly and think about something else entirely, then you know you have achieved proficiency. This should be everyone’s metric. One way to get there faster, is to focus on putting power in the moves, which of course will require more practice to keep perfect balance and body control. The whole process takes time. No matter how good you are, your body and brain need a certain amount of time / repetition before it can absorb all the moves. You shouldn’t lie to yourself, and be realistic about this. So if you have been doing a certain Kata for many years and you still find yourself thinking of the next move at every move you do, you know you’re not training properly. Patience is of the essence, so keep practicing properly and things will eventually happen. Even with proper training, not everybody can learn at the same paste, so for some students, it will come relatively fast, while for others, it might take longer, and that’s OK.
For the record, many students give up before they reach this level of kata proficiency, and then unfortunately, assume that Kata is not significant to the development of one’s Karate. These are the students that usually end up focusing 90% of their training on sparring, failing to realize that both sparring and Kata are required to build solid self-defence skills.
Once you’ve reached that proficiency level for a few Katas, should you end up in a situation where someone unexpectedly attack you (ex: in the street), you will then realize how proper Kata training can kick in, and boost your self-defence … saving the day. You know, this reflex-block coming out of nowhere that surprise even yourself, and seem too perfect to be true….That’s the one I’m talking about. For those of you who already had this experience, you know exactly what I’m talking about..
Watch the following video to get inspired: Kata Champion Ryo Kiyuna – “Seipai” from the “Ryuei-Ryu” Karate style.
Toronto, Sensei Alpha - KarateBoost blog
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