Kata Tips for the RTK Club Championships

We have plenty of entries for our Club Championships on 26th June. I am sure all of you are training as hard as you can to prepare. If you haven’t entered yet, get involved, it is going to be a fantastic day.

Click here to book your place:

https://www.redtigerkarateclub.co.uk/tournament-booking

Here are some handy hints and tips from your Chief Instructor and EKF Northern Regional Kata Coach Paul Wolstencroft Sensei to help you be at your best on the day.

1) Choose your Katas as soon as possible!

With the tournament only a few weeks away it is now time to think about which kata(s) you will be performing.

It is important that you pick your chosen kata early. Choose a kata that you enjoy practising and suits your style of Karate. For example if you are a great kicker - you might want to look at Heian Yondan or Kanakudai. If you have trouble with jumping, you would avoid Heian Godan, Unsu or Empi for example.

If you are strong and powerful, you might want to choose Bassai Dai or a Heian Sandan.

Try not to be too ambitious with your choice. Any of the Heian Kata performed well will beat a senior kata performed badly!

Do not be afraid to ask your Instructor/Assistants/Cadets for their advice or to choose for you. They know your strengths and weaknesses and will be able to help you.

If you are thinking of entering in the pairs events, grab a partner, agree your Katas as soon as possible and get practising together.

2) Practise, practise, practise!

Once you have your Katas, you need to break them down and work on them as often as you can. Take small sections and improve them, just a few moves at a time. Pay attention to the small details. Is your stance correct? Does it look the same throughout the Kata? Could you push yourself lower? Could you move faster? Is your shuto hand finishing in the right spot? What are you doing with your returning hand, is it nicely tucked in or is it trailing down like a handbag? Correct the tiny details and the difference will be massive.

Top karateka will always record their practise sessions so they can analyse their performance and make detailed improvement. For example, is the start of your Kata explosive? Does it make you want to watch the rest? If not, make it better. Are you focused or looking at the floor? Do you glide through your Kata or stamp like an elephant? You will notice so much by reviewing your Kata on video.

Does you Kata start brilliantly and then go flat towards the end? If so, work on your cardio and learn to pace it out. Use your performance to grab a recovery breath where you can. The winners will grab the attention of the judges and keep it.

Does your Kiai make people take notice? Do you Kiai like a lion or a mouse? Spirit first, technique second. We want to see you ROAR!

Visualise what you are doing. Would your kick or punch harm any potential attacker? Is your technique strong and powerful? Or floppy and flowery?

Practise in front of people at your class or at home, do not be shy. Be proud of your karate and show it off. The more you can become comfortable feeling uncomfortable, the better you will perform in front of the judges on the day.

Have a go on the mats before the big day. Get yourself down to Kata squad and practise on the Mats so that you are used to the feeling.

3) Performance is key!

SHOW OFF. Be the star, those couple of minutes are for you.

Remember that fast parts of the kata should be as fast, crisp and sharp as possible. Slow bits should be drawn out to make the kata longer and show your control. Make the Kata big. Push your stances and fill the tatami.

Presence is also key. Practise the bow in and walk onto to the Tatami. Remember a confident walk on and bow in will grab the attention of the judges before any of your karate can impress them.

Make the announcement of the Kata stand out. Don’t just scream as loud as you can. Remember the shout out comes from the belly.

Your focus should be solely on your kata. If somebody set off a firework in the next room you shouldn’t even notice, you should be so focused on your kata that nothing else around you matters at all.

Facial expressions - you must have a VERY serious Kata Face. Practise this in front of the mirror without laughing! No smiling during Kata, you should be visualising the fight.

4) Fitter, faster, stronger!

Getting ready for the day also involves improving your overall fitness, increasing the speed at which you can move and the power your body can generate. When I teach the Regional training for the English Karate Federation we have a 3 hour session. Most of our sessions are just one hour, but it is what you do in that hour that counts. Could you work harder or move faster? Are you trying your absolute best?

Arrive early to warm up and practise before the class. Most dojo’s are open 20 minutes early. Get that extra practise time in.

At EKF Squad; we always make the first hour fitness, cardio and kihon training. Drills like skipping, sprints, squats, burpees, box jumps and press ups are all excellent training drills for performance Kata. You can do these before/during classes or at home.

There are only 19 days left to practise, so make that time count.

Kata Squad is open to all next Tuesday 14th June. Why not come down and train on the mats with Mike Sensei, Grace Sensei and Gary Sensei. There are plenty more tips and training methods to be learned at squad class.

Good luck everyone,

Oss!

Paul Wolstencroft Sensei

*** Kumite Tips to follow on Friday***