Was Bruce Lee Right? Is Kata Useless or UseLost?

Continued discussion of use of kata further comments on "Style" of BruceLee
#Uechi-ryu
#kata
#karatestyles
#sanchin
#brucelee

[@rjwrightrw30]

I've been an active martial artist since 1980. And every point made here is right on. I've been very blessed to have had excellent instructors. And as a died in the wool kata guy, I love the analogy of a kata being like a particular song. Learn the song and then make it your own. Well done gents.

[@JaredBerango]

Wow nice analysis

[@UniversityofKarate]

Thanks. You were fortunate to have had good instructors. I was extremely lucking there too.

[@Shaolinkempotc]

Very enjoyable. It would be great to have some of the mechanics described done visually for us…maybe slow motion and up close. Sometimes the same words can be understood differently by different people.🙇🏽‍♂️

[@UniversityofKarate]

Yes, that may happen at some point. We will probably revisit some of these videos and do that. Call them "enhanced" segments where we will refer to something in a particular video.

[@mizukarate]

Kata is vital!!!!!!

[@UniversityofKarate]

It is until you are ready to not need it. The evolution of your art. After you have done years and years of the movements, they are all in you. You can create a new form each time you move.

[@mizukarate]

@UniversityofKarate 👍 agreed

[@jm7578]

Thank you and I agree!!!

[@MasterPoucksBestMan]

Is it useless to practice a dance routine and expect you'll be able to dance your way to victory in a self-defense situation? Yes. Is it useless to collect all the movement patterns in your art in one place so they can be passed down with as little corruption as possible, so you can remember all the patterns you should be training? No.

[@l-martinez4646]

Another great episode gentlemen.

[@UniversityofKarate]

Thank you!

[@elderkenya4488]

Kata is not useless.Its like shadow boxing for boxers.Many misinterpret Bruce's words.In that one scene it Enter The Dragon,he was doing kata wasn't he?

[@UniversityofKarate]

For sure! He certainly did forms, whether of a style he knew or his own. Good point about Enter the Dragon!

[@elderkenya4488]

@UniversityofKarate Again my friend.Didn't Wing Chun have forms?He criticized the adaptability of forms,but what's his motto reject what's useless and use what's useful or words to that effect.Ive been in the martial arts for 33 years and I have three black belts.I find kata very helpful.They can't take what Bruce said 50 years ago and apply it today.Times have changed and so did martial arts,but I stick to my traditional martial arts,I love Bruce as a philosopher and a martial artist,but I'm more like the late Sonny Chiba a true Karate man.

[@jm7578]

I have been actively studying and practicing martial arts since 1982. I do not believe that kata is useless you definitely can use parts of it in self-defense. You can use the concepts that are embedded in the forms in self-defense and even free sparring. I believe that some people just wanted to do away with them so they branded them as useless, but it’s worth than likely a facet of ignorance, and they just don’t truly understand all of the intricate detailed reasons for its existence.

[@UniversityofKarate]

For sure!

[@EthanNoble]

Bruce def respected certain traditional artists from masters of Choy Lay Fut, Judo, various karate , Wing Chun to Boxing and Wrestlers. It’s a common misconception that he dunked on them. In many cases it was an exchange of knowledge for him with those guys

[@UniversityofKarate]

Exactly. I think that when someone says that they are trying to justify something else.

[@frankfranco7251]

Techniques and forms have to be explored. I have been fortunate to learn that way. Make it your own. It's an art therefore you personalize it to suit your capabilities. Obviously you must spar and get hit.

[@michaelbittel2618]

Excellent!

[@moehoward8691]

Lee thought it was useless du3e to his short time and lack of training in martial arts. He came to the US at 18 years of age, which suggests that he was only trained in Hong Kong as a child.

[@frankfranco7251]

Exactly. He had no deep knowledge of it in depth.

[@MifuneBoBune]

Most never so-called practitioners have been down-talking kara for decades. Why? Most people are too lazy to learn them and should go pretend in some other field.

[@michaelbittel2618]

Ha, yes. It takes years or decades to fully grasp the meaning of the forms. Even a lifetime.

[@drunkengaming5960]

Kata is useless if you don't know how to execute it bruce lee saying kata is useless but the point he didn't finish his sentence thats why most jkd now is dumb , boxing is kata, muay thai is kata, chinese martial arts korean , silat name it all of them came from kata😂😂

[@michaelbittel2618]

Very true. But another level to that is to create a new form every time you move. Of course, as discussed one has to have the foundation of kata or it's just a mess.

[@CBHDK59]

martial arts. on kata 2 kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZu3nWqKjbucmKMsi=suEVkqylYqAzXqeQ to

[@UniversityofKarate]

Yes, one needs to train in the patterns until they are programmed and consciousness is not required.