How often do you practice Kata?
 

Varies here, but something like 1-3 times/month.

We practice Kata at our club usually once a week. We have a large practice schedule (8 hours/ week. yeah i have no life!)

Kata usually will get 45mins to 1 hour a week. before a grading, we'll obviously up that amount to make sure everyone is up to snuff, as well as to get lots of opportunities to knit pick each other.

It's been my experience that you should grab a buddy or buddies and make time outside the dojo to further practice the kata. I love the kata. And, yeah, sometimes I practice on my own with an "invisible" partner, too!

I try to practice at least once a month, otherwise I might forget (too mant blows to the head http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...es/biggrin.gif ). When there's no one else to practice with, I go through them on my own.

One thing I've noticed here in Japan is that they only learn/practice kata just before the grading. Still trying to figure out why. I personally feel that kata has a lot to offer, not just another grading requirement. Maybe that could be another thread.

Kuri: I too have wondered why kata seems to be overlooked in Japan for the most part. If you do discover why, please enlighten us!

For me, kata has always been a significant part of kendo. My first sensei was a strong advocate of kata. We would study kata for one hour every practice prior to bougu practice. By the time I was san-kyu, I was familiar with all ten forms.

Charlie: obviously you've passed the stage where one practices waza in the shower... http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/smile.gif

Love to practice them...but err..how?



Dave

Hahahahaha! Yeah. I think my wife's sick of kendo dreams, too.

Blissfully drifting off to sleep, barely a few inches below consciousness, starting to dream of kendo... MEN! My body jerks, kicks her, wakes the dog.

Yeah. She loves that.

The funny thing is this also happened in my sleep once or twice. I kicked the bed (while preforming men in my dream), and woke myself up.

In the two months prior to shinsa, three times sper week, 15 mins each time.
Else twice a month.

My experience with kata in Australia was always a positive one. On the most part, whenever there were high ranking sensei visiting, even small demonstrations to emphasise a point, they would have beads of sweat running down their brow from the intensity.

My observatrion in Japan has been that high school kendo is all about doing it (sometimes till you drop http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ies/tongue.gif ) Universities tend to be an extension of that with emphasis on winning, because with trophies comes prestige. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...es/biggrin.gif But that still doesn't account for all those community based clubs out there. Mind you, they're not all the same. There just doesn't seem to be the same emphasis here as there is in Aus.