Kime no kata - 2014 Hatashita Championships

Not atypical.  Is that a short area?

Weapons bobbing up and down.

Standing tsukkake ~6:00 ...... 1.2.3rd time a charm

Interesting spit-lubricated hair adjustment at 7:32. Did he actually pat down his eyebrows?    

Typical sword handling; misses the point.

I'd probably make a ton more mistakes in the limelight in Canada!!

NBK

A presentation well done. You can see the hours of preparation shinning through the techniques performances. Bravo

forgeron judo wrote:A presentation well done. You can see the hours of preparation shinning through the techniques performances. Bravo

Indeed so. It is obvious they have worked long hours. This is one of the reason such performances upset up and anger me.
If only such a pair had instruction worthy of their dedication and time. If only that pair understood what kime no kata was and why it is vital to our judo practice.

I am not criticising the pair at all. I sincerely question their teachers understanding of self defence, judo and the Kime no kata. I refuse to become personal in terms of the pairs performance. One can see they are serious judoka who care about what they do. To that end why are they not practicing kime no kata?
Be assured what you see here is as far removed from kime no kata as one can get. This performance is the result of aesthetics over functionality and substance.

Kime no kata is the kata of a form of self defence. It has two main characterisations. Action-reaction, if you like two beats attack and response.

Each kata has within its techniques the roots of judo and its core foundation principles. Kime no kata is simply enriched with such principles, very few if any are demonstrated in that performance.
For tori to make a real defence firstly uke MUST make a full blooded 100% attack. Of course this does not apply when one is learning. When one learns this kata speed is secondary to correct waza and position.

This is a pretty demonstration, its safe and looks nice. Point is its not kime no kata.

Tori must NEVER block an attack from uke. Uke must attack with venom as if he wants to hurt even kill his tori. When uke does this it will enhance the concentration of tori it will teach tori to focus. It will also teach tori the vital importance of tai sabaki, not being there for the tanto to cut him etc.

Timing is another core element to this kata. if tori initiates his defence to soon this will give a thinking uke time to alter his attack. If I had been uke in that situation I would have taken out my tori in seconds. There is zero point in making a kata a safe sort of choreographed dance. Kata must be real, it must demonstrate the principles that the kata are there to teach us. WHY else would we have or even need such kata?

Kata is not pretty. It is functional. Kata does have boundaries and manners of practice but it should not be 'safe' as in this demonstration.
I repeat my opening comments. Tori and uke are performing what they have been taught and performing that well. it is simply a waste of their time when they could be learning the vital elements of this kata that will transfer to their daily judo and lives.
A crying shame so much of what is called is nothing at all to do with 'kata'.

Kime no kata; Spirit, Zanshin, use of hara, tai sabaki, speed, timing, concentration, non apposing force with force, breathing control, Posture, movement maintaining posture, defence, attack, action-reaction, technique, distance, fluid action. NOT pausing, to name but a few elements. In a nut shell tori must learn to get the hell out of the way of the oncoming train. Get of the railway lines. If uke doesn't attack then no need for tori to defend 'correctly'. If uke 'attacks' then tori will have to learn the correct way to learn to defend or get badly hurt.

The lessons learned in the correct practice of kime no kata translate directly into nearly every aspect of our judo and life itself.
Not mystic Myagi talk this is real life judo practice and why we practice the kata.

Such talent being underused is a shame. Trying to find people who are willing to put the hours in that this pair has is rare so when we do have the honour of teaching such pupils they deserve the best we, as teachers, can give them.

It is of VITAL importance when learning judo to question. Ask 'why' we do what we do. Now explain to me the purpose of what we have seen in that clip? Not the people what they are doing.

I already regret writing this. Lets see.

Mike

I think Uke has a tick and cannot be blamed for his actions with his hair actions while in seiza

Kano shihan wrote that Kime no Kata was the core of judo.

Don't expect to see that understood or the kata practiced as if it were the core of judo anywhere today.

NBK

NBK wrote:Kano shihan wrote that Kime no Kata was the core of judo.

Don't expect to see that understood or the kata practiced as if it were the core of judo anywhere today.

NBK

Well, in some languages the letter 'c' is pronounced like an 's' ...