09/19/2026
What is the Purpose of Kata?
The idea for this piece started with a discussion about someone training in a dojo that no longer included kata in its regular curriculum. For many of us who practice traditional karate, particularly Kyokushin, kata is simply part of what we learn.
That got me thinking about what kata actually contributes to our training, why some people value it and others don’t, and why I still believe it has an important place in karate after more than four decades of practice.
Osu!
Explore the purpose of kata in traditional karate, from preserving tradition and practical application to the continual refinement of renma.
