Kime no Kata is one of those katas that require all of your acquired knowledge and skill as a martial artist in order to get it right and really master it. It takes a lot of time, effort and practice just to get to grips with the basics of it, after which, like any kata, it must be further honed and practiced to be really felt and performed correctly.
Every minute you spend on this kata is entirely worth it however, just for the deeper understanding of technique (and the martial arts in general) that you get from its practice. Anyone who perfects this kata will end up a much better martial artist for doing so. There are so many benefits to be gained from its practice, probably more so than any other kata, that I consider it to be the kata of katas. A bold statement, I know, but I will explain my reasons for saying so and you will hopefully understand why I hold this kata in such high esteem.
What is Kime no Kata?
Kime no kata, also known as Shinken Shobu no Kata (“the kata of real fighting”) is a self defence orientated series of katas in Judo that was developed in the Kodokan in 1888. The series is composed of eight techniques from a kneeling posture and twelve techniques from a standing position. Both series contain defences from both armed and unarmed attacks.
Controversy exists in some circles over the actual style that Kime no Kata should be headed under. Even though it was developed by Judo practitioners the techniques themselves are based on Ju Jitsu techniques (as all Judo techniques are). Some people see the kata as a Ju Jitsu kata, while others see it as a Judo kata. Officially it is known as a Judo kata but some hardcore traditionalists like me still class it as a Ju Jitsu kata. Indeed I was required to perform it in order to pass my 2nd Dan grading in Ju Jitsu, so I see the kata as being part of the Ju Jitsu syllabus. Regardless of what style it should come under, it is still a martial arts masterpiece in every respect.
Before we go any further and look at the benefits to be gained from its practice, take a look at the video below to see the kata being performed from start to finish and you will get a better understanding of what the kata is and the benefits to be gained from its practice.
The Benefits of Practicing Kime no Kata
1. Increased understanding and appreciation of etiquette. Etiquette is a very important part of any kata, but especially so in this one. Every movement made by both participants has to be very deliberate and very precise, as you can see from the video. Nothing here is rushed in any way and because you have to adhere to this strict form of etiquette your actual performance of the techniques benefits greatly, simply because you know they can’t be hurried. There is therefore less chance of getting flustered by going too fast and the overall kata is much better to watch from a spectator’s point of view. A certain pace is established at the beginning, right from when you walk on the mats, and this pace is upheld right to the very end, until you leave the mats.
Having to stick to a certain pace forces you to slow down your technique, which in turn is very good for teaching you control. Control is important here as well. Every technique must be precisely controlled and tightly executed, with no room for sloppiness or error. This in turn transfers over into all the other techniques you do when training, so your overall control as a martial artist in general greatly improves. You begin to realise that techniques do not have to be done at breakneck speed to be effective and are in fact more effective and better to look at when done at a slower, more controlled pace. You look like you are controlling the situation, not like the situation is controlling you. In this kata especially, this last point has to come across quite clearly in order for it to be deemed adequate.
2. Increased understanding of technique. In Kime no Kata, because every movement has to be as near perfect
Each of the twenty techniques also utilise certain movements that are common to a lot of other techniques within Ju Jitsu and other arts. Tai Sabaki (body movement) for example, is used in all twenty techniques. By the time you have mastered this kata, you have also mastered Tai Sabaki (one of them anyway- there are six altogether) which means your performance of other techniques that use Tai Sabaki will greatly improve also. There are also throwing and locking movements that are common to many other techniques.
The point is, these are basic techniques that use core movements that when mastered will allow you to learn and perform many other techniques much easier and much better. It is also worth mentioning that these movements are common to many other styles besides Ju Jitsu. Anyone who practices a style that incorporates locks, throws, chokes etc. will benefit greatly from this kata.
3. Increased understanding of the Tori/Uke relationship. Kime no Kata is a two-man kata, which means one person takes on the role of Tori (defender or “giver of technique”) and the other Uke (attacker or “receiver of technique”). Understanding the nature of these roles is important to all martial artists, since most of us practice with a partner.
In Kime no Kata certain things are expected from each. Tori must be focused and alert at all times, ready to defend against any attack when it comes. They must also place plenty of intent behind their techniques. Similarly, Uke must attack with great intent and adequately receive each technique as it comes. Intent is really very important here, for without it the whole kata is lifeless and also pointless. Both partners must therefore be extremely focused and charged at all times throughout.
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As you realise the importance of intent and the value it adds to your technique, you can carry this over into the rest of your training. Training with intent and focus improves your technique no end, taking it to another level effectively. You also realise that for you to perform a technique with maximum intent and focus your partner has to be attacking with the same amount of intent and focus. A lacklustre attack will result in a weak defense. It is therefore incumbent on both Tori and Uke to attack and defend with similar intent in order to get the best possible performance of technique. The harder Uke attacks, the better Tori will defend and the better the performance will be overall. This applies to all partner training in general. Kime no Kata really drives the importance of this home to you.
4. Increased sense of focus/centeredness. An optimum performance of Kime no Kata requires you to put yourself into a certain mindset that allows for complete concentration and total focus on the task at hand. Any loss of this mindset will result in mistakes being made. The more you put yourself into it, the better you get at maintaining it for long periods of time. I find that I am now able to place myself into this mindset whenever I want during training. So no matter what I’m doing- practicing technique, sparring or whatever –I am able to concentrate much better, to the point were it almost feels like moving meditation. Training in this way also means that you tend not to think too much about what you are doing. You just do it, which is the point of all the training anyway, to react without thinking. Being in this mindset greatly aids you in this respect.
5. Deeper understanding of the martial way. To get this kata right you have to treat it almost like moving meditation, which means finding and connecting with the stillness within. Poise is everything, as it is with most katas. When you are finally able to fall into this meditative state your performance of the kata goes up a level, as does your understanding of the martial arts in general. You begin to realise that it isn’t all about technique. Martial arts, when performed at this level, start to really become an art-form. Suddenly the satisfaction you get from doing them is not all centred around the physical as it has always been, but more centred around the mental and spiritual aspects. Practice becomes less about learning how to fight and more about discovering the deeper concepts that lie beneath the surface and how those concepts relate to you as a person.
The practice of Kime no Kata, while encouraging one to appreciate the traditional also encourages one to engage in introspection, a necessary activity if we are to get to know ourselves better. Ultimately the martial arts are less about fighting and more about character building and finding and using our inner strength. Practicing Kime no Kata, amongst other things, will greatly aid one along this path.
Over all Kime no Kata has defintely improved me as a martial artist. Kata practice in general obviously tends to improve most martial artists, but this kata in particular I have found to be more beneficial to me than any other I have practiced in the past. For that reason alone I will continue to practice it for as long as I am a martial artist, which hopefully, will be until the day I die, unless Hell has its own dojo, in which case I hope Lucifer is ready to get his ass kicked! Seriously, I’m a good guy really…
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