Kata are the formal exercises of traditional karate, and were the essence of training on Okinawa during the development of karate. In kata, emphasis in training is placed on transitions between movements, directional energy and focus, and the progression of techniques. A kata is dance-like in nature, constructed of a set series of techniques, in a set order, each with their own unique tempo. The kata practiced in Shotokan were likely designed with several intended applications, as a way of passing on hidden strategy and techniques, but many of them have been lost or forgotten over time.

For centuries, experiences by warriors in actual combat were studied by past Karate masters in order to develop the most effective fighting techniques possible. These techniques, given the ultimate test in battle, were handed down from generation to generation through a stylized method of practice called kata. Specific sequences of blocks and attacks were combined into a form in which the student imagines multiple opponents attacking from different directions. Each kata, resembling a carefully prepared ballad, takes approximately one to two minutes to complete. Arduous practice will develop conditioned responses and a level of concentration such that, while performing kata, the student will fell and react as though they are actually in a combat situation with real opponents.

You should not be discouraged when your instructor insists that you perform each movement of a kata precicely with proper feeling and attitude. The precise execution of kata preserves the critical link with the old masters and their accumulation of knowledge drawn from a lifetime of experience in actual combat.

“If all the various kata are considered, their number is very large. However, since the purpose of learning kata is not just for the sake of learning them, but for the tempering and disciplining of oneself, it is not necessary to study indiscriminately large numbers of them. It should be sufficient for one to become familiar with the following 19 kata and to continue training in them exclusively”

– Gichin Funakoshi

These 19 kata, for the most part, originated from one of two schools, the Shorin or the Shokei. The Shorin kata emphasize the development of speed and quickness, while the Shokei kata promote physical strength and muscular power. Both are essential to one’s total development.

The reference page numbers refer to Karate-do Kyohan by Gichin Funakoshi.