Author: Hanshi Everett Rodriguez

(Originally Published in Yasashii Do Newsletter Spring 1992)

Kata is one of the most important elements in martial arts. Equally important is one’s approach to utilizing kata as a vehicle to self-development.

The Sensei must insist on the display of patience in the deshi’s (student’s) attitude.

What may first appear to be the longest road, in reality may be the quickest way to achieve a goal.

The student who perfects kata correctly, one at a time, building a strong foundation, will excel.

We must not rush, greedily requesting to learn the next kata before we truly comprehend and are able to execute the techniques and movements of the kata at hand.

The practice of only one kata, sometimes referred to as our favorite kata is an important conclusion to reach.

This kata is utilized to correct bad habits and to develop our skills. As we perfect one kata, we consequently perfect all of our kata because we become the movements.

The true practitioner and kata cannot be separated.

The student must become part of the kata, and the kata must become part of the student. Only then, can we move forward.

~Shihan Everett Rodriguez, 1992

The history of martial arts is cloaked in mystery as is all history, with the different dates, facts, reasons, names, times and places. This holds true especially in martial arts as it was only passed on by word of mouth and was not recorded in writing because originally the practitioners were sworn to secrecy.

The “truth” lies in the kata. The series of movements obviously developed with much thought and toil. The interpretations are also part of history and are as diversified as is any art.

The beauty and genius of these interpretations lie in the fact that we can still continue to learn from the techniques of the kata by exploring the movements, dissecting them and using our own imagination which was the intention of the composers of the kata.

The rest is history, the history of martial arts.