The online space is full of negativity towards all martial arts, karate is not alone.  Kata is like a magnet, attracting comments of “what wouldn’t work for real” and “nice dancing – go learn how to really fight” etc. 

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but we thought we’d take a quick look at Kata and why it is still relevant today. 

Kata — literally “form” in Japanese — are choreographed sequences of movements used across traditional martial arts. They teach technique, timing and body control. They also train the mind. Dismissing kata as irrelevant to modern combat is short-sighted; the truth is more useful and less dramatic.

What kata actually train

At first glance kata look like set dances. They are (if you don’t believe us – try explaining what kata is to a non-karate-ka and see if it makes sense to them), but with purpose. If practised with a budo, or application based mindset, Kata embed movement patterns so you can react without thinking. They refine balance, posture, timing and breathing. Over time these details become automatic and reliable under pressure.

Skills developed by kata

• Muscle memory for common defensive and offensive actions — so responses become faster and steadier.
• Footwork, stance transitions and body alignment — improving stability and strike delivery.
• Timing, distancing and zanshin (awareness) — useful in both sparring and self-defence.
• General fitness and conditioning

Bunkai: turning form into function

Bunkai means analysis. It is the process of breaking down movements, extracting practical applications or alternative thought processes about movements or sequences. Good bunkai tests techniques against realistic attacks, adding angles, grips and resistance so the technique survives contact. Without bunkai, kata remain patterns; with bunkai they become a library of usable options.  

The common MMA criticism — and why it sticks

MMA fighters argue that kata are theatrical and too rigid for a free‑for‑all cage fight. They point out that time spent polishing forms might be better spent in live sparring or drilling messy real exchanges. That critique matters: nobody should ignore live practice when preparing for dynamic fighting and practising kata alone for your whole life would not benefit you as much as training with others (that should go without saying). 

But we make an argument that if you take away a punch bag from a boxer, “shadow boxing” is essentially a boxing kata.  

Counterpoints: How kata complements modern training

Kata are not a substitute for sparring. They are a complementary tool. Practising kata gives you a controlled environment to polish technique before exposing it to chaos. Think of kata as low‑pressure lab time: you isolate variables, improve mechanics and then stress‑test them in sparring and drilling. This two‑step approach speeds learning and reduces bad habits.

Modern & traditional dojos would both recommend blending kata, bunkai and live drills so kata inform practical application rather than remain rote exercise, and some set their entire purpose as being this idea of studying bunkai and applying it, forgoing some of what we would think of as “traditional” dojo practise.