Form & function

In the gym which I infrequently visit, there is a mural on the wall which states

‘function follows form’

I like the sentiment of this statement, as a practitioner of traditional martial arts, I’ve often taken this advise to heart.

The way we train in traditional martial arts is very formalised, but when fully understood and applied can (hopefully be also very functional).

I was listening to a podcast recently where some karate sensei were talking about kata and kata bunkai, they were discussing the phenomena they have encountered of instructors reverse engineering kata to suit their applications and the problems this can cause.

So in this case it would be that the ‘form is following the function’.

The instructors have a ‘fixed’ application in mind and make changes to the kata to suit their preconceived ideas, passing on these changes to their students.

For example; a Karate Sensei with a Judo background may adapt their kata to include throws and groundwork, or a Wing Chun Sifu with a kick-boxing background may want to adapt their forms to include point fighting techniques as their application.

Now it is obvious that traditional forms and kata are set out as ‘picture perfect’ techniques, often using exaggerated movements set out in symmetrical patterns of footwork and techniques.

So we (hopefully) can see that we may need to make small adaptations (or adjustments) to the Kata or form for the application to work for you depending on your height, fitness level,etc.

But not to make permanent changes to the root form or kata, if you find yourself doing this, go back and reconsider whether you are looking for an application that doesn’t exist.

Maybe it would help to clarify what I mean adaptations as opposed to changes.

Let’s say a kata has the following movements;

Stepping forward in a long stance (zenkutsu dachi) with a high rising block (jodan age uke), front kick, step down into another long stance and front punch.

The Sensei decides the kata application (bunkai) is – stepping close range, controlling an attacking arm, whilst striking with the forearm into the jaw line, a short stamping kick to the inside of the knee and punch to the throat on a falling opponent. – these are adjustments made for the purpose of a training drill. (Function following form).

Now if the Sensei, begins to train the kata in this way, (knife-hand strikes to the throat, short stances and stamping low kicks) passing on the kata in this manner to their students, and thus changing the very nature of the form. (This would be a case of form following function).

This is change, and they limit the students ability to work through the kata and discover their own applications.

It is said that the forms and kata were a way of transmitting fighting principles and tactical concepts through to the next generation of students, where things couldn’t be written down, and in some circumstances not openly spoke about.

In today’s modern non-traditional direction that martial arts seems to be heading, kata can often be seen as an old fashioned way of learning.

For example; if you want to practice throws, do throwing drills. Why spend years learning kata, so you can eventually strip out an obscure throw from them?

Probably the most famous martial arts practitioner and innovator Bruce Lee, gave up the practice of forms when he developed his system of Jeet Kune Do, despite his root art being Wing Chun, which is heavily influenced by forms practice.

So what’s the problem with doing things your own way?

Nothing, as long as you don’t want to pass a grade using your modified kata, or go on to teach this ‘new’ creation on to your students as the original kata, without some context or explanation.

(Personal expression and change within the martial arts will be the subject of a post in the future).

Lets wrap this up with a couple of quotes, to emphasise this function follows form concept;

“Once a kata has been learned, it must be practised repeatedly until it can be applied in an emergency, for knowledge of just the sequence of a kata in karate is useless”

Gichin Funakoshi.

“We must be careful not to overlook the fact that kata, and the body positions that comprises them, are just templates of sort; it is their application in combat which needs to be mastered”

Choki Motobu