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Martial Arts Patterns

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The Root of Traditional Martial Arts

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Although modern Martial Arts may not consider Dao lu‘s and Kata’s useful under a fight-practical point of view, it’s undeniable that a proper Martial Arts preparation shall include a set of these patterns for the beginner to develop awareness of the style he/she has chosen, and for the advanced athlete to ground the deep meanings of the Dao lu / Kata within him/herself.

Kata & Patterns in Martial Arts are the best practice for:

  • keeping Martial Artist’s mind focused throughout all the form being performed
  • simulating the closest fight-like cardio workout
  • rooting a specific style or technique to the heart of the practitioner
  • softening up all tensions in the body: it’s known that when we are beginners, performing a technique looks very rigid, and this stiffness affects the overall speed and power of the Dao lu / Kata. Practicing over and over has the powerful effect to force the body to contract only when needed, whilst keeping gestures fluent during all other movements.
  • giving a sense of “squadron”: coordination, number of athletes performing, martial spirit… all things that certainly motivate both the single athlete and the group to perform better.
  • re-educating the brain to respond to a specific action in a flash: this way the Martial Artist will be always ready.*

* for this to work it’s essential that mind is focused even when repetitions make workouts exhausting and your attention blurry.

A training that continues overnight

A funny episode that happens to me every time I perform a pattern ad infinitum is realizing, in the middle of the night, that my mind randomly performs a specific technique as a consequence of doing the athletic gesture over and over. People whose job involve repetitive tasks know well how sometimes this can happen, as it’s a way for the brain to re-organize its action of the past day.

Pro et Contra: our Verdict

Pros
  • perfect for simulating the cardio endurance of a real fight
  • a great overall muscle tone workout
  • excellent for symmetry, focus and your working memory
Cons
  • if your training schedule doesn’t include application and sparring, they are nothing else than a ballet with martial moves