Some teachers will tell you that there are hidden techniques in Kata. The techniques were hidden at the time when Karate entered the Okinawan school system so that injuries of a dangerous nature could be avoided. By hiding dangerous techniques, the students could gain full advantage of the healthy aspects of Karate. I have also been told that there are hidden techniques in Kata, but funnily enough, no one has ever been able to show me the so-called hidden techniques, not even one, as well as how dangerous they are supposed to be. The only logical explanation is:
There are no hidden techniques in Kata, just different interpretations.
Why should the former martial arts masters hide techniques in Kata? The answer is simple: they did not hide anything.
Since the old masters did not have a camera, CDs or USB-sticks or any other way to record and save the techniques, they created forms (Kata), why hide the use of these techniques for themselves? That does not make sense!
I think that it is a modern thing to tell the students about hidden techniques in Kata. Maybe it contributes to giving Karate a certain kind of mystery or is it just a way of keeping the students in the club, so they pay the fee?
Thanks for reading 😉
Gert
