Kaizen is Based on Kata

Kaizen is Based on Kata

Kaizen is more than we can think in Japanese culture. Everything is based on 'Kata'* in their culture, so no one is supposed to do things outside of the context of the Kata.
Through Kata we reach Kaizen, which is the state of mind to always change, create, innovate to success.
* Editor: Kata: ~detailed choreographed patterns of movements, perfect way of doing, patterns of thinking and practice characterizing an (organizational) culture.

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Drennen, USA

Kaizen or KATA First in your Business Practices

Should a business first practice and teach KATA before trying to institute Kaizen? Kaizen seems to be the most approached method of thinking in most business units looking to learn lean practices. It seems to me that KATA teaches more long term target conditions and Kaizen focuses more short term immediate type impacts...

Anonymous

Break a Kata Down Into Patterns

Kata can be practiced in broken down patterns until we master each pattern. And then we can combine all patterns into one kata.
It is very clear for karate practitioners.
For example, to master one kata, we may need to break it down at least into 4 patterns. And, we need to practice them repeatedly until we can memorize them and it has become a part of us.

Jaap de Jonge
Editor, Netherlands

Kata in Karate

@Anonymous: Indeed, according to Wikipedia Karate kata are executed as a specified series of a variety of moves, with stepping and turning, while attempting to maintain perfect form. The kata is not intended as a literal depiction of a mock fight, but as a display of transition and flow from one posture and movement to another, teaching the student proper form and position, and encouraging them to visualise different scenarios for the use of each motion and technique. Karateka "read" a kata in order to explain the imagined events, a practice known as bunkai. There are various kata, each with many minor variations.
Kata originated from the practice of paired attack and defence drills by ancient Chinese martial artists. However, as the numbers of attacks and defences being practised increased the difficulty of remembering all of the drills also increased. An additional problem with the drills was the requirement for a partner to be present for all practice. Kata/forms were created as solo forms containing the concatenated sequences of movements of the defensive portions of the drills. The initial forms being simply strings of movements, sets of rules were created to allow the creation of kata which could fit comfortably within training spaces.