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Kata-Based-Sparring Revisited: Structure

This month’s podcast sees us continue our discussion on kata-based-sparring (KBS). Last month we covered the broad principles of KBS and established how it relates to kata and fits into karate as a whole. This month’s podcast moves on and covers the structure of KBS and looks at some specific KBS drills. This podcast is divided into two sections. The first part covers the key ideas that you need to be aware of when structuring your own KBS drills. These ideas will help ensure that your drills are related to kata and will develop true self-protection skills. The second part of the podcast gives examples of specific KBS drills that I make use of in my own teaching and grading syllabus. It is obviously not possible to cover every single drill, but it is hoped that the combination of the discussion on structure and the examples given will give you the broad picture and enable you to develop your own KBS drills.

The combination of this month’s and last month’s podcasts will help listeners to gain a good understanding of the KBS concept. It is, after all, a remarkably simple way of training which generally only seems to be complex if misunderstandings exist about the nature of kata or the nature of live situations. The podcasts directly address the most common misunderstandings. Through the study of these podcasts the listener will be provided with the fundamental information needed to begin the practise of KBS. Kata-based-sparring is a very practical and enjoyable way of training that I feel all pragmatically minded karateka should be engaging in. After all, nothing develops combative skill in the way that live training does.

WARNING: All sparring is potentially dangerous and must only be practised under the close supervision and guidance of a suitably qualified and experienced martial arts instructor.

On the subject of the podcasts generally, we’ve now had more than 50,000 of them downloaded! Thanks to all our regular listeners and particularly those of you who have been enthusiastically spreading the word on the podcasts! I’m delighted that they are proving so popular and there will be many more to come! I hope you enjoy this month’s podcast and I’ll be back with another next month.

All the best,

Iain

KBS Structure
Iain Abernethy