List of Martial Arts Kata & Forms

This section will help you to learn a wide variety of martial arts kata, forms and patterns (i.e. Shotokan Karate Katas and WTF Taekwondo Forms). These pages provide videos and/or written step-by-step instructions for the kata and forms used in martial arts such as Karate, Taekwondo, Judo, Tang Soo Do and Tai Chi. However, if you have any questions about a particular kata or form movement, please check with your instructor because kata and form instructions can vary by school and/or organization.

For katas using traditional weapons (i.e. the Bo or Nunchaku), please visit the main Martial Arts Weapon Katas section.

List of Martial Arts Katas, Forms and Patterns - The sections below contain written and/or video instructions for each kata, form and/or pattern.

Kata & Form Applications

Many martial arts styles use kata, forms, poomse and/or patterns in order to help students practice certain moves (i.e. kicking techniques, self-defense techniques and various strikes) as well as for improving a student's physical conditioning, muscle memory, focus/concentration, balance, etc. To master many of these kata, forms or poomsae, martial arts students should try to imagine that they are fighting an imaginary opponent. This allows students to practice "offensive" or "defensive" techniques (i.e. strike the imaginary opponent's neck at the correct height and angle) versus just going through the motions in order to pass a belt test. In addition, many martial arts pull out portions of a kata or form in order to illustrate the self-defense techniques and situations that have been incorporated in that particular kata or form. This often involves two students where one is the attacker and one is the defender. In Karate and other Japanese martial arts, this kata-related technique is known as Bunkai.

In kata & form competitions and tests, most martial arts students are judged on factors such as accuracy of the pattern (i.e. Did they miss a step? Are they in the correct stance?), the power of their movements, timing/correct speed of their movements, balance, concentration, etc. Therefore, you must work on these elements (i.e. stances) in order to excel at your katas or forms.

References

1. TaekwondoAnimals.com, Taekwondo WTF Forms, http://www.taekwondoanimals.com/taekwondo-forms.asp. Added - 04/19/13
2. TaekwondoAnimals.com, Taekwondo ITF Patterns, http://www.taekwondoanimals.com/taekwondo-ITF-forms.asp, Added - 04/19/13
3. World Taekwondo Federation, Poomsae, http://www.wtf.org/wtf_eng/site/about_taekwondo/poomsae.html, Added - 05/23/13
4. International Judo Federation, Judo Training - Kata, http://www.intjudo.eu, Added - 05/26/13
5. International Wushu Federation, Wushu Taolu, http://www.iwuf.org/sport_03.asp, Added - 07/17/13
6. International Shuri-Ryu Association, Katas, http://www.shuri-ryu.com/katas.htm, Added - 10/20/13
7. Isshin-Ryu World Karate Association, Kata, http://www.isshinryukarate.com/, Added - 03/10/14
8. Shito-Ryu International Karate Do Kai, Shito-Ryu Kata, http://www.seitoshitoryu.com/kata.php, Added - 04/13/14
9. Shorinjiryu Kenryukan Karate, Shorinjiryu Kata, http://www.kenryukan.com/, Added - 06/09/14
10. Chitoryu Karatedo, System of Techniques, http://www.chitoryu.co.jp/en/what05.html, Added - 06/15/14