Kata And The Transmission Of Knowledge: In Traditional Martial Arts

Book of the Year Award Finalist - Foreword Magazine
All too frequently, martial arts practitioners study their art without truly understanding where it comes from, how it was developed, and why it was created in the first place. Indeed, many don't care - and if you feel this way, you should put this book down. For the rest of us, who have taken our art beyond tournaments, it is reasonable to expect that we want to uncover the past. We want to understand the where, why and how of martial art development. We are intellectually curious about our combative history.

To study the combative arts is to understand the circumstances of their development and to gain insights into the views and ethics of the societies that created them. As we travel back in time, we see consistent evidence of martial systems being influenced by those that came before and/or invaded. We also see the use of 'pre-arranged' fighting patterns kata to transmit proven techniques from one generation to the next.

It is this transmission of martial knowledge, through kata and other forms of communication, that this book will explore. The author will demonstrate that pre-arranged fighting techniques katas were used by ancient Greek, Egyptian, Asian, African and European societies. And that Poetry, Dance, and Song were also significant methods of preserving and transmitting battle-tested fighting tactics through the ages.

The purpose of kata training is not to become bound by the form but to transcend the form itself - to evolve.

Customer Reviews:

Extraordinary research; important insight

By L. A. Kane - December 15, 2004

This work is a thinking person's guide to martial erudition rather than a "how to" book about combat technique. Through Rosenbaum's words, we learn the power of kata (patterns of movements containing a series of logical and practical offensive and defensive techniques) to transmit proven methodologies from one generation to the next. This brilliantly researched tome provides important insight into the history and development of martial arts - both military and civilian. It is more of a textbook than a light afternoon read, yet it provides fantastic insight into the views and ethics of societies that created the fighting forms that many of us practice today. I learned a lot from it.

There is one flaw in this work which, though not significant, is pretty annoying: there are 43 illustrations, more than half of which are truly awful. It would have been better off without most of them. Now that I got that off my chest, the main theme of the book is that through understanding the... read more

Working insight

By G. C. Mcconnell-brown - November 15, 2006

As a goju practitioner with over 25 years experience, I found much of this work to be confirming of exisiting knowledge. However there are many,many clear insights which have thown new light on old topics! I found the book to be easy to read, practical, and offering a clear and detailed insight into the world of kata. This book, is a must have for any goju practitioner looking to expand their knowledge and gain a deeper understanding of kata. The book is full of aggravating typographical errors...words missing and so on. The book needs revision with a view to correcting these mistakes which provide the reader with a source of real annoyance. Look past this, and the book should be on every goju teacher's desk for constant reference. Hooray! At last a classy text on goju! But martial artists of any style will find it excellent. Congratulations to the authors. Well done.

Exploring the deeper meaning of katas to gain insights

By Midwest Book Review - April 11, 2005

Written by a martial artist of 25 years' experience who has studied and practiced Isshin Ryu, Bando, Judo, and Boxing, Kata And The Transmission Of Knowledge teaches the reader about the deeper meaning behind ritual forms and pre-arranged fighting techniques known as katas. Chapters foster a better understanding of katas as means to transmit successful techniques from one generation to the next; the author scrutinizes katas that have been used in Greek, Egyptian, Asian, African and European societies since ancient times. Exploring the deeper meaning of katas to gain insights into the views and ethics of societies from which they originated, Kata And The Transmission Of Knowledge is especially recommended for martial artists seeking to better understand the nuances, purpose, history, and applications of the skills they pursue.