The Shadow in the Mirror: Not So Different – Just Seen Through Another Lens.

 

Posted by ADAM CARTER on APR 14, 2025

The Shadow in the Mirror: Not So Different – Just Seen Through Another Lens.

(Approx 2 minute 35 second read)

The guy from the other day who suggested I “stop with the crap and go do some real training” got me thinking – not about what he said, but about how common this attitude is.

So many people who comment on my articles practice modern disciplines and openly ridicule kata.

I’m guessing most of them aren’t looking at practical karate, but rather the modern version – what’s commonly labelled ‘traditional karate-do’. So maybe, in a way, it’s not entirely their fault.

That said, it is their fault that their minds are closed off to anything beyond their ‘much superior method’ (yes, that’s sarcasm). But it’s also the fault of traditional karate-do as it’s often presented today. What many people see is crap – because that’s what it’s become in some circles. Harsh? Maybe. But not untrue.

Take the way kata is performed in much of the modern scene. It’s been broken into pieces, filled with huge…….. pauses, dramatic stares, intense screams, and lightning-fast bursts of movement. It’s more theatre than practicality.

The original message of kata – its value as a self-defense textbook – has been lost in favor of aesthetics and showmanship. If that’s your way, fair enough.

And like I said in a previous article, if self-defense isn’t your goal, and you prefer the performance side, then that’s fine too. Each to their own. It’s context that matters most.

But I recently read an article by someone who practices Kung Fu, arguing for the original purpose of their forms. And sure enough, someone in the comments – an MMA practitioner – chimed in to say: “Why bother with forms? Why not just go do some boxing?”

Now that’s interesting. Because I did a bit of boxing in my youth, and I remember spending endless hours doing something that could very easily be described as kata: You know what’s coming? Yup – shadow boxing.

Before anyone screams at their screen, and heads to the keyboard, hear me out. Shadow boxing is drilling techniques you’d actually use in a fight. A boxer moves, jabs, weaves, ducks, slips, parries – against an invisible opponent.

There’s no set pattern, but the purpose is clear: build fluidity, timing, and the ability to respond instinctively. Sound familiar? No? A different lens perhaps?

I remember when I started karate back in the 1970s, kata was done in a similar way. Yes, the pattern was fixed, but the movement was continuous – no artificial pauses, no posing, no contorted faces. The body just moved from one movement to the next, fluid and focused, like in a real fight.

There was no need to define every attack or defense. The emphasis was on movement, shifting, posture – building the body’s memory. With correct training, you weren’t memorizing a sequence – you were ingraining a response.

But somewhere along the line, that changed. The real purpose of kata was buried. It became something to impress judges or audiences, not prepare for violence. And so now, when people laugh at kata, they’re not actually seeing kata. They’re seeing what it’s become.

It’s the same reason nobody mocks a boxer’s shadow work – because they understand what it’s for. They know it’s part of something real. Kata, when done right, is no different.

So next time someone rolls their eyes at kata, maybe they should ask themselves: are they seeing the original method – or just a hollow performance?

Because in many ways, kata functions like shadow boxing – solo training, focused on movement, timing, and application without a partner.

Before you rush to the comments to tell me how wrong I am, ask yourself: are you reacting to what I actually said – or just what you think I said?

Strong opinions are easy. Understanding takes effort.

Written by Adam Carter