Jigoro Kano Shihan, the founder of judo, explains there are essentially two ways of practicing judo: randori (with its variant in competition) and kata. Kata literally means “form”. Kata is practiced according to a pre-established system of codified movements, while randori is practiced freely.

The goal of kata is therefore to learn and practice the fundamental principals and techniques of judo. It is important for the student and teacher to incorporate kata in their training.

Kata provides the judo instructor a benchmark for reference for every technique included in the varied forms, as each kata technique is executed in its purest form with uke attacking from the best possible position to maximize the effectiveness of that technique.

A kata competition is where judo athletes perform a kata in a competition setting, with five presiding judges, against other judoka who perform the same kata. All kata competitions are evaluated according to the IJF Kata Competition – Criteria for the Evaluation.  At the Canadian National Judo Championships there are five kata events (1-5 listed below) and each of the categories features a Senior and U23 division.

Typically, kata competitors compete in one or more of the following kata – depending on the type of competition:

1. Nage-no-Kata – forms of throwing

2. Katame-no- Kata – forms of grappling or holding

3. Ju-no-Kata – forms of gentleness and flexibility

4. Kodokan-Goshin-Jutsu – forms of Kodokan self-defence

5. Kime-no-Kata – forms of decisive techniques

6. Koshiki-no-Kata – forms of classics (conducted at a limited number of international events)

7. Itsutsu-no-Kata – form of five (currently not competed)

8. Kodomo-no-Kata – kata for the teaching of basics to young children (not competed)