Definition

A choreographed sequence of movements practiced in martial arts that looks like fighting an invisible opponent who's really bad at dodging. These pre-arranged forms teach technique, balance, and muscle memory while making practitioners feel like they're in a kung fu movie. Performing kata at tournaments involves being judged on precision and power, which is martial arts' way of combining dance recital anxiety with actual combat training.

Example Usage

After three years of training, I finally learned the advanced kata, which means I can now lose fights with much better form.

Source: Common martial arts terminology

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