What I immediately felt and related to as I began experiencing Yoga, based on my “traditional” upbringing in Martial arts, was how Yoga could be likened to a slowed down version of Kata. The value of Kata for me had always been the internal struggle… the attention to detail and challenge for complete self-control. The discouraging actuality for me in Kata practice had been that Kata was someone else’s patterned defensive & offensive motions originating from a static period in time. The classical techniques only moderately addressed the actions of modern day fighting, yet the byproducts of it in a training regimen directly related to modern day needs, i.e. increased concentration, relaxed movement coupled with explosive energy, fierce determination, ...balance, precision, focus, Mushin.

To completely abandon Kata would seem like throwing away two decades of time invested in the physical conditioning and mental fortitude I'd gained in repeating antiquated moves. To give it up would create a void in my artistic mind/body training. Without the continual Kata training I hadn’t experienced a worthy substitute. Until now….
Martial Artists who seek a means of meditative and inner work while healing and stretching the body, Yoga is the key.