Background
Kata originally were teaching/training methods by which successful combat techniques were preserved and passed on. Practicing kata allowed a company of persons to engage in a struggle using a systematic approach, rather than as individuals in a disorderly manner.
The basic goal of kata is to preserve and transmit proven techniques and to practice self defence . By practicing in a repetitive manner the learner develops the ability to execute those techniques and movements in a natural, reflex-like manner. Systematic practice does not mean permanently rigid. The goal is to internalize the movements and techniques of a kata so they can be executed and adapted under different circumstances, without thought or hesitation. A novice’s actions will look uneven and difficult, while a master’s appear simple and smooth.
The OED records kata as a loanword in English, from the 1950s in reference to the Judo katas due to Jigoro Kano, and from the 1970s also of Karate katas; but the word has come to be used as a generic term for "forms" in martial arts in general, or even figuratively applied to other fields.
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