What do judges look for in a kata?
I · Intermediate · Judging · 2 of 3Judges assess ten things in a kata: stances, techniques, transitional movements, timing and synchronisation, correct breathing, focus, conformance, strength, speed and balance. The rule book adds that kata is not a dance or a theatrical performance. It must be realistic in fighting terms and show power and speed with grace, rhythm and balance.
How it works
- Stances: correct and stable.
- Techniques: properly executed.
- Transitional movements: how the athlete moves from one position to the next.
- Timing and synchronisation: the technique arriving with the body's movement, and in a team, together.
- Correct breathing.
- Focus (kime): concentration of the technique at its end point.
- Conformance: consistency with the basics, the kihon, of the athlete's style.
- Strength, speed and balance.
- For bunkai: timing and distance, and control, take the place of synchronisation and breathing, and conformance means using the kata's own movements.
- No formula: the rules list the criteria and give no weights for them.
The glossary has the kata criteria, the kihon, the kiai, the bunkai, the kata scoring and kata.
Tricky cases
Does a louder, more dramatic kata score higher?
No. Theatrics such as stamping the feet, slapping the chest or karategi and exaggerated breathing are very serious fouls.
Is a harder kata worth more than an easier one?
Not by rule. The criteria are about how the kata is performed, and the rules give no difficulty value to any kata.
An athlete's version of a kata differs slightly from the judge's own style. Is that an error?
No. Slight variation as taught by the athlete's style is permitted. Conformance means consistency with that style's basics.
How much is each criterion worth?
Not stated. The ten criteria are listed without weights, and each judge gives one overall mark.
Why the rule exists
A kata is a record of fighting techniques, so it is judged on whether those techniques would work: a stable base, a technique that arrives with the whole body behind it, and attention fixed on the imagined opponent. Grace and rhythm matter, but as signs of control, not as decoration.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kata | Ten criteria, with synchronisation and breathing | WKF Kata 5.6 |
| Bunkai | Ten criteria, with timing and distance, and control | WKF Kata 5.6 |
| Team kata | Synchronisation between the three athletes | WKF Kata 3.5.3 |
| Styles | Slight variations allowed | WKF Kata 5.3.2 |
From the rule book
World Karate Federation, Kata Competition Rules (version 2026.0, valid from 1 January 2026), Articles 3.1.1, 3.5.3, 5.3.2, 5.6 and 5.7. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the federation's Kata Competition Rules.