Lonely garage hours pay off for Canada's Laos-Loo at Pan American Games

Claudia Laos-Loo tells people she competes in kata, she's prepared for "what's that?" and "why do you scream?"

When Claudia Laos-Loo tells people she competes in kata, she's prepared for "what's that?" and "why do you scream?"

The 26-year-old martial artist from Surrey, B.C., earned a Pan American Games bronze medal Friday in kata, which is sequences of specific karate moves, including punches, kicks, blocks, footwork and breathing techniques.

Amid a plethora of Pan Am Games combat sports, including karate's kumite, kata is done solo, but judged against an opponent's performance.

"What I find intriguing about kata is seeing someone go from such a relaxed state to the explosiveness and surprise elements of an attack," Laos-Loo said.

"You have to go from zero to 100 and surprise your opponent. I do believe kata shows that on the mat. It also emphasizes how in control you are and how confident you are in your techniques and the fact you're executing right, clean and accurate."

As for the shrieks and shouts that erupt during certain kata moves, Laos-Loo says there's a reason for that.

"I like to think of it as a way to release all your emotions, to not hold back. It's also physiological," Laos-Loos said. "You have to release all that carbon dioxide in your body to make sure the movement is full force. It is a way to release your fears.