And you are asking a parkour question in a martial arts section even though it has nothing to do with martial arts. You even mentioned that there is no proper section for it, but ask here anyway. That is like going to the grocery store and asking about care repair. Just because you can't find a car parts store to ask does not make asking at the grocery store any more likely to do you any good.
Impressive kata.... If you perform a properly done kata in front of judges that know what is good and what is not then it is impressive. The problem is at almost every tournament I've judged at the judges in weapons are themselves ignorant of the weapons they are judging. Example is the tournament where I was the center ref in a ring where a competitor did a tension / ibuki kata. All the other judges gave the guy a 9.0 or higher. I gave him a 3.0. The other judges got angry at me. I asked them if they all knew how Ibuki kata is supposed to be done. They all said they did. Then I asked the if during ibuki kata wasn't the person supposed to tense every muscle from the top of their head to the bottom of their feet. They all agreed. I then told them that while the competitor did an impressive kata he never tensed his feet or toes, during the entire Kata. his toes were relaxed and at times even barely on the floor. They all agreed but by then the scores had already been recorded.
Fancy is not good and good judges recognize it for what it is.
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Pugspaw and Kokoro are correct. I really like Pugpaw response. Unfortunately today though many judges will award flash over substance and technique. I don't go to tournament anymore often. But I went to one last year. I was disappointed when I saw judges give high scores to a a kata that had no realistic techniques being done. It was supposed to be traditional kata, but what was done as not traditional. I have no problem with xma and creative kata having their own divisions. But if you are in a division that is a traditional kata division the kata should reflect that and scored appropriately.
Russell-your approach here is really flawed. I was nationally ranked in the top ten in North America for several years by NASKA. That was in the senior and executive black-belt traditional kata and weapons divisions as well as in fighting in that group. In weapons competition its not so much empty hand technique and all these flashy kicks that you are referring to in your question that will make you a winner in weapons competition. It is instead what you do with the weapon and the techniques, speed, power, and agility you display when using it that count.
That being said I suggest you rethink your approach here and instead focus on expanding your knowledge and use of the weapon as well as your skill with it. My weapon of choice was the bo-although I would also at times do kama instead if I thought the division was too heavily loaded with those competing with the bo and kamas gave me a better chance of winning. So I always had a choice and was not limited to only one weapon and you might want to consider the same approach. Also I had a second weapon kata always ready with either weapon so that if I had to do another kata I could. I would recommend that you at some point also take the same approach and have a second weapon kata developed and ready in the event of a tie or run-off or maybe just because the second one might be better given the judges on the panel judging you.
Another thing here is I see you are including allot of different techniques and approaches from a number of different arts. This could also create problems for you because judges will have a harder time maybe accessing things and what background and martial art approach you are demonstrating with your weapon. Often times more is really less especially if the quality of technique is not good and things are confusing to the judges as to what it is that you are really doing and demonstrating.
One of the other things that I found extremely helpful in regards to weapons training and developing my skill and ability with them was the old training practice of doing things with your eyes closed. Once you have learned and developed your skill with executing a technique with your weapon with your eyes open then start practicing and doing it with your eyes closed. This will help you to learn to do things by touch and feel and rely on those senses instead of relying on your sight. Executing things by touch or feel especially where weapons are concerned is faster and forces you to learn and develop that in your techniques more fully.
I have given you a lot to think about here and radically change in your approach to things. If you do I think you will eventually be happy with the end results rather than going down the road you seem to be going now.
There is a very good reason why you don't see kicks in kobudo, its because your legs become a target. If your leg gets messed up in combat you cant move to well, unlike an arm you can still move around and you can still use your other arm. A leg injury makes you almost useless. Kobudo also has very few jumps, most of the time you are still on the ground.
If you are good with a weapon, then you wont need flashy techniques to win a tournament or competition. When I use to do tournaments I did several open tournaments and placed with traditional weapon kata, I never did any flash moves, and i placed using the bo, tonfa, kama, nunchaku and doing iaido, the only weapon I never placed with was the sai, I still need to work on them as well, but then again they never were one of my favorites.
If you want to be impressive with a weapon, know and understand how to use them. You don't need to be flash you need to be useful. The weapon must be part of you. When the weapon is apart of you it makes a big difference in your movements.
I am learning these for a bo kata in an upcoming tournament.
First move: Upwards flying side kick. I read about it in a Taekwondo book. It is basically a high sidekick midair as you lean back (your back is in between 90 and 0 degrees with the ground) to give the kick more power. I know one thing I need to work on is flexibility in my regular side kick, but any other advise?
2nd move: The kung fu butterfly. Tips on it? I am learning it to be able to do this in the kata (1:54):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbefem-b8p8
3rd move: Kung fu backsweep. I've asked about this one before, any tips on how to make this one faster, especially with a bo in your hands?
4th: Don't mean to bring Parkour into this, but as there isn't a section, tips on the aerial? I can do a one handed cartwheel.
5th: Finally, other tips on what to do to create a very impressive kata with the bo?
