Re: Bunkai Kata Shotokan Pdf Download
Grosvenor Styles
This section focuses on the bunkai used in Shotokan Karate for katas such as Heian Shodan. The bunkai below contain videos that demonstrate a number of practical applications and combinations associated with each Shotokan kata.
Bunkai is a Karate technique where kata is broken down and studied for its offensive and defensive elements. For example, an instructor could select a portion of a kata in order to show a student how this kata element is used to defend against an attack (i.e. middle punch, high kick, etc.). Bunkai do not have to be the same for each kata element studied because there can be different interpretations and applications.
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On another martial arts site there's a discussion on Bunkai I was partcicpating in, Iain's name has come up, only good words I'll hasten to add but the subject of Bunkai in Wado has also come up...as being non existant. Quite insistantly one gentleman has told me a couple of times that there is no Bunkai in Wado katas, and to look for it is pointless. I'll quote him here "I have no axe to grind about Bunkai, ground work, Knife defense or defense against a piece of fruit - in Karate Kata...
The discussion is a perfectly amiable one, it's just my ignorance is showing badly lol! When I started Wado Ryu 20 years ago we did do Bunkai though this gentlemen insists it wasn't, admittedly I found it hard but that was my poor understanding not my instructors. so, is it true there is no Bunkai in Wado Ryu, if it is what is the kata for then? Surely those who do Wado aren't wasting our time are we?
To be fair the average Wado-ka in my experience seems ignorant of the fact that Wado was intended to be a combination of Karate and Jujutsu. It seems to me that the average picture of Otsuka seems to depict him doing the kinds of things typical of Jujutsu rather than what most would consider 'Karate'. Perhaps those who study the jujutsu element as well have a better understanding of realistic kata application? Any one here have any experience surrounding that?
Tez wrote: Quite insistently one gentleman has told me a couple of times that there is no Bunkai in Wado katas, and to look for it is pointless. I'll quote him here "I have no axe to grind about Bunkai, ground work, Knife defense or defense against a piece of fruit - in Karate Kata...
Reasons everytime are personal, and change between those two ways are possible in every age. If you stick to route 1, normally you study one style in dephts of movement, clear technique, spirit etc. not being aware the possibilities of movements during a fight.
If you stick to route two than there is a great chance to come to a point where the understanding grows that differing in different styles makes no sense `cause they have all same roots and one principle: get out of a threatenig situation safe and quick. Then the study of bunkai and practicing in dojo with a partner is necessary, following the shu-ha-ri principle.
I'm a Wado practitioner and we've got a very good discussion going on here. I've had a similar chat with my sensei about bunkai and he claimed at the time there was none for Wado Ryu. But when explaining kata motions in the same class he said "This movement is used to pull in your opponents arm and attack their solar plexus", playing devils advocat I held up my hand and said is that then your opinion of the bunkai for this movement??
Even if you're performing the kata for competitive purposes where it's supposed to be all shiny and neat, surely when you make a punching or blocking movement you are aware that it's supposed to have been a punching or blocking movement? No one (please tell me they don't) spends time teaching beginners punches, blocks and kicks and then doesn't describe the moves in the kata under the same terms, surely?
OK, Heian Shodan (Shotokan) for example... how do you teach that without saying "and here's a downward block, and here's a punch" etc. That there are more in depth applications to these moves is another thing and whether you want to know them or not is up to you, but you have to admit that there are moves in there that should allow you to defend yourself (block/punch) - so if that's not bunkai at its simplest form, what is it?
I take Iains point about Kata originating before Wado that's a given, however mine is that; in my experience, Wado as a style does not utilise the "process of Bunkai" within its pedagogy (in the same way as Okinwan styles do for example).
To be clear though, I am not suggesting that Wado Kata are performed without an understanding of the purpose and application of the techniques found within the "omote" of the kata - it's just in Wado it tends to stop there.
IE there is no disassembly or dissection of the surface level techniques - no change in their form away form the appearance within the kata - it is "Kaisetsu" in this respect "physical commentary" for want of a better word.
Gary Wado, I'm sure it depends on the lineage of Wado one follows as my Wado Sensei and various Wado Ryu and Wado Kai Sensei I have had the pleasure in training with do break down the kata into component parts. Although I agree definately more enphasis is on the Idori, Gumite, Ohyo Gata and 2 man combinations etc
Thank you for all your answers, the reason I asked is because I'm fine with actual Bunkai, the doing of it but not so much with the history, the personalities etc. I learnt the idea of Bunkai and some 'techniques' while training Wado Ryu and seeing it explained by Iain on seminars, no one told me that there wasn't Bunaki In Wado as plainly there was. I needed to have this explained to me. I don't have an instructor who has the time to do that these days as we don't train anything other than MMA with the adults, I teach children TSD and I do my best, as the katas are practically the same, to pass on what I can in the way of Bunkai, that's why this site and Ian's and everyone elses input is so important for me so thank you again.
OK, Heian Shodan (Shotokan) for example... how do you teach that without saying "and here's a downward block, and here's a punch" etc. That there are more in depth applications to these moves is another thing and whether you want to know them or not is up to you, but you have to admit that there are moves in there that should allow you to defend yourself (block/punch) - so if that's not bunkai at its simplest form, what is it?
I teach the movements with the applications (side by side). For example I spent some time with my Blue Belt going through Yondan Kata, learning the sequence of the 3rd and 4th moves Gedan Juji Uke and the Morote Uke. As I teach the sequence and then then the bunkai the student is taught the Juji Uke is an armlock, and then the Morote Uke is a strike to the back of the opponents head.
I translate these two techniques to - Lower Cross Armed Technique and Double Handed Technique. I do not use the term block as uke does not mean block, I also do not use the term recieve, as at this stage it would confuse the students, I find using the word techniques works fine. The students are also told that the names came after kata were created and standardised. Also the names just describe the form of the movement and not necissarily, what that movement actually does.
Also I teach a second set of applications for those two techniques above, to remind the students that there can be many different applications to each move, and to think of each move as having a single application, will limit their study.
Sojobo on Martial Talk wrote: I am not saying that in the Kata where Wado kata originated from Bunkai isn't there? I am saying that Wado, as a school, traditionally do not utilise the process of bunkai within its structure.
The meaning of the directions in kata is not well understood, and frequently mistakes are made in the interpretation of kata movements. In extreme cases, it is sometimes heard that "this kata moves in 8 directions so it is designed for fighting 8 opponents" or some such nonsense. I would like to specifically address this issue now.
Looking at the enbusen for Pinan Nidan, one can see that karate kata move in all directions, forward and back, left and right. When interpreting kata, one must not get too caught up in these directions. For example, do not fall into the trap of thinking that just because a kata begins to the left that the opponent is always attacking from the left. There are two ways of looking at this:
At first glance, both of these look alright. However, looking at only number (1), the meaning of the kata becomes narrow, and the kata, which in reality must be applied freely in any situation, becomes awfully meagre in its application.
Looking at an actual example, the 5 Pinan kata all start to the left, and then repeat the same series of techniques to the right. Looking at interpretation (1), the opponent must always attack from the left, and while fighting that opponent, another opponent comes from behind so the defender turns to fight that opponent. This type of interpretation is highly unreasonable.
The point in raising all of this is that the common explanation of the motion has, in my view, many problems both historically and practically. And yet there are applications that do fit the fit the kata perfectly , that do make use of all of the motion (i.e. no hikites left unused) that are historically consistent, and that are workable in the reality of civilian conflict.
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