How much bunkai training do you do?

[Holland]

We do a decent amount of bunkai in our school. Each student has to learn what each move does in a kata as soon as they are comfortable with the moves.

Of course as a student grows their bunkai will grow with them. They are able to think outside the box and do more with simple techniques.

Of course I have also seen people bunkai a kata to death....which is tedious.

[parkerlineage]

American Kenpo is virtually rooted in bunkai. We have our kata, and kumite, but our bunkai set us apart from other styles.

[jaymac]

My instructor does work bunkai with me when I am learning a kata, but he has also told me that their can be many bunkai to each kata. He encourages us to come up with our own. I like this way of training becaue in some kata, I feel my interpretation of a movement may be different than my instructors and works better for me.

[patusai]

Michio Koyasu created Bunkai kata for Jion, Patusai, Kushanku and Useishi and they are part of the program...at least they use to be so we practiced quite often

[cathal]

American Kenpo is virtually rooted in bunkai. We have our kata, and kumite, but our bunkai set us apart from other styles.

In what way do you feel it sets you apart?

[RichardHangHong]

When do you think is the best time to start studying bunkai?

1) Before you start learning the floor plan of a kata,

2) Whilst you are learning a kata,

3) After you have learnt the kata

[RichardHangHong]

My instructor does work bunkai with me when I am learning a kata, but he has also told me that their can be many bunkai to each kata. He encourages us to come up with our own. I like this way of training becaue in some kata, I feel my interpretation of a movement may be different than my instructors and works better for me.

That's good your instructor does that. I am always encouraging my students to do the same thing. Get creative with how they apply the movements. An application that works for a 6'2" well built male student might not work for a 4'10" slim built female student. It's how it works for the individual that counts.

Iain Abernethy's book Bunkai Jutsu is great for understanding bunkai even further. The more you understand human movement, the more your views on the application will change and start to make more sense.

[parkerlineage]

In what way do you feel it sets you apart?

As far as I know - and it's very possible that I'm wrong - other systems don't place nearly as much emphasis on doing bunkai as we do.

Again, I could be wrong.

[bushido_man96]

We don't do any bunkai training in my school at all. From what I have heard talked about it, it sounds like I am missing out on a lot of fun.

Most definitely. I don't think you can truly understand a kata, or it's intent, until you go over several aspects of the techniques and their possible applications.

This may sound silly, but can you give me a description of the method of how you do it? I could practice with my wife and my brother.

[cathal]

I can't speak for the other styles but we definitely take it quite seriously.