A question to Karate instructors

[Fosgate]

Alright question. I'm sure I know the answer and can probably look it up on the internet, but tell me, what's bunkai?

[cathal]

Alright question. I'm sure I know the answer and can probably look it up on the internet, but tell me, what's bunkai?

Bunkai is practical application of techniques. It's most often used to help drive home the point of kata techniques. But it is also used to help understand why some techniques are performed a certain way. For example when doing a punch many karateka chamber the opposite arm to prepare for another punch. The bunkai could be that the arm going back to the hip (chambering) is a grab so that the punch can land on the target in a more favourable angle. Bunkai is full of creative applications to techniques.

[Rick_72]

We don't have seperate class's for kids and adults. Our class's are broken down by experience/grade level. Everyone learns bunkai. Why learn martial arts if you don't know why your doing something?

After we line up and start class, we sometimes take the younger kids into our second studio for the class. But that's just do to space restrictions when we have large class's, however, the training that occurs on both sides is the same.

Since I read someone else mentioning it, the only difference in our testing requirements between kids and adults is at Shodan vs. jr Shodan. The kid testing only has to fight continuously for 15 minutes instead of 20. The opponents are still rotated every 1 to 2 minutes to make sure they constantly have a fresh opponent. They still have to demonstrate all the same empty hand, and kobudo katas, basics and Tuite techniques as adults.

[username9715]

Actually, I have a few questions, and they can be to anyone in general that deals with these things.

1. Do you teach bunkai to the junior (children) students?

I teach bunkai when they learn the basics and continue with kata a so on from the very start.

2. Can you give me an idea of how you go about your bunkai practice?

I have several ways. I first go through it with students step by step then we do kata drills with uke/seme. Then we use bunkai and kata techniques in ippon kumite, etc.

3. What is the difference between your "junior" syllabus and "adult" syllabus, if you have this seperation?

We have no seperation.

I am sure I will have more questions pop up as answers to these come in, and I appreciate your input. Thanks in advance!

Respectfully,

[bushido_man96]

Thanks, Charles, and welcome to KF!

[lordtariel]

We actually learn kata by first doing bunkai, then putting the moves into the kata. Anyone who is in the class at the time learns it, although the younger students usually do a more toned down version if the moves are too much. I don't believe too much of it is taught in the junior class though.

[bushido_man96]

That is an interesting approach, Lordtariel. Thanks for sharing that. It would help to make sense of things.

[Hwa Rang Warrior]

Actually, I have a few questions, and they can be to anyone in general that deals with these things.

1. Do you teach bunkai to the junior (children) students?

I will if it helps them to put some extra energy in their technique. Some children have trouble just learning the motions and maintaining good stances let alone the application.

2. Can you give me an idea of how you go about your bunkai practice?

I use an exmple that I learned from one of my instructors or came up with through my own training. Every once in awhile I'll challenge the adults to thing of what each move in a hyung would let itself to in combat so that they have a sense that its not just a dance they go through.

3. What is the difference between your "junior" syllabus and "adult" syllabus, if you have this seperation?

Junior classes usually have more "games" to help keep their attention. Its a great way to get them to learn things like balance and power without them knowing it.

Adults I stick to more traditional training because thats what the most of them are there for. They want the extra hard work out and the push. And the other extreme traditionalist like myself can get some great training from even the most basic techniques because they have that drive to push themselves to their limits with out being egged on as much as a child.

I am sure I will have more questions pop up as answers to these come in, and I appreciate your input. Thanks in advance!