bunkai of the Pinan Katas

[swadoryu2000]

Yeah, I can see that happening. Good one, too. Makes sense. Or, you could be blocking an oncomming attack with the left, striking with the right at the neck (the move after the x-block). After that, the right hand comes down to the opponent's left shoulder, the left hand comes under the opponents left arm (assuming he was comming with a chudan tsuki) and comming over that same arm, grabbing his elbow. While you do all this, you step to the left side, and breaking his arm via elbow or pressing down on the shoulder (the area that connects the arm to the shoulder, the tissue area).

[Wa-No-Michi]

wanted to hear some other ideas as to the bunkai you know for the pinan katas. ive been researching them alot and am trying to come up with some new concepts.

Hi unknownstyle,

Have you got any thoughts so far?

To date its been just me and swdadoryu2000 who have done all the talking. Not bad considering that the word Bunkai doesn't really figure in the traditional Wado vocab.

Surprised some of the Shotokan / Shorinryu boys haven't been all over this like a rash.

[ShawnMiller]

As for the supported or augmented block I use it for many things. One being a lapel grabs, I use the lower hand or supporting crash into the arm that has grabbed me, also I always try to punch into their body say sp- 17. The top hand or the one in the soto uke position I use for a hammer fist or a back fist to the head and or neck, depending the available target and their structure of their body.

I also use it for dealing with punches and attempted grabs. It is always good to practice from a grab at first to learn the techniques but you should then practice not getting grabbed also.

[tallgeese]

Ok, I'll preface this by admitting that I'm not much of a kata guy. However, I have had the chance to train with some exceptional kata people over the years and they've explained the whole "augmented block" thing this way:

Most of the older forms used a closed fist as the augmenting hand apparently. This wasn't a block at all, nor even a "technique" it was merely a living anatomical text deliniating the lockation for a limb destruction to be delived, or in another case, a nerve strike to disable the arm.

It was their assertion that most of kata, at least the old forms, was like this. That "anatomical textbook" theory made sense to me given some of the movments seen in older katas. Since I didn't persue it, I don't have much more to offer other than some examples shown to me to support this theory.

[swadoryu2000]

Interesting, tallgeese. I can't think of any other bunkai for that particular move, although I can see how it can be a strike to the neck area and along the nerves and stuff.

Ok, how about the next series of moves? In Pinan Yodan, the move after the block/strike/call it whatever, you pull up with your left leg, and your right hand is in pullback position, and the left hand is over your right. The next three moves is one count (that's the way I do it). With your left, perform a gedan barai, mae geri with your left, step out in zenkutsu dachi (left leg foward, facing the left), with an empi uchi with your right. Describing it is a little hard for me, so I did the best I can.

I have always seen this as blocking a kick, kicking them, and following up with an elbow strike. How do yall see it?

[Fish]

Pretty much what you have described, tho the "block" might be a strike and grab, controlling the opponent while you kick, then pulling them onto the elbow strike.

the most interesting sequence is the one after you have done (block maegeri empi) to the right - the sequence where you go into gyakuzuki no tsukommi stance with left hand blocking to the side and right hand overhead, then twist while rotating your hands, pull in to kick, and end up in reverse cat stance with the left arm across your body and the right arm performing uraken over the top of it.

To my mind, the latter part of that sequence means you pull opponent on to a chudan kick. This will make their head move forward, you then pull their head down and perform an elbow strike to the neck (i.e the uraken is in fact an elbow strike). That's what makes sense to me anyway.

[tallgeese]

I think I've seen the movement, but I can't place it. Not to mention that my terminology is non-exsistant.

[bushido_man96]

I think I've seen the movement, but I can't place it. Not to mention that my terminology is non-exsistant.

I agree. Its a bit tough with all the Japanese floating around in there.

[Wa-No-Michi]

"Tenohira-uke" or Palm Block.

Although some perform as a grab.

[swadoryu2000]

"Tenohira-uke" or Palm Block.

Although some perform as a grab.

Yeah, I can see how it can be a block and a grab. The next move for me (after I have done the same block/kick/strike on the right side) is basically what Fish said, but instead of a uraken, we teach it as a chudan soto uke (although I can see it as a uraken...kicking the opponent, then comming down on his head with an uraken). Or someone could be comming in with a jodan tsuki, then you could be kicking him, and pulling in his punch with your left and striking him with the right hand.