Kihon Kata

[muttley]

Every Karate-Ka studying Shotokan here under the KUGB are tought Kihon as the very first kata, a basic kata of 2 "basic" moves - gedan-bari and oi-zuki.

The way this has been taught (in my experience) is as a turn to left, lower block against kick then follow up with a punch to the chest, turn block kick from behind, follow up with punch to chest etc etc blah blah blah. Yes that is a very basic description of what the techniques could be used for, however this very much depends on peopel attacking you, one from the left then one from behind while your back is turned. In my experience, this just doesn't happen.

This video I found on youtube is a far more accurate description of the techniques used in Kihon (remember, the most "basic" of kata). Used against a single opponent the opening moves make far more sense in the modern world don't they?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dhQBv9-jbw

Correct me if I am wrong.

[SolidAir]

Bunkai is taught at a basic level in Goju then you are encouraged to look more in depth into the Katas as you go up the grades and even make up your own bunkai from them.

Im guessing this is just the natural thing to do at Shodan level in Shotokan too?

[muttley]

Seems to vary depending on the association, some have to do bunkai as part of their Shodan, others don't. Personally I am only just really looking at bunkai now (as a Shodan).

[Harkon72]

An interesting video. I suppose the main point is that the bunkai starts when you are in yoi dachi, the application doesn't wait until the first block or opponent to the left. Thank you for sharing.

[bushido_man96]

I liked their approach here. I think there are some good things to build from. I especially like the starts from the fence position. Thanks for sharing this.

[Kusotare]

The WT guy's approach was far more realistic imo.

K.

[muttley]

I liked their approach here. I think there are some good things to build from. I especially like the starts from the fence position. Thanks for sharing this.

I really like the way it starts from the fence, I just think it's quite refreshing to see this sort of thing.

[Kusotare]

I liked their approach here. I think there are some good things to build from. I especially like the starts from the fence position. Thanks for sharing this.

I really like the way it starts from the fence, I just think it's quite refreshing to see this sort of thing.

I get the diversity of the guard form both a defence and offence point of view, but I don’t get the wrist grabs?

It doesn't make sense from a self protection perspective, that an attacker would use both hands to grab both of your wrists - it really doesn't. No one with half a brain would take both their hands/arms out of commission that way.

To be honest - I could understand that approach from a Kaisetsu perspective if it promoted good body mechanics but it didn't really do that either imo.

As I said, the WT guy had a much better approach - probably because he wasn't trying to reverse engineer movements into kata that aren't really there in the first place.

K.

[todome]

Kata is NOT combat training.

By the time you've figured out how to actually do the very first move of the very first kata properly, and I'm talking YEARS and quite possibly not ever, you really don't care that the bunkai for it is oversimplified.

[muttley]

Kata is NOT combat training.

 

By the time you've figured out how to actually do the very first move of the very first kata properly, and I'm talking YEARS and quite possibly not ever, you really don't care that the bunkai for it is oversimplified.

Depends on how you look at it, drills involving the punching of thin air is not combat training either, 2 person Kata drills offer far more.