Kakidi/Kakete/Kakie Training

[Mark B]

Was that a rant ?

I thought you made some good points.

I don't know if your "rant" was aimed at me but to be honest the points you made were ones that fit into my way of thinking.

The only difference is I view the kata as the "syllabus ". I study very few kata in depth which means I'm forced to dig deep , but it also means I don't get technique overload, which is a serious problem if you're talking actual violent altercation !

The techniques are demonstrated in the kata alongside the strategies and principles.

If/when I'm fighting in self defence I'm not "fighting with kata" - as you suggest, that approach is flawed. I am however utilising the techniques and best/most appropriate option which I learned from my information/ training pool - the kata.

Any technique can "work", it can also fail.

My techniques and strategies are drilled with the combination of pad work and head guard protected scenario kumite. It's this that confirms the need for well drilled techniques , kept simple.

Aside from knocking out complete strangers to test technique that's the best we have - allied to experience of real violence which helps in keeping the drills honest.

That's the way I do things

[sensei8]

No, it really wasn't a rant, I was just trying to keep my tone light; I can get overly compassionate at times. And no, I wasn't aiming my post to you or anyone.

In 50 years, I've seen all levels of MAist take what is meant to be an idea, and take it literal, and that causes those type of MA to forget that each and everything in a syllabus starts and end with a technique.

Bunkai, flow drills, and the like, are training tools that do have merit, imho, but these can only exist if the techniques, the core techniques, are trained and not forgotten when Bunkai this and Bunkai that is misunderstood and therefore, ineffective per the practitioner.

Learn but don't become blinded by forgetting the root techniques, which make up many drills, and thusly, kata, and so and so forth. With any drill, the emphasis is training!!

[Mark B]

Thanks for clearing that up, great points made again.

I agree 100% that the emphasis is always on training.

I do use kata as the syllabus template for my training though. It's well documented that in the old days karateka would practice only 2 or 3 kata that suited them. I believe this was based on the strategies as well as the techniques, which is what I basically do.

It was suggested to me that I should do lots of recordings etc.

I've decided against it - there's too much sharing of stuff that isn't fully understood on YouTube etc. Another reason I don't record is because it interferes with the actual training, which , at the end of day it's the reason I'm at the dojo - rather than trying to make a name for myself with superficial presentations.

You've explained the link between technique and various drills really well, I'm gonna have to use that explanation myself , it was very well put.

[sensei8]

Thanks for clearing that up, great points made again.

I agree 100% that the emphasis is always on training.

I do use kata as the syllabus template for my training though. It's well documented that in the old days karateka would practice only 2 or 3 kata that suited them. I believe this was based on the strategies as well as the techniques, which is what I basically do.

It was suggested to me that I should do lots of recordings etc.

I've decided against it - there's too much sharing of stuff that isn't fully understood on YouTube etc. Another reason I don't record is because it interferes with the actual training, which , at the end of day it's the reason I'm at the dojo - rather than trying to make a name for myself with superficial presentations.

You've explained the link between technique and various drills really well, I'm gonna have to use that explanation myself , it was very well put.

Solid post!!

We; you and I, seem to have a very similar mindset across the board concerning about the "when" and "why" we're on the floor.

It is said that if one was to only do Niahanchi Shodan, and only that, their life wouldn't be a wasted effort! I wholeheartedly concur!!

[Mark B]

"It is said that if one was to only do Naihanchi Shodan, and only that their life wouldn't be a wasted effort ! "

Absolutely agree 100%

Without wanting to keep repeating what I've said on other posts that's exactly what I do.

Naihanchi and Seisan are the only forms on my syllabus. I do practice various versions of Seisan, this allows me to consider the differing preferences illustrated in the different versions - which then gives me info on which I can base new training drills - each drill will contain a technique, principal and strategy, which then can feed back as Bunkai ideas - once the Bunkai is learned we feed that back into the various drill types to see how the principles etc can be applied to drills other than the one that spawned it.

In my opinion this type of deeper, older approach adds strength to the concept of practicing only a couple of kata, as the time it takes is significant, and besides all the drills possible we haven't even talked about pressure testing

Apologies if I've rather veered off the original subject of Kakie etc, l find it impossible to speak of such drills in isolation, without considering the " how and why" , and how they link to every other exercise practiced in the dojo