Bunkai question

[AlbanyDude]

Hi,

Is there a good book/website/whatever to learn bunkai? Right now I'm practicing the first two Taikyoku katas, but when sparring it seems folks don't really use blocks. I'm just curious how these katas are supposed to work in practice.

Thanks for any info!

AlbanyDude

[bushido_man96]

Everyone's got different ideas on bunkai, so it just depends on the practitioner and instructors.

If you are looking for some resources to start with, here are a few I like:

Bunkai-Jutsu: The Practical Application of Karate Kata, by Iain Abernethy: http://www.amazon.com/Bunkai-Jutsu-Practical-Application-Karate-Kata-ebook/dp/B00A79N8OO/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1423767286&sr=1-1&keywords=bunkai+jutsu

The Way of Kata: A Comprehensive Guide to Deciphering Martial Arts Applications, by Lawrence A. Kane and Kris Wilder: http://www.amazon.com/Way-Kata-Comprehensive-Deciphering-Applications/dp/1594390584/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1423767407&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Way+Of+Kata

Abernethy's work is more specific, showing particular applications to particular moves that he teaches from the kata's he practices. Kane and Wilder's work is more of a book on guiding principles to follow to help you "find" the best applications you can to the moves in your kata's, whatever they may be.

[jaypo]

I second Abernathy. I love his work. It has helped me a lot.

[Wastelander]

Hi,

Is there a good book/website/whatever to learn bunkai? Right now I'm practicing the first two Taikyoku katas, but when sparring it seems folks don't really use blocks. I'm just curious how these katas are supposed to work in practice.

Thanks for any info!

AlbanyDude

The books that bushido_man96 recommended are excellent resources to get you started! Abernethy and Wilder both also have some free videos on their YouTube Channels with examples of kata applications. In addition, I would recommend that you check out Paul Enfield's videos on https://www.youtube.com/GKCgoju where he shares training methods and techniques from his Sensei's approach to Goju-Ryu. I can also recommend this video from my friend, Ryan Parker, which is from one of the instructional videos he recorded back in the early 90's:

In general, you're not going to find a whole lot of material based on the Taikyoku kata, since they weren't built with practical application in mind. You can find ways to use them, of course, but you won't find too much good material labeled "Taikyoku bunkai," I don't think. It's the older kata where you are going to find relevant material. There are also some videos and books out there on specific movements, like the infamous "low block," that could be useful.

As far as kata application in sparring, don't worry about that too much--the techniques in kata are meant to be used in a different context than the one most people use in sparring. I use kata techniques in sparring a lot more than most people seem to, but I'm still limited by the context most of the time.

[sensei8]

Hi,

Is there a good book/website/whatever to learn bunkai? Right now I'm practicing the first two Taikyoku katas, but when sparring it seems folks don't really use blocks. I'm just curious how these katas are supposed to work in practice.

Thanks for any info!

AlbanyDude

You've received some good advice here where you might find the sources. In that, I'd stress that the most reliable source for what you're seeking can be found with your Sensei. However, learn and understand the Oyo, and within that, discoveries can be found.

Even the most noted practitioner, imho, is subjected to their own Oyo Bunkai. They seek, they discover, and then they seek some more!! It's theirs and theirs alone, and to share with whomever is willing to receive it, thusly, accepting its founding's.

[Mark B]

The resources mentioned are decent examples, however, over the years I've come to regard "Bunkai moves" as fundamentally flawed. In short - you can't fight that way in aself defence situation.

My advice would be to certainly look at some of these resources but rather keep them at arms length and understand them as what they are - fun presentations on what you "could do".

As I've stated a few times I have serious issues these days with the "moves for this or that " trend. If anyone demonstrates an application from kata that has more than three elements then I would say take it with a pinch of salt as real fights cannot be mapped out that way.

Learn your kata, consider the possibilities, strategies and principles the kata is teaching then work lots of pushing hands, sticking hands, drills to control your centreline, husband & wife hand exercises, drills to recieve straight and hooking energy on the inside and outside and KEEP IT SIMPLE.

By following this approach you may find that the kata "finds" you, rather than you trying to fit square pegs into round holes.

[Kusotare]

I'd second what Mark has said.

I've never been keen on the "reverse engineering" approach of Bunkai.

The pedagogy of kata is far deeper than that.

Stratagems and principles of movement are far more valuable than trying to "shoe-horn" a jujtsu technique into a movement - just because it "could" work.

K.

[thunderman]

Right now I'm practicing the first two Taikyoku katas, but when sparring it seems folks don't really use blocks. I'm just curious how these katas are supposed to work in practice.

Ok, lets break this down. Firstly kata (or kata with bunkai) were usually developed for self-defence situations rather than sparring. I think it was Anko Itosu who said something like “It is not intended to be used against a single assailant but instead as a way of using the hands and feet should one be confronted by a villain or ruffian.” This indicates, at least to me, that kata were developed not for a single assailant (ie sparring match) but for use in a self defence situation (confronted by an attacker).

Therefore kata will not address the more modern sparring practice that is common in most clubs today. Something I think you have already found out (when you said “folks don’t really use blocks”.

If you are after bunkai to Taikyoku kata I would say that you will may be disappointed to know that the kata were developed by Gigo Funakoshi not too long ago and from what I believe, the Karate of this time was already predominately “block-punch-kick” karate. Gichin Funakoshi Ten No Kata seemed to be have developed during the same era and its bunkai is presented by Gichin himself as “block-punch-kick” karate.

That being said the movements in the kata still are traditional karate movements that are found in older kata, so you can definitely use the sources above (Iain Abernethy, Patrick McCarthy etc..) to gain practical applications to the kata. However I do not see this helping with your sparring in class.

[sensei8]

Blocks in kata, even Taikyoku series, aren't always blocks.

In sparring, I've noticed that blocks are haphazard in there execution; more of a slap, if they are trying to block. I doubt many blocks taught, are ever used in sparring for one reason or another.

Unlike many MA practitioners, I believe in Bunkai, and if the founder has incorporated said Bunkai into its curriculum and the like, then the fault is not in the Bunkai, but in the practitioner for one reason or another.

Does Bunkai of the founder become outdated? No. Why? The mechanics of physical properties of the human being and what it can and can not do, are exacting. Do things within Bunkai change? Sure, that, to me, is the beauty of Oyo Bunkai; search, find, explore, discover, and so on and so forth, and then repeat often.

Now, we're not all going to be on agreement because we've different upbringings in the MA as well as different journeys. If the founder of your style CAN, then, why CAN'T his students? I don't know, because I can only speak for myself.

Ok...I'm going back to my corner, sorry for the rant!!

[Mark B]

I can't speak about "sparring" because I don't do it, even my juniors don't spar in the popular sense, for example they are allowed to grab, and force their opponent into corners in the dojo, or against the wall. If a student finds themselves in that situation it's up to them to figure it out and get themselves into a better situation.

Their knowledge of Naihanchi ( the only form my juniors learn) gives them simple options to help them witn this, so they are applying Bunkai Oyho , but only in conjunction with the drills they practice to protect their centre or their basic Kakie work.

The adults "sparring" is random scenario based. Head guards are worn to allow the level of attack aggression and response that resembles actual self defence .

Bunkai we learn from Seisan and Naihanchi is extremely useful in these drills but only in close relationship with the entry, tactile and Sabaki exercises we practice alongside our kata application ideas.

I love Bunkai. I love studying my kata and figuring how they can be used in the real world, how I might have used them years ago in the altercations upon which I base my approaches.

The trick is how to learn some applications to a decent level of competence and then have the courage to accept and understand that in that context those applications are in fact useless , and that the time has come to really begin to understand your kata - to discard the idea of an application for this , and one for that , and to start to "feel" the correct Oyho dependent on the energy being received.

In time you find the original applications you learned are in fact worthwhile, just not in the context or method in which you originally practiced them.

It is very difficult to describe the process in words , I know , but Bunkai as seen in the very popular media is in my view virtually impossible to apply against a genuine aggressor whose looking to knock you down.