Does your dojo teach bunkai first or later?

[aes]

I was talking with Shihan Dai at my dojo today and he mentioned that some schools (non traditional) teach pretty much all Bunkai, while schools like I go to show a bit of the Bunkai but leave most of it for at or near black belt level.

 

I was wondering if people here reveive a lot of bunkai (practical application of the moves) in their training?

 

Al

[aes]

Ooops... should have been an option for "all about the bunkai" but I did not create the poll correctly.

 

Sorry

[omnifinite]

We learn enough to not overload us. Probably better to learn the techniques well before having to pick them out of the kata too. I'm not sure which poll response that would be . Somewhere between "some" and "all" I guess.

[ninjanurse]

Since I was fortunate to learn bunkai along with each form I pass it along to my students after they have learned the pattern. It is especially useful when students are having a hard time understanding the movements and techniques-helps them to visualize wht they are doing. For higher ranking belts I make them tell me what the bunkai of a new form is, and sometimes have them make up a pattern of techniques with bunkai in pairs or groups. Overall I see a big difference in those who understand bunkai and those who don't-the difference between going through the motions and owning it.

 

[karate_woman]

The first level bunkai is explained as we learn the new kata. We also get the mats out and work on the second level bunkai, and in black belt classes explore for ourselves the hidden bunkai.

[karatekid1975]

My school teaches it somewhat at color belt levels. But all the time at BB level.

[WhiteBelt]

Bunkai is an optional class at the beginner/intermediate level. They teach some ideas, and that bunkai is a personal thing. For a majority of the students this goes over their heads, until they get to the advanced level and get serious. Kata rythem/tempo also seems to go over most people's heads as well.

[aes]

The dojo I train at takes what I am told is the traditional approach. Bunkai is revealed for the direct simple moves but in the more elaborate ones it is not for the most part.

 

At Brown/BB level focus becomes the practical application.

[SaiFightsMS]

In the lower level is was the technique and doing it correctly that was stressed. How it was applied and more uses for it began in the intermediate grades.

[hobbitbob]

In Shotokan we did very little Bunkai and Oyo. What we did was explained in the terms of "Block, punch, kick."

 

In Seibukan, Bunkai and Oyo are emphasized a great deal, and stressed from the beginning. Kyusho are taught to yudansha, and grappling techniqes are iuntroduced at the intermediate levels. Hope this helps.