This video shows a summary of a two-person flow drill for the entirety of Tekki Sandan / Naihanchi Sandan. The drill follows the kata, move for move, and can be repeated endlessly. Tekki Sandan / Naihanchi Sandan builds on the methods introduced by the preceding two kata and is essential a kata to teach more advanced limb-control.

This video quickly recaps three drills for the bunkai of Naihanchi / Tekki Shodan. The first drill strings together four of the key strikes in a way that encourages consistent contact with the enemy’s limbs. Karateka should also drill the strikes in alternate sequences and the purpose of this drill was to provide an illustration of concept. The second drill follows the order of the kata, except that multiple elbows are thrown in order to include the various ways the kata can get us past the enemy’s limbs if they block (either going back or forward a move).

This video shows a way to drill Funakoshi’s Half-Wheel Throw on the focus mitts. In order to practise karate as a holistic and practical system, we need to resurrect the throws that were a key part of “old school karate”. To understand our kata, we also need to appreciate the wide range of methods found within them. The traditional kata include throws, locks, trapping, chokes, strangles, etc. It is when people don’t appreciate this that we see kata reinterred to be just strikes, kicks and dysfunctional “blocks”. Karate is so much more.

A suspension trainer is a piece of kit that I think all martial artists should have. It effectively allows you to have an entire gym in your kit bag and it’s the only bit of kit I’ve used that comes close to the effects of weight lifting. Your bodyweight provides the resistance and you can quickly alter the length of the straps depending upon which exercise you want to do. A high-quality brand can be expensive, but you can get fully functional cheaper versions that will do the job just fine. A very versatile piece of kit that can be used in innumerable ways.

All the best,