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In this video we look at bunkai for the opening sequence of Niseishi / Nijushiho kata! There are essentially two main variations on this sequence. We either see the third movement being done as a rising elbow (i.e. as Shotokan) or as the foot being withdrawn and the left arm being dropped forward (i.e. as Shito-ryu or Wado-Ryu). Bunkai for both variations are covered in this video.
In this video we look at a close-range Naihanchi / Tekki-Shodan pad-drill! The purpose of the drill is to allow the practise of some of the motions of the kata, in sequence, in a way where we can actually make hard contact with a target. When practising with a partner – which is also obviously very important – power needs to be taken out of the striking. Drills like this one can help correct for that.
The striking in modern karate tends to be very linear due to the influence of modern sporting practises. However, when we look at the striking within the traditional kata we do see strikes that arc downward, upward and horizontally. In this video, we look at a downward arcing strike from Passai / Bassai-Dai, and an upward arching strike from Wanshu / Enpi. As with all these videos, this is just a short clip from a much longer training session and therefore the video is inevitably incomplete. I nevertheless hope you find it interesting.
This video looks at the bunkai from Jitte kata. “Jitte” translates as “ten hands” and the video begins by examining what that name may represent. There then follows a demonstration of a two-person drill that is made up of the kata’s bunkai, in the order they appear in the kata. This is just one of many Jitte drills and it is important to also drill the motions individually, in short sequences, in alternate orders, with variations, with varying levels of compliance, and so on.
In this short clip we look at a bunkai flow-drill for Naihanchi / Tekki-Shodan. It is a basic drill that focuses on creating and exploiting opportunities for close-range strikes. It should be remembered that this clip shows a few minutes summarising a much longer session. This clip is therefore not instructional in nature and obviously does not cover how such drills fit into the wider training matrix. The methods of the kata need drilled in many other supporting ways. This drill is just one of many.
In this video we share a basic body-shifting pad-drill. All punches are done with the right-hand (or left when you do it from the opposite stance). The drill consists of one punch shifting backward, one punch on the spot, one lunging-punch stepping forward, and one reverse-punch stepping forward. We therefore have four right-hand punch variations in one quick drill.
In this video we look at some applications / bunkai for Jion kata, and then combine them into a flow drill. It should be remembered that flow drills are not a “replication” of a fight (only live practise will suffice), but instead they are a time-efficient way to practise the methods of the kata. The kata, the drills and live practise (where the principles and methods of the kata can be applied freely) combine to form a holistic training matrix.
This video looks at flow drill for the sequence following the “double-block” towards the start of Niseishi / Nijushiho kata. This footage is from a seminar in Finland and it shows a quick summary of what had already been practised (so the students could film it as an aid to memory). It is therefore not instructional in nature. I nevertheless hope you find it interesting:
This videos looks at two flow drills for Wanshu / Enpi kata. The sequences covered are the “shifting knife-hand sequence” and the “double-palm-heels, lower-block, jump sequence”. We then put both flow drills end to end to create a longer flow drill.
