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BUNKAI,
THE MISSING LINK
More
than meets the eye
Today
in many dojos around the world, I suspect that kata
remains one of the most popular aspects of karate
training for a lot of the students.
I
know that is the case in our dojo.
Over
the years, however, I have discovered that more often
than not, very few students spend any measurable amount
of time actually practicing the associated bunkai for
even the most basic of their katas. And even those
students who do make the effort to expand their
knowledge, by forming groups, and trying to establish a
practical scenario, seldom do so often enough to make it
a habit.
I
suppose this is only natural, since students often feel
that it is far easier to practice something they are
already familiar with, the basics movements, than it is
to delve into the unknown, try something new, and stick
with it until it starts to make sense.
But
why is that?
One
of the most obvious reasons that comes to mind is that
many students of all ranks simply do not comprehend in
any depth, just what it means to bunkai a kata. If that
is the case, then where does the fault for this lack of
knowledge belong?
With
the student, or with the instructor?
The
answer of course, is the instructor.
After
all the Sensei or Chief Instructor in any dojo, is
ultimately responsible for what the students in his or
her care do, or do not, learn.
Now
don't get me wrong I am not advocating that every dojo
has to turn out students who are champions in kata,
kumite, and kobudo, because we all know that is simply
not what karate is really all about. But, I am suggesting
that a working knowledge of a practical bunkai for every
kata a student knows, should be a rudimentary requirement
to aid their overall development as far as kata is
concerned. So if bunkai is being overlooked as a regular
form of kata training, then I for one feel that this
needs to be addressed as soon as possible, after all kata
may be the "soul" of karate, but bunkai is the
"heart" of kata.
Put
in the simplest terms, "bunkai is the creation of at
least one underlying application, either defensive or
offensive, for all of the visible movements and
techniques that are contained in the embusen of any kata".
The
key word here, is visible.
In
more complex terms, "bunkai is the imagination in
motion".
The
key word here, is imagination.
Now
while my first statement describing what bunkai means may
seem more complex than the second one, I assure you that
quite the opposite is true. After all, making the
connection that a gedan barai (down block) in Taikyoku
Shodan could be used to block a kick, or for that matter
a punch, is not all that difficult to comprehend even for
a white belt, once the reasoning behind the application
has been fully explained.
In
this example we are dealing with what I call, "the
visibly obvious".
On
the other hand it takes a very experienced karate-ka to
see beyond the obvious, and to look for unseen, complex,
and imaginative ways, in which any seemingly basic
technique can be expanded into something more than may
first come to mind. To better understand what I mean take
the following example.
This
time in a more complex, although still fairly basic
example, again start with the gedan barai (down block) in
Taikyoku Shodan. Only this time "expand" the
scenario by using the loading motion of the gedan barai (down
block) to trap an attackers left chudan gyaku zuki (middle
level reverse punch), then turning your right hand upward
immediately grabbed the attackers left wrist with your
right hand, and then stepping forward, apply the gedan
barai (down block), only this time use it as a strike to
your attackers left elbow, and then follow up by stepping
forward with a right chudan oi zuki (middle level lunge
punch). This then is bunkai only with a bit more of an
imaginative application.
Not
long ago in fact I tried an experiment to do precisely
that, test my students imagination.
I
divided an adult class and the assisting sempai's into
groups of four. I then gave each group just three minutes
to come up with as many bunkai applications as they could
for just a standing gedan barai (down block). At the end
of the allotted time the number of applications created
by each group varied from five to fourteen. I say created
because in each group once all of the "visibly
obvious" applications were accounted for, the
process ceased to be visual and started to become a lot
more thought provoking. This is when their imagination
finally kicked into motion. Suddenly previously un-thought
of ideas and applications started to spring forth.
While
it is true that the more senior students and the sempai's
in each group came up with the most creative
applications, some very innovative thoughts also came
from the lower ranks, who interestingly enough placed no
pre-conceived limitations on their way of thinking. In
the end when all of the ideas from all of the groups was
pooled together, everyone involved in this process came
away with a greater realization of "what could be"
when it comes to applying bunkai to a very basic kata
movement.
The
real important point in all of this, as I said to the
students at the end of the exercise is, "if you can
find fourteen different bunkai (applications) for a
simple, standing down block, then how many potential
bunkai (applications) do think there are in Heian Shodan,
let alone in all of the techniques and movements in all
of the other kata that you may know"?
At
that moment from where I was standing, I could almost see
the wheels in their mind starting to turn in an attempt
to calculate what suddenly seemed incalculable. But I had
made my point. They all understood that there is a great
deal more than meets the eye to even a very basic kata
movement.
The
goal, however, as always, is to get the students to
remember one very important thing.
When
performing any kata, students, and teachers alike, must
remember to keep in mind that the "missing links"
or "visual applications" must remain missing.
Only the required movements of the kata, without any
added interpretations, are to be performed.
Nothing
else is need, or for that matter wanted, except perhaps a
little grrrrrr.
So
remember, bunkai is not driven by rank.
It
is an open door which all students are encouraged to walk
through, all they have to do is take the first step. So
train often, train hard, and be sure and add practicing
"kata applications" to your regular training
schedule.
As
I have said before, if you can learn to keep kata and
bunkai separate, then using your new found knowledge of
how bunkai fits into the overall scheme of things will
lead you well on your way to a greater understanding of
all that your kata and karate can be".
May
your imagination run wild.
Remember
Knowing
when to keep kata basic,
and
knowing when to add bunkai,
is
a sign of experience in action.
- Part
the clouds - see the way.
-
- "The
objective of karate-do is to contribute to the evolution
- of
the human spirit through physical and mental training."
- Sensei
Peter Lindsay
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