Teaching the Application of Kata

 

How we share our art is a direct reflection of how we’ve trained and what we believe.


When it comes down to it I’ve been trained by individuals who spent no time applying kata technique, individuals who’ve utilized the ‘secret’ approach to the techniques they share after over 50 years of techniques blended from multiple systems, individuals who directly used their kata technique with no embellishments and had thousands of applications, and individuals who’ve spent decades studying extremely complex Chinese arts.

On the whole none of them were interested in spending time with each other. They all could and can kick butt in their own dimensions and they could all teach their approach brilliantly.

What one person insists only the most basic techniques are credible, the next takes the most incredibly complex and through correct training makes them effortless.

If you can’t do it its just that you’ve been incorrectly trained, plain and simple.

I see it as ludicrous to accept there is any correct answer. There are just correct answers for individuals, nothing more.

Coming from a heritage with no kata application and fighting tooth and nail over the decades to make sense to myself what it can mean, and layering in all the experiences I’ve garnered, I’ve built my own Isshinryu tradition for my students.

Here is how I approach the instruction of kata application.

In 'Kyu' training I do not teach kata application in a formal manner. But I do show it to demonstrate why the shape of their kata is done in a specific manner, especially when their form varies from the standard performance.

This is one of the inherent factors in our choice of a minimum of 15 years continuous training for instructor qualification. The instructor must have a deeper knowledge of the system than just initial performance. Can you instantly demonstrate and sell the application of any of your kata techniques. That’s a starting point to shoot towards.

As most students do not choose to remain in training for the long haul, why have them work on what is most definitely long term study.  I, instead, follow the way I was taught and:


1. Give them strong basic instruction that may carry beyond their training. We do this with a small number of basic techniques that can be used in a wide variety of situations.

2. Until the student actually advances in their technique potential (specifically I’m referring to many years of study) they are likely not skilled enough to sell the kata technique.  By that I'm referring to actually making it work against a focused attack, not walking through a technique against a half-hearted attack. (I would suggest there is evidence that this was the classical approach to karate training.  The evidence shows that the time for this may be a very long one.)

3. No question some of the application potential is very dangerous unless that is the intent, and you should really know who you're sharing this with. While this is inherent in techniques, most individuals are locked into what they've been shown, until you unlock that knowledge. This is clearly where things are hidden in plain sight, such as a horizontal elbow strike that can be a neck breaking/wrenching technique at the same time.

At the same time, there is a balancing act for the 'reality' your students live  in. Each instructor must understand their home 'environment', to determine what is the best mix of study for the student.  What works for me where I live and teach is likely the incorrect mix in a different area.

But the students are exposed to the concept of kata application, and in an informal manner work them from time to time too.

I am not a believer in ‘formal bunkai’ of the Isshinryu kata, or of any kata. To often the formal one’s I’ve seen have degenerated into drills and not application. I see the use of application study as a tool to unlock any movement’s potential to allow us to tap that potential as needed.

At Sho-dan the formal study of kata application begins
. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xc0JrvCpFII

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoLSaM1OQ90

The first step is a complete Analysis of one technique, being the first section of Seisan Kata. This includes learning to sell dozens of applications against a very wide range of attacks. By application they learn the entire range of potential in a single technique. They also acquire the ability to stop anything, in one sense not needing something else, yet come to understand this is only a starting point in a lifelong growth potential.




Once they’ve acquired some skill next comes the study of application potential of a single kata, and the one I feel most important is Sanchin.  Most especially as most of the world insists Sanchin has no applications and is only for health. The only health I’m concerned with is the students ability to learn how to drop anybody.

Intermingled with this initial training are studies in principles underlying their ongoing development.  Often using kata Fyukyu Sho as the workhorse to study them.

They include studies in:

 a. Breathing during inter kata technique versus intra kata technique.
 b. Compression and Explosion of energy from movement from the center and a deeper understanding of  the crescent step.
 c. Underlying structure of technique application.
 d. Countering locks and Holds
 e. Multiple Striking, layered striking, stop hits, multiple blocking, jing do

It is after moving through these stages the student moves into the wider study of application that can last forever. These stages aren’t attempts to study at one time the application of a kata. Just a never ending chance to explore kata potential.

At some point the exploration of Shimabuku Tatsuo's Self Defense Techniques is necessary.  I find them a fascinating answer to the central issue, but then I find each technique as fascinating an answer, too.

Add in periodic exploration of specific technique studies, such as elbow striking exploration, techniques for hand and foot and most especially the use of turning as a weapon, studies in how the art of aikido is contained within Isshinryu with no modifications and so forth.

The range you can explore depends on the student’s abilities. I’ve long been fascinated with the ground fighting techniques (not BJJ) that several instructors shared with me, but each time I grow a new potential candidate for study, they move on in life, growing up, and my adults no longer can realistically move in those dimensions.

And the underlying template for my ongoing studies and teachings, my own research, the studies with Sherman Harrill in his application, the training with Tris Sutrisno in karate, aikido and other techniques and the training with Ernest Rothrock in kung fu.

BTW, I believe in everything I practice and believe all of it can drop people too. It’s just a question of correct practice.

This is how I define Bushi No Te Isshinryu.

Pleasantly,

Victor

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Note on the use of the term 'Bunkai'

Over the years I've seen many concepts that look like they make sense enter the common vocabulary of my own teaching. Bunkai was one of them. 

As a student I studied no 'bunkai' to the Isshinryu system , nor did my instructors teach it when I was a new student. In turn they didn't study it with Shimabuku Tatsuo. This didn't mean he didn't show the application of the kata (though it wasn't the practice my instructors taught).

Simply, 'bunkai' is not an Okinawan term.

As I've come to understand the Okinawan's essentially taught in a mostly non-verbal manner by demonstrating and use of little terminology.

'Bunkai' is a Japanese term. Several years ago I had a Japanese English Teacher visiting our area for several weeks and staying with us. He had trained in Shorinji Ryu Kempo while in college and naturally we discussed the martial arts. When I came to the term 'bunkai' he had no idea what I was referring to.

In part because his training was in a different vein, but in part as he explained the term use as I described it would have been specific to some karate groups and not the general populace.

The average Japanese would use the term 'bunkai' as  "the car mechanic bunkai-ed the car" or 'took apart'. Now taking apart a kata for application is part of what 'bunkai' has come to mean. However, as the term is not native to the general Okinawn karate community (though because of American influence reading about the term, the Okinawan's have begun to use the term in turn) and I didn't study with the Okinawan's I think its more dignified to use terminology consistent with my own studies.

I did train with an instructor who used 'bunkai' in a consistent way, but not one which anybody else uses.  His family use of 'bunkai' described how kata was a mnemonic device to learn a vast number of self defense techniques (intertwined from karate, aikido and Indonesian tjimande). This was an approach his father built up over 50 years (long enough to achieve any level of legitimacy in my mind) of practice. But this is a usage very different from what others use, more akin to the concept of kakushite or hidden hand.

In that I chose to use Kata Application.  It may not have the 'ring' of Japanese, but I clearly know what I'm referring to when I mention it.