A Study in a Principle of Movement Application in Kata

When I was a beginner, kata application was not a great part of the study, only a very small part.

 

Then when I trained at many schools the likewise did not do much kata movement application study. It was the times. This was before the idea ‘bunkai’ hit the magazines,

 

As well as everything that followed.

 

So I had no need to worry about what the founder meant. Or any founders answers for that matter.

 

In time I acquired one definition for ‘bunkai’ not used by the public.

And a great deal about many arts, from a version of Older style Shotokan, some Aikido, some Tjimande, a smattering of Bando, various Chinese school principles.

 

One day I began the steps to learn how kata movement could be applied.

 

Add a great deal of study with Sherman Harrill

(and his 40 years work on the logical use of Isshinryu kata technique),

as well as ideas from many sources.

 

One day working on an idea I had, I asked a student to attack me.

Now I had been working kata application possibilities at various ranges.

 

This time I was going to use the immediate range where the attacker was atop you.

 

The movement I used has been lost in time,

I did not follow my own rule and write it down.

 

But the principle behind that application study rings true,

 

The attack was upon me, so I just did the kata section.

Nailing my partner in the face.

So I did it again and got the same response.

 

What I discovered at close range there could be no defense for what I was doing.

I just did the movement from the kata, at the same speed I practiced.

And nailed my attacker, every time.

 

At that range there was no time for the attacker to respond to my defense,

The speed of the attack moving toward me,

And the speed of my moving toward them,

Made defense impossible.

 

No worrying about vital points, pressure points, or any of that.

 

Just do the kata movement.