In Defense of the Straight Punch

10-15-2001

 

One often quoted issue against the value of karate is that the Bunkai (applications) are worthless as they are practiced against unrealistic punches.


Coming from no applications, when I began to train with those who taught Bunkai, the attacks most often were “Step in with a Straight Punch”.  As a proper student I did as those who shared with me and without thought on the issue as any number of styles were doing something similar. Not that I didn’t realize the issue, but when an instructor kept sharing so many interesting techniques I was happy to comply.


After leaving Tris Sutrisno and a good +10 years with his Bunkai I was well aware of his demonstrations where  his senior students would attack him randomly and he would cut through their technique with brutal efficency, at the same time I did not possess his cat like reflexes, or had my training moved to that dimension.


My own studies after that point brought me to the realization that the application could enter an attack in many different directions, as opposed to the basic defense, and I began to realize any movement could be used interior and or exterior lines of defense, straight in, retreating or more especially turning in the various dimensions.  The attacks I was working against were linear, but my entry had begun to come in many different flavors.


Then meeting Sherman Harrill I instantly recognized what he was doing, although he was decades ahead of where I was. He would take a technique and apply it against a right lung punch, from the inside, from the outside, as a locking technique, etc. Then he’d take the same technique and apply it against the left punch from the inside, from the outside, etc.


After my 2nd clinic or so with him one day I was trying to work my students against a punch with a Nihanchi application, when one of them blew up at me with “This is ridiculous, nobody would ever attack me that way.” Now he had been a Ueichi Ryu stylist and was and is efficient in his applications and I understood his point. But thinking on my feet, once challenged I realized there were several very solid answers.


First, being “Shut up and soldier, soldier!”  But flip answers aside the second was even more reasonable. One of my students is a woman and a Physical Therapist now living in the Seattle area.  I remember once remarking that I could find little reason to practice grab defenses as I’m 6’1” and really wasn’t worried about being grabbed.  Her answer was, if I was a woman I would realize how often you are grabbed and groped and such techniques were very important. Of course I then reflected how as an instructor meeting my students needs was more important than just my own perceptions.


Well the linear punch attack now made sense once I was challenged on it. My contention is most of the time if you’re attacked the attacker is likely to grab you with one hand and strike at you with the other. Having them begin in boxing stance, or trying to wrestle you to the ground, while real situations, weren’t necessarily the way most attacks would occur.


And if you’re training to seriously handle grabs, working your techniques against linear strikes was a great way to build up your timing for strikes and body shifts. That seemed reasonable to me then and it does so today.   So that’s ONE big reason for practicing against the linear strikes.


But my friends and students who’ve trained in Hawrang Do, Eagle Claw, Sutrisno Shotokan and of course Sherman Harrill eventually get to the point of working their techniques against random attacks.

Taking Tris Sutrisno, it isn’t even after the Bunkai studies, but rather after the 2 person sets he trains in. So when your attacker randomly comes at you you’ve reached the point in your training where you find an appropriate trained response and reply blowing through them.


In Eagle Claw, they’ve had many 2 person sets too, with blocks  being used as blocks to move and set up an opponent (often with multiples) so they’re drawn in and ready to be locked down (with strikes an often utilized technique to stop their attack too.


I believe the use of the linear attack is just an initial training tool, very effective training for grabbing attacks, and an opening movement in the upcoming symphony of defense.


While many styles don’t get there, there are also those who do.


Alas me and mine are oldsters and free sparring in any dimension is leaving us fast behind, but I solidly recognize its importance in developing the total artist, and if the youth I teach would stay with me and not go off to college and life, that is the direction I would lead their training.


I’m sure my analysis doesn’t match what each style may do, but I think it is something to consider.


Victor