Fun with bunkai

[Bill Glasheen]

For years I've been doing research on "the Uechi horse stance." The thing has befuddled me. I see variation in how it's done, and stiffness in the way most people apply it.

And Billy don't do no stiff Uechi any more. Rigor mortis will take hold soon enough. Meanwhile... Stiff doesn't cut it in self-defense. If you can't move... If you can't take the toys out of the box and use them, well...

You die in your straightjacket boots, brother. Not me.

So I've looked, and I've looked, and I've looked...

Then one day Van posted this kata. He did so to show good execution (irrespective of kata). I saw something else. What I saw was so important that I'm first going to teach this kata - DONE THIS WAY - to two advanced students before I continue with their training in Sanseiryu.

Kata Sochin

Cool beans, eh? So... What do you think Billy saw?

So here I am on the web this Sunday morning, looking at as many performances of Sochin as I can find. I want to make sure that this kata that I am copying with my stealing eyes isn't some strange offshoot. If I'm going to learn Sochin, I at least want to get the "what" correct before teaching the "how."

Nope... looks good.

And to dig deeper, I start looking for bunkai. And what do you know... they are out there on YouTube.

No, there isn't a "standard" bunkai for this kata as per Uechi's Seisan bunkai (a "C" bunkai in my mind). But there's some interesting stuff out there.

I've classified what I've seen into four different kinds. I'll share this for your viewing pleasure. Go get a cup of java, sit back, and enjoy.

Sochin Bunkai - The lamest, and horribly done

Sochin Bunkai - Plausible and well-executed

Sochin Bunkai - Creative and well-executed

Sochin Bunkai - Jackie Chan style

- Bill

[Bill Glasheen]

I really hate critiquing someone else's martial display online. You have to give someone credit for getting up and baring all - however hideous the display.

However...

The first video is an example of the "classical mess" martial arts that most became disillusioned with. You know... back when bashing TMA was cool. The thing is, it really is that bad, and we need to call it when we see it. Of note...

• The interpretation of the knife hand shows a fundamental error in designing bunkai for classical kata. Most kata were not designed to fight a trained martial artist in the safe confines of a dojo. Rather they were designed as the response to the common ruffian on the street or the crazed warrior on the battlefield. When the schit really is flying, you don't see well-heeled, straight karate punches. Rather the universal empty-hand technique of the fellow jacked up on epinephrine is the haymaker.
• Nobody is going to be hurting anyone from those distances, so the technique is moot. Fighting from a distance where nobody's body can be touched makes this look downright silly. Karate for kindergarteners maybe... But not me, Jack. I wouldn't be messing their brains up so early.
• What is the defensive/offensive contact point of a knife hand? It most certainly isn't the wrist. I have to tell you that I hated this technique and thought it stupid as I practiced it in my Japanese karate days. And then one day I was working out in the dojo and I had someone throw a haymaker, and Voila!! The target points (the inner joint folds) just jumped out at me. And when you hit them, you get a most delightful response from your attacker. It's like pushing buttons on a cash register.
  
  Shame on most karate instructors for not showing this to students on day one.
• As I've come to learn, most karate techniques have a yin and a yang interpretation. That's most definitely the philosophy in pangainoon - hence the name. With the knife hand, that's most definitely true. So why would you throw 2 knifehands in succession, and at different angles?
  
  So by the lesson you learn in the first bunkai, you have two opponents you're "blocking" from different angles. You block one, totally ignore him, and then go block a second coming from a slightly different angle. Right? Makes perfect sense, right?
  
  AAAaaarrrrrrgggggghhhhhh!!!!!!!
  
  If you can't figure out how to "attack" with a "block", then take the gi off, fold it up, and go home. Shame on this teacher!!!!
  
  A lesson in anatomy helps.
• Normally I don't get worked up about the backing up thing when doing instructional prearranged kumite. But in this case, none of the footwork makes any sense. With all the distance and backing up, it kind of reminds me of dating virgins while a teenager jacked up on hormones. All dance and no fun.
  
  Not even a martial cuddle, or a seiken peck on the cheek.

OK, so I apologize for taking this brave practitioner to the woodshed. But really now... Wouldn't you scold a kid for taking crayons to the Mona Lisa?

- Bill

[Van Canna]

Bill

The interpretation of the knife hand shows a fundamental error in designing bunkai for classical kata. Most kata were not designed to fight a trained martial artist in the safe confines of a dojo. Rather they were designed as the response to the common ruffian on the street or the crazed warrior on the battlefield.

When the schit really is flying, you don't see well-heeled, straight karate punches. Rather the universal empty-hand technique of the fellow jacked up on epinephrine is the haymaker.

Ain't it the truth

[Victor Smith]

Hi Bill,

While I don't find any exercise without some worth the point you're making about their use of the knife hand is instersting, especially as another answer was fully documented in 1938 in Nakasone's "Karate-Do Tailan" in the article by Shiroma Shimpan on "Karate-do Kata and their meaning". It all ties back to Itosu's 1908 letter where he describes the meaning of technique was passed down orally.

I've written about this a bit on my blog and am working now on a more specific understanding of the idea of application versus 'bunkai' for an upcoming post. (reference to the appropriate blog articles below.

Essentially whether a knife hand block or an outside block the correct answer is immediately turn that 'block' into a strike to the face (I interpret the timing as 'one_and' not 'one-two').

BTW this is extremely similar to Chinese Short range striking taught to me by Ernest Rothrock 30 years ago but used open hand response instead of closed fist.

This approach makes any block turn into an immediate destroy technique (my words).

A larger question is why such published material did not make it into the rising Japanese versions of the arts, much less questions how wide spread this was on okinawa. Of course Chosen Chibana (also an Itosu student) would likely use a different answer of osae (pressing) to turn the block into a downing technique (and the Funakoshi 1935 Karate-do Kyohan seems to show him performing blocks in that manner (seen on the Univ. of Hawaii .pdf of the original book, not the edited later versions).


On my blog http://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/ I've been exploring them a bit. They include some scans from the books too.

April 2010 - Itosu Anko - New Direction for Toudi
May 2010 - Itosu's reflections - (e posts)
"The Game is Afoot Watson"
"Watson, Look for the smallest detail"
"It's not BUNK...I say Watson"

I hope this is helpful, for if you were junked up coming at me I'd be pleased to use knife hand <GRIN>

[Bill Glasheen]

Thanks for your thoughts on this, Victor.

My first kata I ever learned (Teisha one) suggested attacking the biceps tendon of the right haymaker with the left knife hand, and then angling to attack the triple warmer (point on side of face just under ear) with the right. The cool thing is that it explains what you're doing with that "retracting" hand in the knife-hand technique. Basically...

• Attack biceps tendon with left knife
• Turn knife hand to a left-handed grab of their now-relaxed arm
• Angle to their right triple warmer.
• Pull with the grabbing left hand as you're attacking triple warmer with the right shuto - just like you do the motion in the kata

What you're suggesting is one step more advanced, where perhaps you contact their forearm with your forearm (perhaps from the outside) and then continue forward with the face attack using shuto. But of course! We like those kinds of all-in-one motions in Uechi!

Good stuff, and thanks for your comment.

My friend Van likes to dispense with all the fore(arm)play, and just attack the perp. That works too! Nothing wrong with a quickie now and then...

In any case, the philosophy is all about attacking the attacker, and we're all on the same page here. Even when attacking their intent to attack!

I suppose you could even think of my first kata as coming inside first to their left triple warmer, and then weaving around to their right. Double your head-shot pleasure!

- Bill

[Victor Smith]

Hi again Bill,

I strongly suggest you pursue obtaining a copy of Mario McKenna's translation of Nakasone's "Karate Do Taikan"
Mario has it published through Lulu and you can find a link on his blog at http://okinawakarateblog.blogspot.com/ The English title is 'The Art of Self-Defense Kempo Karate'.

The article by Shiroma Shimpan is eye opening, he also shows just striking with a lead punch, among other answers.

We clearly see kata was not the only vehicle for transmitting how things work. It leaves kata a valuable tool, but not the entire picture in the Itosu lineage. Food for great thought.

Shimpan's knife hand immediately slides into a punch to the head.

In the Chinese short range striking practice a side block rolls into forward palm strike, a high block rolls down into a descending palm strike and a low block rolls up into a reverse ridge hand strike. Very similar to Shimpan's and works to give us instant applications to any block in and of themselves.

So for all they considered those lunging lead hand strikes everyone dislikes actually an driving attack to conclude things first. More interesting because in Isshinryu our first technique is a stepping lead hand punch.

All Shimpan shows I've already learnt through different sources and finding his explanations as part of my program was edifying to say the least.

Nakasone really gathered a wide range of resources to pull his book together. He had already worked with Mabuni Kenwa and others to create other books, but this is a master work.

BTW Mario sells both a hard copy (printed to order each time) and a .pdf copy. I use both, the hard copy to take out to the floor.

May others feel the pain of their transgressions towards us <GRIN>

[Bill Glasheen]

Is this the book, Victor?

An Overview of Karate-dó

- Bill

[Victor Smith]

Bill,

Yes that's it.

I have a copy of the Japanese reprint that Joe Swift got for me a decade before (that cost a small fortune then) where I think there were only 800 copies printed.

Mario's printer isn't of the same quality, but it is a faithful reproduction and as each book is printed when ordered a different technology. It also has the advantage that it's in English, and you have the option of a .pdf copy too.

Unfortunately most martial arts books are one time publications, and if you don't get it when available there's no guarantee it will be around later. I'm frequently suprised at what books I've bought over the years are worth today.

IMO of all the pre WWII publications it is the most dense. For one thing the 12 promotional kata that were created in the mid 30's on Okinawa (and then never adopted by any schooll) are in the text, and they really match advanced training in Shotokan I've experienced where one of the basic forms keeps advancing by adding additional techniques each time (makes one wonder where they got the idea from).

It contains Wado knife defense very similar to aikido training I had received.

It's Senior Okinawan's describing aspects of their arts without modern filters, for a Japanese Martial public, IMO.

I can only suggest it's worth considering.

[Bill Glasheen]

I can only suggest it's worth considering.

You didn't have to try very hard...

What a treasure. On my list for sure.

- Bill

[chef]

Bill,

I have down loaded the Sochin you recommended. I don't think I will get to work on this with you, so will work on this on my own. Once I get it down, I will get you to give me your feedback on it....even if I have to video it and send it to you.

Thanks for posting...really nice kata.

Cheers,
Vicki

[Bill Glasheen]

Learning the kata isn't really going to cut it, Vicki. It isn't the what; it's the how. I've seen many performances of this kata online and in person. This fellow does it with a kind of hip movement and knee stability that I need to work on with you and others. I haven't seen another performance like it.

We'll chat. If you can pick the sequence up online, it'll save me time. Or... I can just teach it to you. Then when you can get through it, our training will start.

I may make this a camp topic if I can get some interest.

If I know that you and Victoria will show up at the same time, well... That will be very efficient. You're both at the same spot in your training (Sanseiryu), and the drill work will benefit you both. And then when you both get it down, you can help proliferate the "how" all the way back to the horse stance in Kanshiwa.

Do you know Hamahiga no tonfa? That's another kata that'll awaken the core in the deeper stances. There are a couple of movements in that kata which are downright crazy until you learn a kind of body wave mechanics starting from the hips and extending out to whipping the tonfa. It's different... but the feeling you get is the same. In any case, Ray will love it because it's kind of a cross between Uechi Seisan and Bassai.

- Bill

[Dana Sheets]

It is clear that the kata performer has extremely powerful legs.

All that being said...isn't that kata an oar kata?

I wish I had a program that would stick a bo or an oar between his two hands. I think it would clearly show how many of the step-through, palm change, and drop-your-center movements would power the stick.*

It would also explain the single/double knife hand stuff and the middle area "block." If you're holding a long stick and you do the single/double knife hand movement at :53 with the correct downward and forward power, then you get a whole different angle of attack.

*still images will have to suffice for now:

[Bill Glasheen]

Vicki

Don't bother looking for a performance of Hamahiga no tonfa online. I've looked... and they all suk. REALLY badly.

I learned the form from Yonamine Sensei. Between him and another Uechi fellow (??) who taught me Tsukenshitahaku no sai, I was spoiled with some really good instruction on martial mechanics. Subsequently I took a week's worth of work from each of them, and made it my own.

When you've had Dom Perignon, it's difficult to go back to Korbel.

- Bill

[Bill Glasheen]

It is clear that the kata performer has extremely powerful legs.

Good observation, Dana.

Over the years of teaching, I've tried looking for a single feature that would predict which of my beginners would blossom into a great martial artist. While my ability to predict fell a bit short, I did note that all the folks who survived and thrived in my "process" had strong legs. This goes from Bruce Hirabayashi (squatting 400 lbs. and able to fall asleep in lateral splits) to Kathryn Ballenger (rode horses well enough to do fox hunting) to some of my present students. And the one student who failed a sandan test (you were there, Dana) refused to do some leg work I had prescribed for him. He was convinced he knew the material well enough. So after getting nowhere, I let him go up in front of a board. He was told (by unanimous decree) that his karate lacked power for a sandan. Yup!

But back to your point... It isn't just the strong legs. It's also the range of movement of his pelvis - all while keeping the knees in place. Watch the pelvis, and how its movement drives the upper body. Without it, his kata is nothing.

All that being said...isn't that kata an oar kata?

I like your thinking, Dana.

For what it's worth, I taught Hamahiga no tonfa to Farino Furman. He had a black belt in Shotokan. I did it to help him in his Seisan. He saw (and showed me) Bassai in the form.

Here's the only oar form I've been working on. George Greiffer is teaching it to me, and I believe you've seen him do it.

Akachu no eiku de

Yes, the postures are there.

- Bill

[Van Canna]

Nice kata, Bill...

What is the purpose of tapping the rear of one leg with the other?

As to strong legs as the base for everything we do...I agree...some of the students would benefit also from 'soccer training camps' about once a year.