Bunkai

Without an understanding of the information and techniques included within kata, karate is a very limited art. How many karate clubs include close range striking, grappling, throwing, joint locks, chokes & strangles and ground fighting in their practice? The answer is all of them! But very few realise it as they leave such methods hidden away within the katas. Karate was developed to be complete and effective method of civilian self-defence. Karate, as it is practised by the majority of people, is at its best at middle to long range. However, most fights start close up and almost always include some form of grappling. Are we to assume that the past masters got it wrong? The founders of our art were able fighters who fully understood how real fights occurred. If you ignore the methods included within the katas then are only practicing a very small percentage of the karate syllabus. The majority of today's karate training revolves around techniques developed for use in the sporting environment. The original karate techniques, as recorded within the katas, are the ones for use in real situations against violent and untrained attackers.

Without a thorough understanding of the katas we are left with only a fraction of the karate syllabus. The commonly used techniques (kicks & punches) take up around 5% of the information available. If we wish to practice karate as its founders intended then we must study the katas in sufficient depth, utilise the kata's techniques in both pre-arranged & free sparring and endeavour to understand the principles upon which the katas rest. In this way karate becomes a complete and brutally efficient martial art. Within kata we have the chance to learn from the past masters and perhaps gain a little of their skills.

Bunkai is the application of the kata. It is practised with two persons. One of them is the attacker and the other one the defender, which uses the techniques of the kata to defend him(/her-)self.

Bunkai Gekisai Dai Ichi
Attack Defence

1. Hidari Neko Ashi Dachi
Hidari Sanchin Dachi; Jodan Zuki Hidari Sanchin Dachi; Jodan Uke
Tenshin Migi Sanchin Dachi; Chudan Uke Migi Sanchin Dachi; Chudan Zuki
Hidari Mae Geri; Zenkutsu Dachi Tenshin Hidari Shiko Dachi; Harai Otoshi Uke

2. Migi Neko Ashi Dachi
Migi Sanchin Dachi; Jodan Zuki Migi Sanchin Dachi; Jodan Uke
Tenshin Hidari Zenkutsu Dachi; Hidari Chudan Uke Migi Zenkutsu Dachi; Hidari
Chudan Gyaku Zuki
- Pivot over the right foot ± 30o to the left into Migi Shiko Dachi; Harai
Otoshi Uke

3. Hidari Neko Ashi Dachi
Hidari Sanchin Dachi; Migi Chudan Gyaku Zuki Hidari Sanchin Dachi; Chudan
Uke
Tenshin Migi Hachiji Dachi; Shuto Yoko Uchi Migi Sanchin Dachi; Chudan Uke
Tenshin Hidari Zenkutsu Dachi; Harai Otoshi Uke Hidari Mae Geri; Zenkutsu D;
Mae Hiji Ate; Uraken Uchi
Chudan Zuki Harai Otoshi Uke; Chudan Gyaku Zuki
- Migi Ashi Barai; Hachiji Dachi; Shuto YokoUchi

4. Migi Neko Ashi Dachi
Hidari Neko Ashi Dachi Hidari Ashi Barai; Shuto Yoko Uchi
Hidari Zenkutsu Dachi; Chudan Gyaku Zuki; Migi Mae Geri Tenshin Migi
Zenkutsu Dachi; Chudan Kake Uke; Hidari Gedan Mawashi Uke; Seiken Awase Zuki
(Hidari Jodan, Migi Chudan)
- (drop down) Take a hold of the shoulder (Hidari) and Obi (Migi); step
forward with the left foot and sweep the right leg of the attacker by
bringing him out of balance, followed from Zenkutsu Dachi by a downward
Awase Zuki (Migi Jodan, Hidari Chudan) on the opponent who is now lying on
the floor.

Bunkai Saifa
Attack Defence

1. Hidari Neko Ashi Dachi
Migi Neko Ashi Dachi Tenshin Migi Neko Ashi Dachi
Hidari Hangetsu Dachi; grab the right arm of the opponent with both hands.
Migi Musubi Dachi; take a hold of your right fist with your left hand
Hidari Zenkutsu Dachi; Migi Gyaku Zuki Pull the right fist free with the
left hand to the left side of the body while stepping into Tenshin Migi
Shiko Dachi; Hidari Osae Uke; Migi Uraken Uchi

2. Migi Neko Ashi Dachi
Migi Sanchin Dachi; Chudan Zuki; Hidari Mae Geri Tenshin Migi Sanchin Dachi;
H Chudan Soto Uke; Tenshin Migi Sabaki Sanchin Dachi; Migi Gedan Shotei
Barai
Hidari Zenkutsu Dachi Migi Mae Geri; Tenshin Hidari Neko Ashi Dachi

3. Hidari Neko Ashi Dachi
Hidari Sanchin Dachi; Hidari Chudan Zuki; Migi Chudan Zuki; Hidari Chudan
Zuki Tenshin Hidari Neko Ashi Dachi; Migi Sukui Uke; Hidari Kake Uke; Migi
Hiki Uke; Hidari Hanzenkutsu Dachi; Morote Heiko Zuki

Drop down onto one knee; grab a hold of the knee of your opponent (lefthand
pushes on the side of the knee of the opponent, the right hand pushes on the
side of the ankle) Gedan Uchi (Migi open, Hidari fist); Migi Ashi Barai;
Tettsui Uchi; Hidari Shita Zuki

4. Migi Neko Ashi Dachi
Hidari Neko Ashi Dachi; Migi Sanchin Dachi; Migi Tettsui Uchi Tenshin Hidari
Neko Ashi Dachi; Migi Sanchin Dachi; Hidari Gyaku Jodan Uke; Migi Chudan
Zuki

- Step forward with the left foot and turn 180o into Migi Neko Ashi Dachi;
Migi Haito Uchi en Hidari Nukite Zuki
Pivot 180o to the right into Migi Sanchin Dachi applying a Migi Tettsui Uchi
followed by a Hidari Chudan Zuki Migi Jodan Age Uke; Hidari Mawashi Uke
while grabbing the arms of the opponent, turning them one over the other and
so bringing you opponent out of balance so you can next use a Migi Ashi
Barai to sweep the opponent to the ground. 'Throw' the hands of your
opponent away from you and apply a Migi Kekomi Otoshi Geri.