What is real?

Alan Armstrong · Black Belt

Beginners are not going to know what is real applications in a kata, they are usually more concerned about learning and remembering the sequences than anything else.

Applications will reveal themselves over time with the help and encouragement from the CI.

Movements can be practiced separately like calisthenics which help muscle memory and could be an opportunity to show some applications.

Practicing movements separately disguised as exercises makes it possible to practice them in public places.

Applications for these MA movements can have many possibilities as a throw or a strike or any number of useful uses.

If the student learns that he or she is only limited by the imagination of the user, then the student will start to grow in understanding and have a deeper appreciation for the moves.

The student should start feeling the "Eureka Effect" as using the right technique will happen automatically from within; a magical feeling of learning while doing a movement naturally without consciously thinking about it.

MatsuShinshii · Black Belt

MatsuShinshii · Black Belt

Since I first posted this I have watched way too many Bunkai application videos to count and most I wish I hadn't ever seen because I think they killed off a lot of brain cells.

My point in starting this post was simple. I wanted to bring attention to the fact that there are differences between combat effective and basic or even made up very ineffective Bunkai.

The precursor to any real application is effectiveness. Simply put - does it have the potential to stop the fight?

Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of legit video's out there and very legitimate instructors. In fact you can tell that some of the basic Bunkai are being performed by very proficient instructors.

I guess it's good since 20 years ago most Karateka did not even know what the word Bunkai meant unless you were in an old school art that taught them. However I do think its worth letting the, would be student watching these videos or even the Yudansha doing research, know that there is a difference between time tested combat effective applications and basic or even made up applications.

If you are going to study Bunkai I think you should study actual Bunkai.

So I guess I should end this post in asking another question... if a new student (let say with prior training in another martial art) were to ask you what videos to watch (specific to the instructor or style) what would you tell them?

I will give a shout out for Wastelanders (Noah Legel) videos. Love some of your other videos by the way as well. Not all are what I have been taught, but for the videos I watched they are effective and he and his teacher (?) do a nice job of teaching the material. Didn't know we had an internet start on the forums. I think I spent an entire night googling, reading and watching vids after I found the first video. Very insightful. You have a new fan.

I will mention one other that I found during my mind blowing youtube journey, Iain Abernethy. Even though I have never heard of this man or know what style (he teaches a lot of different styles as far as I can tell) he teaches, he does get you to think in terms of possibilities. He demonstrates different methods for the same application in some videos. And even though some are not fight enders the vast majority are very legit and effective. I would definitely recommend his videos.
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The person who succeeds is not the one who holds back, fearing failure, nor the one who never fails-but the one who moves on in spite of failure.
Charles R. Swindoll

Wastelander · KF Sensei

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