Two new videos this week!

 

Transition Pad Drill with Throw Finish (video)

In this video we look at a transition pad-work drill that concludes with one of the “nine karate throws” of Gichin Funakoshi (Byobudaoshi). The main purpose the drill though is the sequence before the throw.

When you watch the drill you’ll see that all three hand strikes are done with the same hand, but we have three different way of advancing and getting bodyweight behind the punch:

Hitting with the hand as we step forward (Junzuki / Oizuki).

Stepping so we deliver the punch with what is now the back hand (Gyakuzuki).

Finally, we hop forward and make impact while on one leg (“Superman-punch”).

Also notice how the kicks are concluded in the first instance by taking the leg forward, and in the second instance by taking the leg back.

The whole sequence should be performed with continuous motion – so there is no pause or gap between the techniques – so that the drill promotes both effective transitions and time efficient practise of the various body-mechanics involved.

Students tend to really enjoy these types of drill and hence they are good for “repetition by stealth” i.e. an enjoyable way to repeatedly hone core skills.

The throw at the end gives the opportunity to practise the throw from an incoming hook punch, but it is mainly there in this drill to provide a satisfying conclusion.

I hope you enjoy the drill!
 

Watch the video here: http://www.iainabernethy.co.uk/content/transition-pad-drill-throw-finish-video
 

Sochin Bunkai (Opening Sequence)

This video shows bunkai for the opening sequence of Sochin kata. In addition to discussing the bunkai, the video also touches upon some key bunkai principles found in the sequence:

1 – On strikes in kata, the non-striking hand is either clearing obstructions or telling you where the enemy is via proprioception.

2 – The angle in the kata represents the angle you assume in relation to the enemy (not the angle the enemy is attacking you from).

3 – The hikite (hand on hip) is never idle but is either pulling or monitoring.

The video was filmed in Canada in October 2015 and this short clip was part of full weekend of training. This short clip therefore can’t capture all of what was covered, or how this sequence and the principles it encapsulates fit into the wider matrix of training. I nevertheless hope it is of interest.

Thank you for your support of these videos!

 

Watch the video here: http://www.iainabernethy.co.uk/content/sochin-bunkai-opening-sequence
 

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Understanding Kata: Textbooks and Tactics

 

In this short article I would like to discuss the following quotation:

“Like textbooks to a student or tactical exercises to a solider, kata are the most important element of karate” - Gichin Funakoshi (The Essence of Karate).

I really like this quote because it succinctly captures what I think kata really is. Kata is NOT an imaginary fight against multiple attackers (a notion written off as “nonsense” by Kenwa Mabuni in the 1930s). What kata truly does is provide the syllabus of karate while also giving us manifest examples of the combative principles and tactics that underpin the application of that syllabus. Funakoshi’s two metaphors capture this really well.

 

Kata as a text book

In this analogy, kata is seen as a repository of knowledge. However, just like a text book, the information within cannot live and breathe unless it is studied, understood and applied. Owning a book – no matter how pristine the condition of that book – is useless unless the book is read.

Books exist to be read. Their very purpose is to record the knowledge of an expert (the author) so it can be disseminated and studied by others (the reader). Kata exist to be studied. Their very purpose is to record the knowledge of an expert (past master) so it can be disseminated and studied by others (us karateka).

Like a textbook, kata provide knowledge, but it’s important we also take into account one of Funakoshi’s other bits of guidance on kata:

"Once a form has been learned, it must be practised repeatedly until it can be applied in an emergency, for knowledge of just the sequence of a form in karate is useless."

So it’s not just a knowledge of the external form of the kata we need, but knowledge of how that kata should be applied i.e. the bunkai of that kata. Kata records all the strikes, locks, throws, chokes, cranks, drills etc. that illustrate the teachings of the person who made or inspired the kata. Kata give us the syllabus of karate.

 

Kata as tactical exercises

When soldiers do such exercises, they are not looking to learn the detailed and exact specifics of a future conflict, but instead they are learning to act in accordance with good tactics and procedures that are most likely to lead to the right result in an ever-changing environment. They acknowledge that it is impossible to know the exact detail of any given conflict ahead of time. The specifics of conflict will never be exactly the same as the exercise, but by engaging in exercises which encourage action in accordance with good tactics the solider will develop what amount to “combative habits” which are most likely to lead to favourable action. This is exactly what kata should do.

Kata is NOT an exacting and precise “pre-enactment” of a future battle i.e. your enemy will attack from the left at an angle of exactly 90 degrees, and then his accomplice will attack from the opposite side at exactly 90 degrees, and then another accomplice will attack from behind, and so on. Sadly way too many karateka think that is the case.

In truth, what kata does is give a series of examples of methods based upon sound combative principles. Through the practise of those examples we, like the solider, gain “combative habits” that we should be able to freely apply in the ever-changing world of conflict.

If you want more information on the various stages of how that is supposed to work, then I’d refer you to this old article on mine on “The Four Stages of Kata”: http://www.iainabernethy.co.uk/article/four-stages-kata-practise

In very brief summation: We learn the kata (1); we study the bunkai (2); we identify the underlying principles of that bunkai so we can adapt and vary the specific example in accordance with the underlying principles (3); and we gain live experience of doing that through kata-based-sparring (4).

If you look at Funakoshi’s eighteenth precept, he again underlines the idea that kata is to be freely applied in accordance with its principles.

“Always perform kata exactly, combat is another matter.”

This is widely misrepresented as “kata is one thing, fighting is another” but that a million miles away from what Funakoshi was trying to communicate. The reason we know that is not what Funakoshi meant is because in the 1938 book “Karate-Do Taikan” Genwa Nakasone further explained all of Funakoshi’s 20 precepts, and Funakoshi endorsed those explanations. When explaining the eighteenth precept, Nakasone said:

“Never be shackled by the rituals of kata but instead move freely according to the opponent’s strengths and weaknesses”.

While the solo kata is precise and exacting (in order to foster an extremely high level of body awareness), we don’t expect to recreate the kata in its entirety, without any alteration, in live combat! Instead we will move freely, as the situation dictates, all the while acting in accordance with the combative principles encapsulated within the kata; as we have practised in our bunkai drills and kata-based-sparring.

Our solo kata will be exact and extremely consistent: Our application of that kata will be fluid and ever-changing. This is what Funakoshi is wanting us to understand via his eighteenth precept. This is also why he likens kata to soldiers’ tactical exercises. The solider does not expect the exercise to perfectly match future conflicts, but they understands that through the exercises they will develop an understanding – hopeful an intuitive and habitual understanding, as opposed to a solely intellectual one – that will enable them to best navigate those future conflicts. Kata is exactly the same when correctly understood and practised.

So as well as giving us the techniques of karate, kata also give us the tactics of karate. Or to put it another way, kata give us both the “what” of karate (i.e. what we do / techniques) and the “when” of karate (i.e. when we do something / tactics). Take kata away from karate and there’s very little left!

In the quotation we are discussing, Funakoshi succinctly describes what kata should be. It is not a “pretend fight” but instead it is a repository of the knowledge of the experts that came before (like a text book) which provides examples of the combative principles and tactics which underpin karate. As part of our kata practise, we should seek to understand those combative principals and tactics such that they can be freely applied in a habitual manner in the ever-changing, unpredictable world of live conflict (like solders’ tactical exercises). When understood in this way, kata are without a doubt, as Funakoshi said, “the most important element of karate.”

 

http://www.iainabernethy.co.uk/article/understanding-kata-textbooks-and-tactics

 

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Upcoming Iain Abernethy Seminars

(Germany, Denmark, Northern Ireland, USA, England, Scotland, etc)

 

Below you can find details of the open seminars that are taking place in the next few months. I look forward to seeing you at an event near you and if you have any questions about them, please don't hesitate to get in touch.


Seminar in Chelmsford, Essex
Date: 11th of October 2015
For more details please follow this link: http://iainabernethy.co.uk/events/seminar-chelmsford-essex-4

Seminar in Nuremburg, Germany
Date: 17th and 18th of October 2015
For more details please follow this link: http://iainabernethy.co.uk/events/seminar-nuremberg

Seminar in Chesterfield
Date: 25th of October 2015
For more details please follow this link: http://www.iainabernethy.co.uk/events/seminar-chesterfield-0

 

Iain Abernethy and John Johnston Seminar 2015 (in Derby)
Date: 31st of October 2015
For more details please follow this link: http://iainabernethy.co.uk/events/iain-abernethy-and-john-johnston-seminar-2015

Seminar in Swindon
Date: 1st of November 2015
For more details please follow this link: http://www.iainabernethy.co.uk/events/seminar-swindon-5

Seminar in Hinnerup, Denmark
Date: 7th and 8th of November 2015
For more details please follow this link: http://www.iainabernethy.co.uk/events/seminar-hinnerup-denmark

Seminar in Augsburg, Germany
Date: 14th and 15th of November 2015
For more details please follow this link: http://www.iainabernethy.co.uk/events/seminar-augsburg-germany-2

Seminar in Blairgowrie, Scotland
Date: 22nd of November 2015
For more details please follow this link: http://www.iainabernethy.co.uk/events/seminar-blairgowrie-scotland-1

Seminar in Ballymena, Northern Ireland
Date: 5th of December 2015
For more details please follow this link: http://www.iainabernethy.co.uk/events/seminar-ballymena-northern-ireland-0

 

Seminar in Witham, Essex

Date: 24th of January 2016

For more details please follow this link: http://www.iainabernethy.co.uk/events/seminar-witham-essex

 

Seminar in Texas, USA

Date: 29th to 31st of January 2016

For more details please follow this link: http://www.iainabernethy.co.uk/events/seminar-texas-usa

 

Seminar in Laatzen (nr Hannover), Germany
Date: 6th and 7th of February 2016
For more details please follow this link: http://www.iainabernethy.co.uk/events/seminar-laatzen-nr-hannover-germany

Seminar in Bristol
Date: 20th of February 2016
For more details please follow this link: http://www.iainabernethy.co.uk/events/seminar-bristol-1

Seminar in Folkestone, Kent
Date: 21st of February 2016
For more details please follow this link: http://www.iainabernethy.co.uk/events/seminar-folkestone-kent-1

 

Please visit this webpage for details of seminars later on in the year: http://iainabernethy.co.uk/seminar-dates 

To organise a seminar for your club, write to seminars@iainabernethy.com

For details of all seminars (including maps): http://iainabernethy.co.uk/seminar-dates 

 

 

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The World Combat Association

 

Iain’s Introduction To The WCA

The exponential growth in those returning to practicing the martial arts in a practical way means that there is now a pressing need for a global dedicated association so practitioners of applied martial arts can band together for the benefit of both the arts and themselves.

The bodies set up to promote sporting offshoots or a particular style or methodology – as useful as they can be for their members – do little to promote and enhance what we see as an extremely important aspect of the martial arts.

An open and inclusive worldwide association is needed for pragmatic traditionalists and practitioners of functional martial arts. The World Combat Association (WCA) fulfils this need!

Many martial arts bodies have a recurring bad habit of trying to limit the freedom of their members and hence the WCA aims promote and enhance the wide variety of pragmatic approaches without imposing unnecessary limits upon people.

The WCA will wholly dedicated to the promotion and furtherance of applied martial arts. Your standard association will typically deal with things like insurance, providing representatives for competitions etc. That is not the role of the WCA.

The WCA has been set up to be an independent association of likeminded individuals who believe that applied martial arts needs a body to address the specific issues associated with our pragmatic approaches ....
 

Read more: http://worldcombatassociation.com/?page_id=230

 

WCA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WorldCombatAssociation

 

WCA on Twitter: https://twitter.com/worldcombatassn

 

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Do you want to Join Iain's international group? Find more information here: http://iainabernethy.co.uk/news/world-combat-assocation-live-video / http://worldcombatassociation.com

 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/iainabernethy

 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/iainabernethy (@iainabernethy)

 

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That’s all folks! If you’ve any comments or suggestions relating to the website or these newsletters, please don’t hesitate to drop me a line: iain@iainabernethy.com

 

All the best,

 

Iain Abernethy

 

 

E-Mail: info@iainabernethy.com
Website: www.iainabernethy.com

 

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