Bunkai in Kata

I was shown a blog with a very long article on bunkai (analysis, or disassembly) in kata (form). The writer presented some good ideas, but the main idea he stressed was, in my humble opinion, very flawed. He said that any movement in any kata has one, and only one, interpretation: e.g. If you’re doing a middle block, it cannot be a middle strike, or back-fist, or anything other than a middle block. He felt that martial artists who say the movement could mean hundreds of different things are trying to be self-glorified, too clever, and are wrong. While I agree that some martial artists read too much into their techniques, this author is being too narrow-minded when he says that any one technique cannot be anything but the obvious.

Kata is taught at one level; kata is practiced at various levels, depending on the proficiency of the practitioner. There are new lessons presented in each new basic kata, along with review of lessons from previous katas. Students are given the ‘official’ meaning for every movement in their kata, often the simplest, most basic interpretation possible. There are no ‘hidden’ moves, grabs, throws, take-downs, etc. in a kata, but one can actively discover these moves as their abilities grow. Am I saying that a movement has more than one application or not? Not dozens, but more than one is very likely.

Kata is like an onion, or a rose. Peel away one layer (or row of petals) and there are other layers underneath. If a Black Belt never learns that the four shutos (sword-hand) ending Heian Shodan are anything other than four mid-level blocks, s/he is nothing more than an exalted Yellow Belt. Heian Nidan has the same four shutos in the middle of the kata. If that once again means four mid-level blocks and nothing else then why repeat the lesson? Yes, it reinforces prior learning and it shows tai sabaki (body shifting), but a shuto could be a block, a strike, a shove, escape from a wrist grab, etc. Should the novice first learning kata know all this? No, but if the kata is practiced/studied as the student attains more abilities, these alternate bunkai can be realized.

One of my senior Black Belts often comes to class and says, “I was thinking about (some kata series of techniques)…” He then shows how, if you give an alternate application, it sets up the following moves in a whole different way than the kata originally shows. Is he being self-glorified? Too clever? Wrong? No, he’s just using a different application. The fact that this man is a tournament grand champion many times over is not impressive. The fact that his kumite (sparring) is also excellent is not impressive. The fact that knowledgeable, highly revered martial artists respect his ideas and opinions; that he can help mold students into better martial artists; that’s what’s special about him.

I often see bunkai demonstrated as self-defense. Some people perform a two- or three-move section of kata, and then execute these moves on a partner, adding another half dozen flashy, dramatic moves. Did they exhibit the kata moves, or did they show the moves cannot stand on their own? We also practice ippon (one-point) self-defense. Many of them are as flashy, as dramatic as anyone else’s, but we also practice self-defense exactly as the kata dictates. These are often shorter, less spectacular, but most effective. To this end I have a senior Black Belt who consistently takes 1st Place in tournament Self-Defense divisions. He is also a police officer with working, practical self-defense skills.

Karate is a martial art. ‘Martial’ as in war-like, but also ‘art’ as in creative; expressive; imaginative. There are sections done slowly, showing tension, stylistically, even though the technique would not be used that way in battle. I agree with the blog author when he hopes we’re learning more than mere dance. I also know by experience that we’re practicing true martial arts on many levels.