Or should you?
There are many examples of bunkai for Shotokan kata on the web showing defensive then attacking moves from a traditional Shotokan distance. The question though is this really the optimal distance for correct kata "real world" application?
Since I only self train at this time I do a fair amount of online research relating to karate and other martial arts. One person who has had a tremendous influence on my interpretation of kata application is Iain Abernethy, who teaches that most kata applications can be thought of as being applied in a close-in situation. This opens up interpreting the "blocks" and pivots and being throwing or other take-down techniques. For me, as someone who stopped traditional training in the early 1980's after just 2 1/2 years, it's made understanding kata so much more enjoyable and relevant.
Considering that self defense situations which result in a physical altercation typically are within striking distance it makes sense to close the gap quickly and decisively with strikes, followed by throwing/disabling techniques then retreating. Obviously to throw/trip/break you need to be close to your opponent, so when interpreting kata techniques always keep these options and your distance in mind.
Well, that's all for now...
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
To Kiai or Not to Kiai?
Ninjas don't kiai, so why should Shotokan practitioners?
Since the majority of my training is outdoors in local parks I don't kiai when practicing my kata. At the appropriate points in the kata I will internalize the kiai sometimes, or "grunt" kiai other times, but I tend to focus more on imagining the technique being effective, which means they are performed with sufficient force emanating from the core that a kiai isn't necessary (in my opinion).
I do believe though that a kiai/shout/yell/scream has it's place in a self defense situation. Anything which increases the "attack and self preservation" mode is certainly beneficial. It also has the added advantage of alerting those nearby that something bad is happening which hopefully will cause them to assist, or at least call the police.
For kata though is a kiai necessary? I think the answer really is the underlying intent of the kiai - to yell just for the sake of yelling like you see in some "extreme karate" kata is nonsense in my opinion. A kiai incorporated into a finishing technique makes perfect sense though. Since I view kata a a series of smaller interrelated techniques I will sometimes use an internal kiai when breaking the kata down into smaller sections as well, finding it helps punctuate the ending technique. I also "grunt kiai" sometimes working heavy bag combos - 1,2 - kiai/3!
A suggestion: practice your kata with the kiai added at different points. Does it reinforce that section of the kata as being an integrated series of techniques ending in a finishing blow? Don't overdo it though - you don't want to become one of those "extreme karate" practitioners!
Well, that's all for now...
Since the majority of my training is outdoors in local parks I don't kiai when practicing my kata. At the appropriate points in the kata I will internalize the kiai sometimes, or "grunt" kiai other times, but I tend to focus more on imagining the technique being effective, which means they are performed with sufficient force emanating from the core that a kiai isn't necessary (in my opinion).
I do believe though that a kiai/shout/yell/scream has it's place in a self defense situation. Anything which increases the "attack and self preservation" mode is certainly beneficial. It also has the added advantage of alerting those nearby that something bad is happening which hopefully will cause them to assist, or at least call the police.
For kata though is a kiai necessary? I think the answer really is the underlying intent of the kiai - to yell just for the sake of yelling like you see in some "extreme karate" kata is nonsense in my opinion. A kiai incorporated into a finishing technique makes perfect sense though. Since I view kata a a series of smaller interrelated techniques I will sometimes use an internal kiai when breaking the kata down into smaller sections as well, finding it helps punctuate the ending technique. I also "grunt kiai" sometimes working heavy bag combos - 1,2 - kiai/3!
A suggestion: practice your kata with the kiai added at different points. Does it reinforce that section of the kata as being an integrated series of techniques ending in a finishing blow? Don't overdo it though - you don't want to become one of those "extreme karate" practitioners!
Well, that's all for now...
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