Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)
Honestly, the martial arts communities regard to self-defense have expectations that what is given as bunkai is reality. Like kata, they believe that the kata techniques in conjunction with the bunkai given is reality. In truth, it is not reality - reality as in modern self-defense goals, tactics and strategies. Reality as in modern applications to combatives for military and fighting for sport.
When I have taught and demonstrated bunkai from kata it is more about teaching a concept then actual hands-on techniques in a technique-based self-defense model. In most self-defense situations I have experienced and observed rarely do I see martial arts-esque applications.
What good then are modern kata and bunkai toward self-defense? Well, once again I drag up the subject of principles. Those kata and bunkai are teaching tools to demonstrate proper structure, alignment, centeredness, and so on in a fight, self-defense fights. Observe the perfectionist way many martial artists demonstrate kata, bunkai and defense partner driven drills. They look good but don’t fool yourself into thinking that those drills will get the job done in a self-defense situation. Don’t rely on them because they are not reality, reality is not achieved in the training hall and it is not truly achieved even in adrenal stress conditions reality-based training scenario’s. You get a bit closer but hands-on experience is the only real way to achieve and acquire reality experience.
All I hope to do here is point out the fantasy of kata and bunkai as taught in most halls while inspiring those who pursue training and practice for self-defense to take it beyond kata and bunkai into that something that will be available when needed.
Kata are great in teaching principles, they are great in teaching other aspects such as coordination, discipline and so on as well as bunkai, bunkai provide you concepts and a means to stimulate thinking toward what will work in the fight but only so far, you really do have to go way beyond the limits and restrictions that naturally occur with kata and bunkai training.
Most kata and bunkai fill our fantasies toward this meme driven commercial pursuit of modern martial arts but to reach higher and farther toward reality takes a bit more, a lot more to achieve. Using the fantasy to commercialize is a good thing as long as students don’t fool themselves into the meme of, “I am a warrior!” when in reality it is just what it is, a fantasy.
Fantasy or metaphor, read this HERE. http://isshindo.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-cultural-metaphor.html
Bibliography (Click the link)
No comments:
Post a Comment