Why Bunkai is Important ---- Chief Instructor Blog April 2022

While there are many other benefits for practicing and studying Han Moo Kwan Tae Kwan Do, its main purpose is to be used strictly for self-defense.

Therefore, the functional applications of the techniques - the why, the meaning - are very important to be effective in self-defense.  Understanding why that technique and for what purpose a technique can be used is a big part of learning Han Moo Kwan.  If you do not understand the functional application of a technique, how effective can you be if you were attacked?  In fact, if you do not know the best and most effective target or application of a technique, then if you use it, you may damage yourself and worse case you will be greatly harmed by the assailant you are defending yourself from because it was not effective.

The concept of learning the applications was actually part of the letter of Ten Precepts written in 1908 by Anko Itosu, considered by many to be the father of modern karate.  He wrote this letter when he realized that it was time for karate to reach beyond the shores of Okinawa to the heart of Japan.  In his sixth precept, Master Itosu writes: “Practice each of the techniques of karate repeatedly, the use of which is passed by word of mouth. Learn the explanations well and decide when and in what manner to apply them when needed. Enter, counter, release is the rule of releasing hand (tori-te).”  [Ref. 1]

The process of analyzing the applications of the techniques with hyung (or kata in Japanese) is called Bunkai in Japanese. 

Many martial arts clubs and schools do discuss the why or practice Bunkai. You may ask yourself why they would not?

·        It may be because the intent of that martial art is not for self-defense and therefore it is not important to learning that style.   

·        It may be because their teaching is more of an Eastern style where you are expected to just practice and practice and experiment on your won until you figure it out yourself. 

·        Or it may be because they don’t know.  Many of the techniques, especially if not obvious, were either only explain verbally, not discussed at all and even intentionally kept hidden because of how harmful or damaging they could be. Some styles actually had rules (Kaisai no genre [Ref. 2]) to extracting the applications of the techniques and even the rules were kept hidden except to the most senior students. 

I discuss more about learning the practical applications of the techniques in my March 2013 blog, “Learn Techniques Thoroughly”.   I also describe studying practical application in the hyung in my September 2018 blog, “Studying Hyung”.  This blog also contains some very good references that describe bunkai and how to unlock the applications.

For me, studying the why adds depth to my training and provides me a visual that helps me put purpose and intent into my techniques that would not be there otherwise.  And understanding the why helps aligns with my learning style which enables me to pick up the techniques more effectively. 

I encourage you all to spend more time studying the why behind each technique.   

Regards,

Kelly

“Our teachers did not give us a clear explanation of the kata from old times. I must find the features and meaning of each form by my own study and effort, by repeating the exercises of form through training.” ~ Tsuyoshi Chitose (1898-1984), founder of Chito-ryu Karate

 

References:

1. Ankō Itosu - Wikipedia, retrieved 4/1/2022

2. Kaisai no genri - Wikipedia, retrieved 4/1/2022