I was looking forward to Steve’s course on the 30 October 2011 which he’d given the tagline of “A million and one applications to form and kata”.  In this course he would be teaching how to breakdown and study form/kata as a practical method for studying the martial arts, using the Shi Kon 13 Hands form to explore the concepts and ideas locked away in side them.

We began with exercises from the Yang Family Qigong set that activated the deepest muscles of the core and taught us how to use and connect the spine in all planes of movement.  To help take our minds to the muscles around the spine Steve showed some resistance exercises that engaged these deep muscles in exactly the manner they are used in the Martial Arts.  Steve raised the interesting point that these deep muscles of the core are naturally incredible strong and that most core exercises are unnecessary and actually stiffen them.

After looking at the how the movements of form and Kata are connected and powered by to the deep muscles of the core we then discussed the Japanese concept of Bunkai.  Steve explained how the term Bunkai (literally meaning ‘analysis‘ or ‘disassembly‘) is often mistakenly translated as application.  To study the Bunkai of a form or Kata is the process of extracting the skills and concepts contained in the form that can power an infinite number of applications (Ohyo in Japanese).

“Tensho!”  We all prepared for the ‘5 animals’ kata.

“Snake, crane wing, tiger, leopard, standing dragon, laying dragon, remember to sink from the chest, find the feet, float from the waist, use the ‘asking’ hand, come on now, stay connected….  Manipulate, swallow the energy, now…. Release it, spit it out!

Breathe from the stomach… now the back, soften the midline, use your eyes, tongue to the top palette…. C’mon guys…. Don’t make it hard work!

Who remembers what the trinity of kata is?”  The hands shot up.  “Marcia? 

“Firstly medical, secondly, skill and thirdly, boxing Sensei!”

“Well done!”  Sensei gazed around at the sea of faces.  “And how well balanced do you think these skills are in the Martial Arts today?”

“I don’t think they’re balanced at all” said Marcia thoughtfully.  “Everyone is talking about bunkai forgetting that it’s the trinity – and focusing on the third part, ohyo, the practical application.”

“Which means?”

“That they’re forgetting the other two steps that lead up to the application.”

“Exactly.  Why is this a bad thing?”  The hands shot up again.  “John?”

“Is it because obsession with the application stops you from learning the skills? 

“A good point.  But I’m looking for more……”

Marcia couldn’t help herself, “if you’re not healthy and you can’t do the move properly, how the hell are you going to apply it?”  Sensei roared with laughter 

“Say it like it is Marcia, don’t beat around the bush! Again, you are partly right.  What do we actually mean by ‘medical’?”

“Good health Sensei?”

“As bunkai means ‘to break down and examine’ lets just do that on these terms.  How can kata improve your health?”

“Tonight I want to teach you how to study kata.”

“You just do it don’t you Sensei?”

 “Just do it, is a big term Roger…”

“It’s an advert Sensei.”

“I know that Ged, thank you.  I’m more concerned with developing the right mindset in which to study.”

“That’s bunkai isn’t it?”

“Bunkai means to ‘break down and explore’.”

“You’ve often explained that Sensei, and then gone on to explain the ‘trinity’ of kata, if I remember it right it’s medical, skill and then application is that right?”

“Yes it is, well done.”

“The medical I get, posture, breathing, no excessive tension, good mindset and so on – the application has probably been done to death!  But the ‘skill’ I don’t get, how is it different to the other two?”