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Kata and Bunkai

Articles on USAdojo.com about kata training and the bunkai that makes kata necessary in the martial arts.

Neihanchi Kata

Neihanchi Kata: A Half-Century Musing On The Kata Of Okinawa

In this essay I will share my observations of the Neihanchi kata of the Isshin Kempo and Isshinryu systems. I discuss Kiko and its...

Bunkai: The Meaning Behind Kata

Okay! Bunkai (分解), literally meaning “analysis” or “disassembly,” is a term used in Japanese martial arts referring to process of analyzing kata and extracting...

The Other Way of Sanchin Kata

Many karate systems teach the Sanchin kata as an external training method to strength-condition practitioners with a series of breath-controlled tensions. This mainstream understanding...
Jou Tsung Hwa

Creativity, Culture, Power Plays and the Dao Of Movement

There are many fields of creativity in the realm of physical movement, but how serious are people in even attempting to reach the very...
Practicing Sanchin Kata

Sanchin Kata

Kata (exercises or forms) are performed in many styles of martial arts. With the help of these particular forms of exercise, many diverse techniques...

Hyung: The Hidden Secrets of Tae Kwon Do

Many black belts and students of Tae Kwon Do don’t realize the devastating self-defense applications that are hidden within every hyung (forms) taught in...
Wall of Silence: Vital Points in Kata

The Wall of Silence: Vital Points in Kata

Prior to WW II there were several publications which discussed vital points and how they could be used to knock out or kill a...

Ju No Kata

So-called "Forms of Gentleness," as the ju no kata is referred to, is a grossly misinterpreted standard of Kodokan. As performed in modern-day judo,...
Kata

Are Kata Bi-Lateral?

Lately I have been involved in some discussion on why kata (forms) do not appear to be bi-lateral. If you stop and think for...
Willie Lim Classical Dimension

Willie Lim Unlocks Martial Arts Truths

Willie Lim likes nothing better than to unlock martial arts truths. He is demystifying martial arts, shattering illusions that many would like to keep...
The Pinan / Heian Series

The Pinan / Heian Kata Series as a Fighting System: Part 4

Welcome to part four of this Pinan / Heian Series of articles on the Pinan and Heian katas as a fighting system. In the...
The Pinan / Heian Series

The Pinan / Heian Kata Series as a Fighting System: Part 3

Welcome to part three of this series of articles. In the first part of this series we looked at the background of the Pinan...
The Pinan / Heian Series

The Pinan / Heian Kata Series as a Fighting System: Part 2

In the first part of this series we examined how the Pinan / Heian katas represents a complete fighting system that contains techniques for...
The Pinan / Heian Series

The Pinan / Heian Series as a Fighting System: Part 1

The Pinan / Heian series are often the first katas taught in the majority of modern dojos. This can lead to the Pinan /...
The Illustrated Canon of Chen Family Taijiquan

The Torso Method Exercises Transform One’s Taiji

The last of a series of exercises developed by Jou Tsung Hwa at the Taiji Farm, the aim of these subtle, precise, and intensive...
The Dao

Formlessness And The Dao Of Movement

The Dao of movement may imply different things to different people, ease of movement, many different stances, continuity, the art of improvised movement, etc. All...