Author: Bret Gordon
So right about now, I've either captured your attention, peaked your interest or sent you into a fuming rage. If it's the latter, I apologize but if you'll allow me, I'd like to explore this interesting analogy and show you where I'm coming from. My last article discussed Jujutsu, and how it may possibly be the most scientifically advanced hand-to-hand combat style. That's not to say it's the "best," because the only style that's truly the best for combat is the one which you personally can pick up quickly, become effective with in a relatively short amount of time and works best for your body type. However, Okinawan Karatedo and Japanese Jujutsu share a lot of common characteristics. Both are all-encompassing fighting styles that teach an array of strikes, joint locks, manipulations and throws. The difference between them is the way the information is transmitted from teacher to student.
When talking to any teacher of traditional Karatedo, they'll tell you the essence of the art is solo kata. Everything you need to know about and learn from Karatedo is contained within the kata. Unfortunately, to the untrained eye, kata often looks like nothing more than a pre-arranged set of movements with no real practicality or adaptability to modern fighting. Nothing could be further from the truth. As you look deeply into the kata, you will find the bunkai oyo (analysis and application). Usually taught as paired drills, bunkai oyo shows you the practical application of each movement and more often than not, it's not what you expect.
Many people ask that if Karatedo is such a well-rounded fighting style, why isn't it taught that way from the beginning? If your sole purpose for martial arts study is to learn how to fight, then it's a valid question. To answer it properly, we must first look at the history of Karatedo (and even its name).
When talking to any teacher of traditional Karatedo, they'll tell you the essence of the art is solo kata. Everything you need to know about and learn from Karatedo is contained within the kata. Unfortunately, to the untrained eye, kata often looks like nothing more than a pre-arranged set of movements with no real practicality or adaptability to modern fighting. Nothing could be further from the truth. As you look deeply into the kata, you will find the bunkai oyo (analysis and application). Usually taught as paired drills, bunkai oyo shows you the practical application of each movement and more often than not, it's not what you expect.
Many people ask that if Karatedo is such a well-rounded fighting style, why isn't it taught that way from the beginning? If your sole purpose for martial arts study is to learn how to fight, then it's a valid question. To answer it properly, we must first look at the history of Karatedo (and even its name).
Karatedo is often written using the kanji 空手道, which translates as "The Way of the Empty Hand." This kanji was coined by Funakoshi Gichin, founder of Shotokan Karatedo as a way to help introduce the art to mainland Japan. Prior to Funakoshi's innovation, the art was simply called Karate (also known as Tudi) but was written as 唐手, meaning "Chinese Hand." The first character of both is pronounced "kara" and Funakoshi used the phonetic similarity to his advantage. This was because he knew the nationalistic pride of the Japanese would never let them accept an art that was Chinese in origin. He also added the suffix do at a time when all martial arts in Japan were transitioning from a combative focus to one of self enlightenment (bujutsu to budo). Other stylistic innovations brought forth by Funakoshi were deep stances, competitions and a lessening emphasis on combat practicality in favor of Karatedo becoming a sport. Joint manipulation and throwing techniques were cast aside because the Japanese felt it too closely resembled jujutsu. It's because of Funakoshi and other pioneers that there became a significant split and distinct Okinawan and Japanese Karatedo systems.
Back in Okinawa, however, the art remained true to its roots. Originally brought over from China, Tudi developed into three distinct fighting styles: Shuri Te, Naha Te and Tomari Te, named such for their towns of origins. It's from these three styles that all of the modern Karatedo systems (ryu) were developed, yet all were collectively known as Karate. Solo kata was taught, as was the practice in Chinese martial arts, but bunkai oyo was a prominent part of Karate training. The entire purpose of teaching kata and bunkai separately comes from the idea that each clan (in this case, town) had their own unique ways of fighting that were not to be revealed to anyone. Kata was a way for information to be transmitted, but unless it's true application was revealed to you, it was effectively useless. The modern notion that Karatedo is impractical comes from practitioners blindly learning kata without learning the accompanying bunkai oyo. The Westerners who did learn bunkai were often taught applications that were incorrect or impractical, because the Okinawans and Japanese did not want them to possess the secrets of their fighting style.
Back in Okinawa, however, the art remained true to its roots. Originally brought over from China, Tudi developed into three distinct fighting styles: Shuri Te, Naha Te and Tomari Te, named such for their towns of origins. It's from these three styles that all of the modern Karatedo systems (ryu) were developed, yet all were collectively known as Karate. Solo kata was taught, as was the practice in Chinese martial arts, but bunkai oyo was a prominent part of Karate training. The entire purpose of teaching kata and bunkai separately comes from the idea that each clan (in this case, town) had their own unique ways of fighting that were not to be revealed to anyone. Kata was a way for information to be transmitted, but unless it's true application was revealed to you, it was effectively useless. The modern notion that Karatedo is impractical comes from practitioners blindly learning kata without learning the accompanying bunkai oyo. The Westerners who did learn bunkai were often taught applications that were incorrect or impractical, because the Okinawans and Japanese did not want them to possess the secrets of their fighting style.
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As the video on the left demonstrates, however, nothing in kata is as it seems. What many people interpret as strikes are often throws, takedowns and joint locks. The Okinawan practice of grappling is called tegumi 手組 (also called muto), which translates as "meeting hands." Interestingly, tegumi is written in kanji as the reverse of kumite 組手, the word used for "sparring" in Karatedo. Tegumi, along with Karatedo's striking repertoire, kyusho (pressure points) and hojo undo (body conditioning) make it the complete fighting style that it is.
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If it wasn't for Funakoshi's innovations, Karatedo as a whole wouldn't enjoy the notoriety that it does. One can even argue that since Taekwondo and Tang Soo Do are derived from Shotokan, along with several other Japanese Karatedo systems, that without Funakoshi the entire dynamic of martial arts today would be different. However, in my opinion, Japanese Karatedo does not have the depth of its Okinawan predecessors simply because the teachings of such were discarded in favor of, for lack of a better term, a more consumer friendly sport rather than an effective combat style. Remember, it is not the system that is efficient or not but the training methods of the practitioners. The information is there, hidden in the kata like a treasure map. Who's ready for an adventure?
