Fun with bunkai

[Van Canna]

One example of it

* Acceleration Mechanics Tip - Often in the acceleration phase, athletes are concerning themselves too much with trying to be quick with their legs. Instead of trying to drive out and be powerful, athletes are 'spinning their wheels' and not getting triple extension (ankle, knee, hip).

We want the athletes to 'feel their feet behind them'. If you are getting the sensation of your feet driving well behind your center of mass, then you know you are finishing off your leg drive.

[Bill Glasheen]

What is the purpose of tapping the rear of one leg with the other?

Generally this serves a dual purpose.

• You show on your own body where you are going to sweep your opponent with your lower crescent kick.
• You immunize yourself against the effect of the contact on a somewhat vulnerable area (kyusho point) of the lower leg. It's built-in ashikitae.

You may think this kind of conditioning isn't necessary. Well... One of my black belts once broke the leg of another student while doing this very technique. We were all a bit shocked, but... there it was.

There's another similar movement that sweeps forward. That's kicking (beach) sand into the person's face.

- Bill

[nosib]

....ah,knocking the dirt,fish guts,clam shells or sea weed
off his foot before he plants the next stance...or to set the
tapped leg more firmly in the root???????????? maybe
just to confuse/screw with outsiders.

[Bill Glasheen]

....ah,knocking the dirt,fish guts,clam shells or sea weed
off his foot before he plants the next stance...or to set the
tapped leg more firmly in the root???????????? maybe
just to confuse/screw with outsiders.

I'm generally not one to poo poo any application that is useful, and takes advantage of a basic kata motion. Kata in my book is a study of human motion, and it's up to the individual to stick as many useful applications on a basic motion as possible. In doing so, it forces the individual to pick a "vanilla" way to do the motion in the kata so that the maximum possible application benefit can be derived.

A good example is the hammerfist "chamber" position in Seisan after the step forward into right sanchin. I tend to hold it up and forward rather than going far back so I can maximize the velocity of impact. Why? Because this chamber position can serve to intercept any number of techniques from the opponent's left side, and can also help break the person's center (along with the "dragon's tail" of the right stepping motion). Using more core muscles then can give the individual all the caffeine they need in the hammerfist.

So sure - use it to knock the BP oil globules off your feet as you beat the tar out of the carpetbagger trial lawyers trolling for trailer trash. Works for me!

That being said... The concept of hitting oneself in kata where you expect to hit the bad guy is well established. The idea is employed in Naihanchi as well.

Motobu is said to have taught many grappling and throwing techniques extracted from Naihanchi. Such techniques are rarely seen amongst the unrealistic applications often associated with the kata today. One technique of particular interest is the 'Nami-Gaeshi' or returning wave kick. The application commonly attributed to this movement is a blocking or deflecting movement in response to a kick, or the avoidance of a sweep. None of those applications are particularity effective or relevant to a self-defence situation against opponents who are extremely unlikely to be other karateka. Although in some styles the foot comes higher, in the majority of styles the foot comes to the inside of the knee joint. The purpose of this is to show the kata's practitioner exactly where the kick should be directed to upon the opponent's legs. In some Okinawan karate styles stamping to the inside to the opponent's knees is even referred to as 'Naihanchi-geri.' It is said that Motobu once used the stamping kick from Naihanchi to break one of his opponent's legs.

With Mr. Abernethy, it was theory. In our dojo, it happened. Accidentally.

Note that there's a slight difference in the mindset of Mr. Abernethy vs. what I suggested. I like using that crescent motion to break the center of a person stepping towards you. Done with perfect timing, they just about fall on their face. And oops... there it is! The head is right there in front of you, with arms thrown out to the side. It's yours for the taking. Mr. Abernethy suggests striking a bit higher and on a static leg, where the motion itself can do damage to the leg of the opponent.

It's all good.

- Bill