If I ask one of my students to do an 'explosive' kata visualizing a live fast and furious opponent coming at him...and also tell him to be sure to return to the same spot from where he started...he will...by adjusting his moves...with more 'controlled movement' ...being able to move being the key to surviving a fight.No harm in teaching things either way , I'm sure most could probably pick a spot and manoeuvre to it regardless of the kata with a bit of drive and variation and expression , but doing it well is the point.
I see too many Uechi students ...stuck on 'I must block this crazed baseball bat aiming at my head' instead of thinking 'I must be able to sprint off the line of the swing...leaving behind just a shadow for the bat to land on'
They become 'stance prisoners' _
I see stances being taught as 'fighting techniques' whereas they should be taught as 'tactical movements' after a student has absorbed the Uechi sanchin concepts.
The whole, feet exactly here, hand exactly there is for testing and rank promotion at the junior levels and not reality for the advanced practitioner where his teacher strives to get him to.
Which stance are we going to use here...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwQd-09zz-E