KATA TRAINING METHODS (FORMS) IN KARATE WITH A VIEW TO REAL SELF-DEFENSE Sensei Cecilia Salbuchi
Kata training methods (forms) in Level 2: Intermediate Once the Karate with a view to real self-defense student is already "soaked" in the subject, mastering several bunkai It is known that all martial arts and exercises (let's say brown belt) we are for self-defense, but for a can move on to the next instance. It's matter of methodology, different not enough to develop sophisticated levels of bunkai (analysis) are not variants of bunkai, with beautiful always taught in the ways we train. locks and throws... what we need Perhaps it is to reinforce a technically to change is the attack! Attacks correct attack by uke, where a neat with shomen/mae geri, mawashi or attack is requested, usually a chudan yoko geri come into play here, fast tsuki that starts from a guard or combinations of tsuki that are more ready position and after being like a real combat (even with a return announced first moves the base to automatic kamae, no leaving your to finish in the attack technique. partner's arm!). We need to make We strongly emphasize this type the exercise more spontaneous and of attack because we want both the less collaborative, otherwise we will attacker and the defending player to stagnate in an exercise that does be able to hone their technique. But not pressure our reaction capacity. this instance must apply to when our In this instance it is very necessary students are at an initial level. So how to maintain the highest possible do we take them to the next level? technical level when executing
the analysis, trying to respect the trajectories, the order of the movements, and if possible the turns and displacements. Regarding the latter, we have to understand that the displacement of a segment or unit of the kata will not be the same when we have to defend a tsuki, as when we need to use the same part to defend a keri. The first thing that becomes more flexible is precisely this issue. Level 3: Advanced One of the biggest fallacies in martial arts is to practice our defenses against basic martial arts attacks: a tsuki, a grab that is not followed by a punch, a kick executed under our technical principles. So for our kata to be effective as self defense we need to change the attack. A good exercise for the group is to make together, using a blackboard, a list of frequent attacks on the street. You can even make a selection of YouTube videos of bar fights, robberies that get out of control, fights after a car crash, etc. Together, observe and extract what the initial attacks were, what chain of movements the attacker executes, balance of the attacker's body, etc. Now with this list, let's locate the segments of our kata that we want to analyze and try to apply all the attacks to each part. Depending on the form and style, the defenses will not always fit well for some attacks, but it is necessary to experience for oneself the complications that arise. Here it is important to allow flexibility in changing the order of techniques and changes in displacement. The priority is lateral thinking (think out of the box), where we will discover that several movements have more than one reading. A block is a lock, is a blow, is a throw… You will see that today there are hundreds of masters on YouTube showing off their bunkai and its
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