Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.

Thoughts on bunkai for Goju-Ryu / Shito-Ryu Seisan (video)

This footage was taken at a residential course in June 2014. At the course, all participants were asked what topics they would like to cover. One suggestion was the bunkai for Goju-Ryu’s Seisan. I’m not a Goju stylist and therefore Seisan is not a kata I practise or have spent much time analysing.

In preparation for the course, I familiarised myself with the kata and had some initial thoughts. On the course itself we had covered the process of kata analysis in previous sessions, so this was a good opportunity to apply the process and see what the kata revealed. This clip shows what we came up with for all the motions prior to the first turn. Shito-Ryu’s Seisan is similar, and therefore the bunkai shown would generally apply to that version too.

To me, in its “opening lessons” the kata seems to be showing a number of mutually supportive ways in which an enemy can be taken to the floor. The idea being that if one does not work, then we can flow to any of the others.

A huge thanks to Ash Nicholls for suggesting Seisan and for showing the kata in the clip. Thanks also to “uber-uke” Mike for his help with all the demonstrations!

All the best,

Iain

PS The YouTube link can be found HERE

Practical Kata Bunkai: Thoughts on bunkai for Goju-Ryu / Shito-Ryu Seisan