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Pinan / Heian Godan Bunkai & Variation (video)

This video covers bunkai for the juji-uke sequence of Pinan Godan / Heian Godan, and a variation on that sequence. It was filmed in Denmark at a seminar in November 2014.

It is always important to remember that every kata motion is essentially an illustration of principle. It is not the technique that is the end result; it the integration of the principles encapsulated by the bunkai of the technique that is of greater importance. That way the methodology of the kata can be applied in a habitual / intuitive way regardless of specific circumstance.

An integral part of the bunkai process is therefore exploring variations of the kata / bunkai sequence, as shown in this clip. I’m fond of quoting the following line from the movie ‘Enter The Dragon’ to illustrate this idea; “It is like a finger pointing to the moon. Do not concentrate on the finger or you will miss all that heavenly glory”. Do not fixate on the specific example of principle the kata provides, or you will miss the principle itself.

A lot to explain in a short clip and this introduction! The key message for those new to kata bunkai is that variations of technique (in line with underlying principle) are not heresy but a core part of the process.

I hope you enjoy the clip!

All the best,

Iain

PS The YouTube link can be found HERE

Practical Kata Bunkai: Pinan / Heian Godan Bunkai & Variation