Kata are not random collections of technique. There is a structure to them which imparts the methods in a logical and ordered way.

In this video, we look at the lesson plan for shuto-uke (“knife hand”) as presented by the kata Kushanku / Kanku-Dai / Kosoken (and Pinan Shodan / Heian Nidan).

The fundamental job of shuto-uke is to get past the enemy’s limbs so the forearm or hand can get to the target. This is “Lesson 1” as presented by the kata.

This video shows a summary of a two-person flow drill for the entirety of Tekki Sandan / Naihanchi Sandan. The drill follows the kata, move for move, and can be repeated endlessly. Tekki Sandan / Naihanchi Sandan builds on the methods introduced by the preceding two kata and is essential a kata to teach more advanced limb-control.

This video quickly recaps three drills for the bunkai of Naihanchi / Tekki Shodan. The first drill strings together four of the key strikes in a way that encourages consistent contact with the enemy’s limbs. Karateka should also drill the strikes in alternate sequences and the purpose of this drill was to provide an illustration of concept. The second drill follows the order of the kata, except that multiple elbows are thrown in order to include the various ways the kata can get us past the enemy’s limbs if they block (either going back or forward a move).

This video shows a way to drill Funakoshi’s Half-Wheel Throw on the focus mitts. In order to practise karate as a holistic and practical system, we need to resurrect the throws that were a key part of “old school karate”. To understand our kata, we also need to appreciate the wide range of methods found within them. The traditional kata include throws, locks, trapping, chokes, strangles, etc. It is when people don’t appreciate this that we see kata reinterred to be just strikes, kicks and dysfunctional “blocks”. Karate is so much more.