Old School Karate

What if stances are only for training, not for fighting, given that combat is fluid and unpredictable?

THIS! Read it more than once. Internalize it. Very important!

If you are like most people, you probably hope you will never have to face real violence.

Recently I wrote about awareness, because the best self-defense decisions often happen long before anything physical begins. The earlier you notice a problem, the more options you have. Sometimes the best outcome is simply stepping off the tracks before the train arrives.

During my time working as an EMT, I was often paired with a crew-mate who had no background in physical self-defense. That was normal. We had conflict management training, but not quite the same.

One call in particular stands out, although situations like it were not uncommon, and attacks on personnel are becoming more frequent. We were called to a man who was intoxicated and had multiple head wounds. He didn’t want help, but with police assistance we managed to get him back to his home so we could at least assess and treat him there.

We cleaned him up, dressed his wounds, and tried to evaluate him for possible head injury. As we worked, his behavior began to shift. He became more agitated, more unpredictable. At the same time, he was absolutely refusing transport to the hospital.

Then he stood up and walked with clear intent toward the kitchen.

While I was still talking to him, both my partner and I followed. My partner was slightly ahead of me, focused on conversation.

As I watched the patient move, something felt wrong. Not dramatic. Just wrong.

I noticed him glance toward a butcher’s block on the counter. His movement shifted toward it. My partner did not see it at all.

I moved forward and positioned myself between him, my partner, and the knives. I didn’t announce it. I just changed the physical picture of the room.

The patient himself seemed to notice something had changed, and we were able to slow things down, calm him, and eventually persuade him to come with us to the hospital.

Nothing physical happened. And that was the success.

People have asked what technique I would have used if he had grabbed a knife. That is the wrong question.

The moment that mattered was before that. It was noticing the change in intent.

There was no checklist running in my head. No step by step process. Just a small shift in behavior that signaled risk.

That is what awareness actually looks like. Not mystical instinct. Not guessing. Trained perception, even with the probability of distraction.

In that room, both my partner and I had access to the same information. Same patient. Same environment. Same moment. The difference was interpretation.

This is why awareness is not trained by adding more content. It is trained by removing interference.

In self-defense, early options matter just as much as physical ones. Distance. Positioning. Tone of voice. Body language. The ability to read intent before action. These things often decide outcomes before force is ever considered.

This was more than just a feeling. It was pattern recognition built over years. Small signals. Changes in movement. Shifts in attention. None of them dramatic alone, but meaningful together.

I remember a similar moment in the dojo when a student was becoming frustrated while trying a technique. Again, I noticed a shift in body language and intent, and stopped them ‘kicking off’ before they even realized they were about to. The student later said to me, “You were right - but how did you know?”

Responsible preparation is not just learning how to fight. It’s learning how to notice.

The goal is not to win confrontations. The goal is to get out of danger. Either you manage the threat early, or you deal with it later under worse conditions.

Your safety has always been your responsibility. And very often, the best outcomes happen when nothing physical happens at all.

Self-defense does not start with a technique. It starts with noticing that something is wrong.

Awareness isn’t something you add. It’s what remains when you stop ignoring what is right in front of you.


– Adam Carter

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I have never trained in Silat, but everything Maul Mornie says could’ve come right out of my mouth. I resonate with so much in this video, especially at the end when he’s talking martial arts/family/life. 

Real Silat Is TERRIFYING Maul Mornie explains deadly Silat weapons for self-defense - including machete, knife and sai (tekpi).Big thanks to Silat Suffian Bela Diri GermanyFilmed by ...

This is the essence of bunkai.

If the 3 M masters (Mabuni, Miyagi, Motobu) say the opponent is “always in front of you” who are we to argue?

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗘𝗡𝗕𝗨𝗦𝗘𝗡 𝗗𝗘𝗖𝗘𝗣𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡
One of the most widespread, yet erroneous, interpretations in Karate practice concerns the meaning of directions in kata. It is often stated that moving along the eight directions symbolizes fighting against multiple opponents surrounding us. However, the great masters of the past agree in defining this view as nonsensical and technically limiting.

MABUNI'S CRITIQUE
Kenwa Mabuni, the founder of Sh*tō-ryū, addressed this issue with extreme clarity in his 1938 book, Kōbō jizai goshin kenpō Karate-Dō Nyūmon. He harshly criticized the idea that a kata developed along eight directions served to fight eight opponents, defining such an interpretation as highly unreasonable.
Analyzing the Pinan/Heian kata, Mabuni warns that their literal interpretation (e.g., "I turn left because the enemy is on the left," "I turn back because there is an enemy behind") would render the art 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴. For Mabuni, there is only one plausible meaning: the directions of the kata do not indicate where the enemy is, but teach how to get out of the frontal line of attack by moving sideways to gain an advantageous position.

MIYAGI'S WARNING
Mabuni was not alone in this analysis. Miyagi Chōjun, founder of Gōjū-ryū, also warned practitioners in his Kaisai no genri ("Theory for deciphering [kata]"):

"Do not be deceived by the enbusen, i.e., the line/direction of ex*****on along which the various techniques of the kata are developed."

"There is only one opponent, and he is in front of us. In kata, we turn in many directions along the lines of the enbusen, so we tend to believe that kata is a situation where a karateka fights against multiple opponents simultaneously: this is not so. In principle, we should consider the imaginary opponent to always be in front."

Master Motobu Chōki, known for his pragmatic approach to kumite, was entirely aligned with this perspective. He reiterated the same concept regarding the Naihanchi/Tekki kata: despite the lateral movement, there are no enemies to our side.

CONCLUSION
In light of these indisputable sources, insisting on explaining kata as a simulated fight against a circle of attackers is not just a technical error. It is an 𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶-𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 and 𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶-𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 view, which ends up ridiculing kata itself, transforming what should be a sophisticated manual of tactics and strategy into a fanciful choreography devoid of any real martial logic.

PS: The photo shows the original page from Mabuni's book, in relation to the cited passage.

*toryu

Something to think about…

In the old days of Karate, there were no explanations; you simply had to follow the Sensei in silence. You couldn't ask questions. You were always wondering "why" about everything. This was how each person had to come to understand everything for themselves, experiencing it with their own body. That was the old school. What used to take ten years to understand can now be learned in three.

But what is learned easily... is forgotten easily.

Master Hirokasu Kanazawa

@aikiluca pinan godan bunkai in judo akido

What he says is extremely important, and applies to all martial arts.

In modern Shaolin kung fu, Taolu refers to choreographed routines that simulate combat with an imaginary opponent. It's a common way for today's practitioners to learn and refine their technique. In its origins, Shaolin kung fu had no set sequences — only instinctive knowledge drawn from real combat experience. Stay tuned for CGTN's documentary "The Spirit of Shaolin" to explore the roots and evolution of this legendary martial art.

(Approx 1 minute 45 second read)

I’m sure many of you have a favorite kata. I have a few that just seem to sit well with me. One of those kata is Naihanchi. Simple in appearance but deep in application. It has a distinctive embusen compared to most other kata.

Gichin Funakoshi called the kata ‘Tekki’ (Iron Horse), I believe honoring his teacher, Anko Itosu, and emphasizing its strength and stability. While its precise origins are unknown, some sources suggest that Sokon Matsumura (1809-1899) may have played a role in bringing it from China.

Matsumura made several trips to China as an envoy, where he studied martial arts from both military and civilian sources. It’s possible he encountered the kata during these journeys, or learned it from Chinese martial artists who visited Okinawa.

At one time, Naihanchi was the first kata taught to students, not because it was simplistic, but because it embodied core principles considered essential for combat.

Hironori Otsuka (1892-1982), the founder of Wado-Ryu, remarked, “I personally favor Naihanchi. It is not interesting to the eye, but it is extremely difficult to use. Naihanchi increases in difficulty with more time spent practicing it. However, there is something ‘deep’ about it.”

Some believe the Nidan and Sandan versions were created by Anko Itosu, and some suggest they were all once just one kata. The fact that only the Shodan version has a formal opening suggests the kata may have been split. Either way, I believe they were the creation of Itosu.

Kentsu Yabu (1866-1937), a student of Itosu, said, “Karate begins and ends with Naihanchi”, emphasizing the kata’s importance.

Despite its understated appearance, it’s rich with highly effective techniques and concepts. You will rarely see it in competition, and many students of modern day karate may overlook it due to its perceived simplicity. But it remains a vital study for those with an interest in all things pragmatic.

Choki Motobu, one of Okinawa’s most formidable fighters, heavily emphasized the kata in his teachings, and believed its study was crucial to learning effective combat.

The techniques are designed for close-range fighting, integrating strikes and grappling in a way that makes them practical and direct.

It’s this close-quarter combat focus that makes it a cornerstone of classical karate’s combative repertoire.

For me, it offers a wealth of knowledge. It’s certainly one of my favorites, and one I often championed when teaching seminars and courses. Its methods and techniques, though simple to look at, really deserve deep and consistent practice.

Some kata we practice. Some kata stay with us. Naihanchi has stayed with me, and I suspect it always will.


Written by Adam Carter - Shuri Dojo


*toryu

Do not miss this! I rarely teach this, but it’s one of my favorite systems. (And no, it not Xing Yi)