Tekki / Naihanchi 1 to 3: Flow drills and pad drills 

Your development is on you at the end of the day. Instructors can only do so much. If some technique or group of techniques pops out at you and you like them for whatever reason, I'd reckon you'll have to spend time on your own training them and potentially cross-training. For example, a lot of the throwing in Karate looks similar to judo and sometimes wrestling. You could study that stuff to get some finer points on a particular karate throw. Similarly, you'd be foolish to not take a look at other striking arts for inspiration as well. If you ever have to use your karate, it won't be your instructor's karate that you have, it'll be yours. So make it your own. All the old masters did.

Historically, the evidence tells us that originally there was one Naihanchi; and that would be the one that now often has the Shodan suffix. Itosu - being the great creator of kata that he was - then made the Nidan and Sandan versions. I know some have written that all three were originally one big kata, and they were separated into three at a later date, but there’s no evidence that I am aware of support this. There is evidence to discount it though. Students of Itosu credit him with making the Nidan and Sandan versions, but none of them say he split a longer kata into three. There are also no historical linages that would seem to have practised a “long Naihanchi”. The historical references to Nahanchi (singular) would seem to be what we would recognise as Shodan (not a long amalgam of the three). To me, the evidence is clear: Matsumura acquired a kata called Naihanchi. Itosu learnt that kata, and then made two other versions. Itosu labelled the original one “Shodan” and his two new creations as “Nidan” and “Sandan”.

Just a coloured piece of clothing with zero symbolic meaning. Some groups do link gi colour to a given rank or achievement. However, for us, any student can wear black or white as they see fit. Black has many benefits over white (particularly for female practitioners), but I just tend to put on whatever one is clean :-) It’s even arguable that white is not the traditional / classical colour as the first unbleached gis were more of a light beige :-)

@@practicalkatabunkai Hi Iain, thanks for the quick response. My Shotokan school had a weird phobia about black Gis, but apart from that I haven't really seen many outside of America where different colours seem much more common. My Aikido Gis (as well as being much heavier) also tend to be 'natural' cotton/beige coloured. I'm curious what benefit women get from black though - I don't see you as a sexist arguing they hide extra pounds?

​@@theaikidoka Women may be more comfortable wearing darker training clothing during menstruation. Having white be the only acceptable colour of gi can discourage people

@@adammills9715 Yup, I'm all for people making their training/practices work for them rather than the other way around. I think my school's thing about black Gis was a personal hangup from the chief instructor as I never heard an explanation as to why they were bad.

@@theaikidoka Some women won’t train during parts of their cycle if forced to wear white (blood leaks are much more visible on white). I want all students training as much as possible, and as happily and confidently as possible, so giving the option of black is a no-brainier. I freely admit that I need this pointed out to me, but it was a forehead slapping “Of course!” moment when it was pointed out. Lots of other advantages to black / a choice of colours that are not dependent on gender too of course. It's a lot more common these days I find.

It does not have to be a mutually exclusive choice. The kata informs what we do in sparring, etc. We should also ensure sufficient conditioning, etc and be open to modern training. Mabuni had it right: “kata must be practiced properly, with a good understanding of their bunkai meaning. There may be those who neglect the practice of kata, thinking that it is sufficient to just practice two-person drills that has been created based on their understanding of the kata, but that will never lead to true advancement. The reason why is that the ways of attacking and defending have innumerable variations. To create two-person drills containing all of the techniques including each and every one of their variations is impossible. However, if one practices kata correctly, it will serve as a foundation for performing - when a crucial time comes - any of the infinite number of variations. However, even if you practice the karate kata as you should, if that is all that you do, if you do not train sufficiently in other areas, then you will not develop sufficient skills. If you do not also use other training methods to strengthen and quicken your hands and feet, as well as to ensure the sufficient study of things like body-shifting and distancing, you will be inadequately prepared when the need arises to call on your skills.” - Kenwa Mabuni, “Practice Karate Correctly” It's also imprtant to remember that kata is a process that must include sparring: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-wA3ZLONLq50.htmlsi=Jl_1pQcBsRhp2BVU ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-y02d-QU_aoE.htmlsi=O_N1WBjrEQUvfVm4 I hope that helps. All the best, Iain

@@practicalkatabunkai got it.thank you🥋❤️

TEXT ACCOMPANYING VIDEO STATED: “The video is made of up summary footage taken from a full weekend of teaching … Watching this video is no substitute for being at the event. There is always a risk when posting such footage - which is invariably incomplete - that viewers, who were not there, will misunderstand or misinterpret what is being shown. I, nevertheless, share the footage in the hope it is of interest and value to those who already are familiar with the wider approach.” YOU WROTE: “One the acoustics in that facility is horrible and the echo is wretched.” The venue was not chosen to be a studio for those watching in RU-vid. It was chosen, by the hosts, as a facility to conduct two days of training. In this case, it was their regular dojo. This footage was shared as a “free bonus” for those who were not there. I’m not going to demand the host group change their dojo to placate RU-vid commenters :-) YOU WROTE: “Secondly he talks 110mph and with his accent makes it near impossible to understand a word he says.” Again, it is recap / summary footage that is summarising a whole weekend of training. It was filmed to help those there as an aid to memory. They had done all of this, in depth, over many hours. If I took my time to slowly go over everything in the same detail as covered at the event, it would have been as long as the event! Some accents are easy to understand by some people, some are not. I dare say that if you were talking in the part of the world I am from, it would not be as easy for people to follow as my accent is. Because of the Nordic influence on my dialect, I find that those from that part of the world have little difficulty following me … even though I am speaking in their second language. The Finnish people at this event were able to follow me just fine. Above all, I am proud Cumbrian and like the associated dialect and accent. I also like learning about accents and dialects from other parts of the world and would never demand everyone speak as I do just to make it easier for me. YOU WROTE: “He needs to slow down his presentation, and find a better faculty with less acoustics that echo” Again, it’s summary footage and that was made clear in the text of the video. It was not made for you or any other viewers on RU-vid. It was made for those there. A lot of people like these summary videos, but those that don’t are welcome not to watch and find something else they enjoy more. I’m not going to stop sharing them because a tiny minority think it should be studio quality or nothing. They are what they are, and there are plenty of people who find value in them. I’m not forcing anyone to watch if it’s not for them. Bottomline, I make these videos for those at the actual events. I share them for what they are and make that 100% clear in the text. I don’t make these videos for people on RU-vid, but I occasionally share them here because many do read the text, understand what is being shared, and they like and benefit from them. Other RU-vid channels are available :-) All the best, Iain