Bunkai: Pinan Sandan End

Bunkai: Pinan Sandan End

You step forward, twisting the whole power of your body against his exposed front arm, dislodging it and off-balancing him. Displacing his body with yours, you destabilize his body architecture and strike, simultaneously, to his head and to whichever mid-level target is exposed.

Bunkai: Pinan 1 Chudan Arch

Bunkai: Pinan 1 Chudan Arch

In version one an ideal target for the backfist is the mental foramen in the lower jaw.  A good hit will be stunning and will snap the head back, destabilizing the opponent briefly and creating a suki for the follow up.

Safety Warning

Safety Warning

…don’t let strangers twist your head… It is up to you personally to stay in control of your training…

Bunkai Pinan 1 Direction 1

Bunkai Pinan 1 Direction 1

The opening move of Pinan shodan can be used to defend when an attacker grabs your sleeve or forearm and your lapel or shoulder – a standard opening in judo and other arts.

Pinan 5 Direction 1&2

Pinan 5 Direction 1&2

We maneuver and strike, then immediately check our six. This happens frequently in our kata. We do not assume the threat is finished just because we have stopped one opponent.

Bunkai: First Kata, 4-5

Bunkai: First Kata, 4-5

There is another possibility which is more likely: The opponent drops and attempts a take-down. That is a standard mode of attack for many grapplers. We need to train to prevent that.

Seize the Moment

Seize the Moment

If you fail to seize the moment, the moment may seize you. There are counter-grappling techniques throughout our kata.

The End of Pinan Sandan

The End of Pinan Sandan

There are only two moves in which we turn our back on our opponent. Both are in Pinan Sandan. This video shows the one at the end: In this bunkai, for the last moves of Pinan Sandan, the end is victory. But that is not inevitable.

Under Investigation

Under Investigation

Our approach to kata bunkai interpretation treats kata as a subject for continual investigation. We look at ways to make each move effective.  

Groundbreaking New Book

Groundbreaking New Book

“One of the best books I’ve read in years, inviting and compelling… A splendid achievement.” 

— Philip Zaleski, Editor, The Best Spiritual Writing series

Ichi Knee

Ichi Knee

In our eighteen kata there are hundreds of techniques. Of those hundreds of techniques, we drop into a single-knee kneeling position three times… in Pinan Go dan, Wanshu, and Chinto.