Martial Arts Articles By Iain Abernethy

In addition to holding a 5th dan with the British Combat Association, Iain was also awarded a separate 5th dan by the English Karate Governing Body in 2005. His joint “traditional” and “reality based” approach puts Iain in to a unique position in British martial arts. Iain regularly writes for the UK’s leading martial arts magazines and he is a member of the "Combat Hall of Fame". (Biography)

By Iain Abernethy (Biography) Kata (formal forms) were regarded as the cornerstone of martial arts training by the past masters. However, many modern karate practitioners question the value of kata. Some have even stopped the practise of kata altogether. So what is the point of kata and why did the past masters place so much store in them? The answers to these questions are revealed by "bunkai" (the analysis and practical application of the movements of kata). (Read Article)

In this second article, we'll be looking at the basic application (bunkai) for the knife-hand block or "shuto-uke". As we established in part one, due to a series of historical events, the modern terms used to label kata movements are not descriptions of the movement's combative function. We also established the majority of live situations take place at close-range. At close-range, we do not have the time or space to react to an opponent's actions and therefore blocking is of little use. The kata were created to record and rehearse the techniques and concepts of close-range civilian altercations. We can therefore see that despite the modern labels, the kata are unlikely to contain any blocks. To be clear, the kata do contain some defensive techniques, but nothing that could be accurately described as a block. So what is the function of the movement now labelled as "knife-hand block" if it's not a block? (Read Article)

If you are interested in the effective and realistic use of the combative methods recorded within kata, it is important that you have some understanding of their history. Without an understanding of this history, you will be unable to appreciate kata in the correct context. You will therefore have little chance of unlocking the methods they contain. Kata has always been an integral part of karate practice. To understand the history and development of kata, it is vital to look at the history and development of karate as a whole. (Read Article)

There are many differing views on the value of kata. Kata is regarded by some to be the very 'soul' of the martial arts. By others, it's regarded as a complete waste of time. To my mind, both views have merit depending upon what is meant by 'kata' and how it is approached.
One thing I think all martial artists can agree on is that the study of kata is definitely not a prerequisite for combative effectiveness. There are many highly-effective martial arts that do not include kata on their curriculum. A look at the effectiveness of the able practitioners of many 'kata-less' systems also shows that you can definitely produce effective martial artists without resorting to kata. If kata training is not a must in order to develop fighting skill, why do 'traditional systems' like karate bother with kata? (Read Article)

Practically all karateka practise kata; however, most only practise the initial stage and therefore they do not develop a rounded and more complete understanding of what kata has to offer. In this article we shall discuss all four stages of kata practise. The first stage is the practise of the solo form and is what most people think of when they talk about kata practise. The first thing that a karateka learns is the actual physical sequence of the kata; the body mechanics required for maximum efficiency; the correct mental attitude etc. (Read Article)

In this article I'd like to briefly discuss some of the ways in which we can view kata, and how, if we adopt a restrictive view, this can severely limit our progress in the martial arts.

As a reader of this article, it's fairly unlikely that you are the kind of martial artist who considers the katas to be nothing more than combinations of kicks, punches and blocks, the individual movements of which only have a single "traditional bunkai" (application) which must never be questioned or varied. (Read Article)

Karate is most commonly practised as a mid- to long-range kicking and punching system. And whilst karate practitioners tend to be very skilled at impacting at this range, they are often found wanting should the fight go to close-range. This is because most modern dojos do not include close-range striking and fundamental grappling skills in their training. A chain is only ever as strong as its weakest link and it is this lack of close-range skills that could be the karateka's undoing in a live situation.
(Read Article)

The kata Naihanchi (Tekki) is practiced within the majority of karate styles. The word 'Naihanchi' is said to mean 'sideways fighting' due to the kata's distinctive embusen (floor pattern). This embusen often leads to many karateka incorrectly believing that the kata is for fighting on a boat, or when your back is against a wall etc. As we shall see later, the sideways steps in the kata have nothing to do with fighting on boats and everything to do with effectively incapacitating an opponent. In Shotokan the kata is referred to as 'Tekki', which translates as 'Horse riding,' presumably named after the stance from which Shotokan practicioners perform the kata. (Read Article)

In this article I want to challenge some of the commonly held beliefs about the Pinan / Heian series. Although frequently viewed as kata for children or beginners, it is my belief that the Pinan series represent a holistic and frequently brutal combat system. To establish why I believe that to be true, the first thing I want to call into question is the commonly accepted meaning of “Pinan”. If you were to consult almost every karate book in existence they would tell you that “Pinan” means “peaceful mind”. However, some of my research leads me to conclude that this translation is incorrect. (Read Article)