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14th July 2006
The Functionality of Yakusoku Kumite
I recently attended a 2 day seminar with a long time friend and mentor, Hanshi Patrick McCarthy. In the discussion, Patrick Sensei discussed a topic that he has discussed many times in the past - the functional applicability of kata.
Patrick Sensei has long advocated a view of kata that suggests that the kata only culminate the lessons that should have already been learned through functional 2 person practices - practices that have been “lost” in most forms of karate.
Further to that, Patrick Sensei believes, and I agree, that the 2 person drills should reflect realism - that is that they should include defences to techniques that one is likely to encounter in a real situation. Patrick Sensei calls these the HAPV (Habitual Acts of Physical Violence) and he and I discussed a lot of these topics in Episode 001 of The Applied Karate Show podcast, and I would encourage anyone who hasn’t to listen to this episode.
In a recent discussion on Episodes 24 and 26 of the Karate Cafe podcast, the hosts discuss the top 10 man-on-man attacks encountered in the UK. Common among at least 3 of these was the use of a right punch (hook or straight), either alone or in a combination. Patrick Sensei has crafted a number of his 2 person practices to incorporate a start from a right punch to the head - either a straight or hook punch.
Although 2 person practices that flow beyond 1, 3 or 5 point sparring are rare in modern, sporting based, karate, they are a feature of Shorinjiryu. Kaiso Kori Hisataka (1907-1988) placed a large emphasis on yakusoku kumite (randori) that extend beyond 1, 3 and 5 point drills. Some of these are complex interactions from both partners, and involve a full range of punches, kicks, strikes, locks, holds, throws and chokes, and the defences to each of these.
So if the premise that drills should comprise realistic and common attacks is correct - and I believe that it is - then we should expect to see the drills start with those commonly encountered attacks.
Shorinjiryu Karate has many yakusoku kumite - I count 3 Gohono Kumite, 3 Shoden Kumite, 2 Renshu Kumite, 3 Randori Kumite, 11 Sankakutobi Kumite, as well as Naihanchin Waza, Nijushiho Waza, Sanchin Waza, Itsutsu no Waza and Naihanchin Waza Ni. I am sure there are more, but these are the ones I know of.
In reviewing those that I know (not just know of), and video of the rest, I had a realisation -13 of 22 (not including the 5 Sankakutobi Sandan series which I do not have at this time) start with a right punch! Two commence with right handed strikes, and the rest are either a left punch or a right kick.
It seems to me that Kaiso Kori Hisataka really knew what he was talking about. Way ahead of his time, he was cataloguing responses to the most common strikes that might occur!