When you look at "blocks" in kata, think of them as shapes. That one change of view opens up a huge amount of kata bunkai. This video lesson from my Kata Bunkai That Works series looks at three blocks with that idea in mind.

It is for karate people and anyone who practises forms and has been told that every block is just a way of stopping a punch.

Why Shapes, Not Blocks

The word "block" gets in the way. It tells you what the move is for before you have even looked at it. If you call it a shape instead, you are free to ask what that shape does when it meets a body. Sometimes it blocks. Often it strikes, locks, pulls, pushes or turns someone off balance.

Look at all moves as a shape and you start to see the parallels. The same shapes appear everywhere, in boxing, in grappling and in weapons work. Different shapes appear more in different disciplines, but they are there.

Shapes On Different Planes

Shapes also appear on different planes. A shape you learnt standing up can turn up:

  • Upside down, when the angle of the attack is different
  • On the ground, when you or your opponent is down
  • Against a wall, when you have no room to move back
  • Rotated, when you step off line instead of standing square

If you only practise the kata in one orientation, you miss these. Turn the shape around in your head and ask where else it fits. That is where a lot of good bunkai is hiding.

Common Mistakes

The common mistake is locking a move to one meaning. "This is a rising block against a punch to the head" may be true, but it is rarely the only answer. The other mistake is ignoring the other hand. In most kata shapes, both hands are doing something useful.

How To Practise It

Take one block from your kata. Do it slowly and look at the shape. Then, with a cooperative partner, try placing that shape against an arm, a shoulder, the neck or the body, and on different planes. Keep everything controlled, especially near the head and neck, and see what works. Write down the applications you find and test them with a little resistance.

Take It Further

If you want more kata bunkai that works, Kata Unleashed takes this much further. To understand planes and angles in more depth, read Pressure Point Fighting: The Complete Guide.