Customer Reviews

'Bunkai: Secrets of Karate Kata Volume 1: The Tekki Series

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

In the 1970's karate-ka like myself longed for any little tidbit of information regarding kata application that was not blatantly overt. In fact, I took it upon myself to propose to a major martial arts publisher a volume called Hidden Throws and Locks of Karate-do. It was rejected because "many other books had been written on the subject." I guess the editors were not martial artists and did not understand that overt applications were not the more subtle or hidden meanings that many of my fellow martial artists and I were after. Now I am overjoyed to see a similar, even more concentrated, volume (with 9 more in the works) brought to life by Dr. Elmar Schmeisser in his Bunkai: Secrets of Karate Kata. In this compact book, Dr. Schmeisser opens the doors to tegumi (Okinawan grappling) as it is manifested in the popular Shotokan versions of the Iron Horseman forms. With no wasted space on preliminaries or filler, Dr. Schmeisser dives into the subject offering unique, imaginative but nonetheless applicable interpretations of karate forms which most practitioners have heretofore justified with fanciful and non-functional explanations. There is no excuse for that now. Dr. Schmeisser a one of a few senior karate-ka who are investigating not just the kata itself but the self-defense that comes from it--the reason the kata were created in the first place. I look forward to the succeeding volumes.

Dr. Scheimesser's analysis is based on two simple principles: 1. There are no wasted or meaningless moves in kata; 2. The originators of kata meant for them to be sequences of moves against a few opponents rather than a grouping disjoint situations where just one or two movements apply in each. The result of this "sequential analysis" is so simple and practical that the reader wonders how come this has not been done before.

This book opens up much greater understanding of the tekki kata for both instructors and students. Blocks become joint locks; strikes become throws. Most importantly, the interpretation of the kata makes perfect sense, whether the kata are looked at macroscopically or broken down into their sequences.

The only shortcoming of the book lies with the fact that the tekki kata all mirror themselves in one way or another. In demonstrating the applications of techniqes which mirror ones previously done, Dr. Schmiesser shows pictures of the same applications (in mirror image) rather than the alternatives mentioned in the text. Showing pictures of these alternatives would have made the book better since it can be studied simply by watching the pictures after an initial run through of the text.

This, however, does not deny the fact that the book is excellent. This book should be in the library of anyone who has ever practised the tekki kata.

An excellent example of the advantages of "reverse engineering" kata. The book leads you through linked, dynamic applications of the Tekki--something I have never seen done anywhere else. There are no wasted movements here, no "this is just for show and not a realistic feeling" explanations. Every movement is given a direct application, and one that is often ruthlessly violent. Although as an earlier review mentioned, perhaps these should not be seen as the end all and be all of Tekki applications (the author makes no claim they are), but they have certainly helped my kata practice take on a more focused and realistic attitude. If Schmeisser can pull off a book of similar quality with the Heians Shotokan practitioners will be in his debt for a long time.

A must for every good shotokan karateka. The classic bunkai which is taught these days in most dojos suffers from "label disease". A block is a block and a punch a punch. With this (wrong) thinking, many sequences in kata can't be interpreted- they seem to have no immideate or practical use. Schmeisser goes a step further. Labels for individual techniques are discarded and the movements themselves are explored for alternative uses as to their effects. Punches can become throws, blocks can become strikes or joint locking techniques, and steps can become kicks or stamping attacks. "In all these analysis, there are a few basic principles that should be followed: Each movement must do something useful..", "..no opponent must be left in a condition to continue or resume an attack..". Suddenly with Schmeissers interpretation the whole kata makes sense. It is revolutionary and again so easy- you will wonder, that no one else has interpretated kata ever before like that. Shotokan is an ineffective martial art, compared to others? Everyone, who says that should read this book and reconsider his statement. Why not 5 stars? As I live in Germany (known for fantastic high quality publishing), I am used to very high standards. This book is published awful! The paper is bad, the pictures are with low resolution, the paperback is really made from paper :-). In Germany you will get for the same money a high quality hardcover. Nevertheless the content is superb and I don't regret my buy at all. I unconditionally recommend this book to every serious karateka and can't wait until Schmeisser releases the next book in mid 2001: "Bunkai: Secrets of Karate Kata Vol 2: Channan - The Heart of the Heians". Here you'll find a sample: ... ...

Elmar Schmeisser's newest book provides a revolutionary new appraoch to undestanding the basic karate kata. Rather than assuming the series of moves in a kata are to be understood individually, he argues that each includes a small set of linked sequences that represent practical and martial responses to a series of attacks.

This is the difference between understanding something through still photographs, each independent, and a movie sequence in which the photographs were moments out of a fluid tale.

This work presents the dynamic approach through an analysis of the Tekki series familiar to most Japanese stylists, and to many Korean stylists as well. In it he shows how they may be understood dynamically and pragmatically. This is an extraordinary contribution. Those who have insisted kata is irrelevent because it is not practical will see, here, the martial imporance of kata. For those who think kata is an end unto itself, Schmisser's analysis insists it is not. It is first and foremost a martial record that can't be separated from the practical intent of the do itself.

For students seeking a better understanding of the roots of these movements, and their relation to the martial way, the book will be important. For those who teach martial arts, and especially those at second or third dan rank who may have become complacent, the book is a must.

Tom Koch Aikido Yondan twice vice-president, Canadian Aikido Federation Instructor, Renshinkan Dojo, Honolulu, HI. Shotokan Shodan; Shukgokai Shodan

Over all I was impressed with this book. Dr. Schmeisser has obviously put a lot of time and effort into developing this bunkai for three admittedly hard to decipher kata. He moves away from the standard and somewhat basic block/punch applications and begins us on the road to actually thinking about the movements.

He does a great job of both explaining his interpretation of the techniques through both photographs and text.

However, I do feel that people may overlook his first few and very valuable comments he makes early on in the book, in that people may suddenly think that these are the only interpretations of these kata. They are but a starting point and this must be remembered. Kanazawa Sensei reminds us that all kata movements have at least ten different applications and we must be mindful of this.

Although I had to wait two years for this book to be published, It was well worth it. I became familiar with many of the author's ideas for this book well in advance of the publication since he participates in several on-line Shotokan forums and is very approachable. I had high expectations and I was not disappointed. To my knowledge, this is the first work of its kind to explain the counter-offensive sequencing and performance line aspects of the Tekki series. It's a must own for any serious Shotokan practicioner as it sheds new light on the process of kata interpretation - an area tha I feel is neglected in modern practice of kata. I find myself continually relying on the book as a reference for visualizing my opponents while training the 3 kata. I also found interesting the fact that he chose the Tekki series to publish first. In my opinion, they rank as the most misunderstood and least favored of the kata practiced within the system. Hopefully this publication will help bring them more into favor with Shotokan practitioners everywhere. The other nice feature of this book is that if you have any questions about it, you can ask the author via email or on one of the forums he participates in and he'll answer. If you buy just one Karate book this year, buy this one. I eagerly await the publication of his next book on the Heian series.

It is a good book that shows a new and deep analizes about katas of tekki series. I recomend it.

See what you missed when chose Shotokan over Okinawan styles. This book reinvents the meanings of kata movements. In traditional Okinawan styles (such as Jundokan Goju Ryu, Seibukan Shorin Ryu, etc.) the meanings of kata movements a.k.a. bunkai were never forgotten. They are actively trained in all traditional dojos. But when competitions and commercialism were added to many styles, the meanings of kata movements were forgotten (in those styles that chose the new approach). Now this book reinvents the wheel by going through the kata and figures out the application.

If kata bunkai is what you are interested in, all you should have done is go to different school, where these things are actively trained and sparred with from square one. But if you already are deep in the modern mud of Shotokan and similar schools, you may want to read this book to see what you are missing.

Want to choreograph some swell "martial arts" moves for your next home movie? then buy this book, otherwise, Lawrence Kane's The Way of Kata or ANY of Iain Abernathy's Bunkai application books are MILES of gray matter ahead of this childs-play!! True warriorship and self-defense is not something to toy with ... and Mr. Schmeisser should be more responsible in what he puts out as "authentic" combat techniques...before some poor fool gets killed messing with this hollywood theatrics stuff! OSSSS