Pinan Nidan Pedagogy - A new way to teach this kata that accesses it's bunkai

[Makalakumu]

I've been working hard on a project that I think will revolutionize the way people do karate. Here is a list of requirements that directly accesses the applications to Pinan Nidan. The list also lists a series of lessons that explains how it all ties together with a teaching method. This could be used as a requirement list for green belt or red belt in our art. I've always been vexed by the problem of how to teach everything on the list in an organized fashion. I think this solves the problem. Please share your thoughts...

 

[Makalakumu]

Pinan Nidan Requirements

Basics

Striking

Palm Strike
Straight Punch
Hook punch
Haymaker Punch
Kneeling punch
Cross body punch
Back fist
Hammer fist
Forearm strike
Chest push
Shoulder stroke
Roundhouse kick

Blocking

Getting offline
45 degree footwork
Hidden step
Opening block
Striking Block
Sweeping block
Hooking block

Escapes

Cross hand wrist escape
Same side wrist-grab escape
Double Lapel Escape
Clothing peel

Falling

Standing side fall
Hidden step face fall
Back fall
Back roll
Forward roll
Forward fall

Throwing

Single leg
Head and arm throw
Inner leg reap
Outer leg reap
Hip Throw
Hip Throw Defense
Turning Hip Throw
Changing hip throw

Joint Locks

Wrist locks
Stir the pot
Standing armbar takedown
Half Nelson
Armbar

Wrestling

Referee’s Position
Basic Clinch – Overhook and Underhook
Level Change
Corner Push
Shoot
Sprawl
Shrimping, Swimming, and Bridging
Base
Basic Positions
Hold downs
Wrist control

Forms

Moves 1-5 – Application 1
Moves 6-8 – Application 2
Moves 9-13 – Application 3
Moves 14-15 – Application 4
Moves 16-19 – Application 5
Moves 20-23 – Application 6
Moves 24-27 – Application 7
Moves 28-32 – Application 8
Moves 33-34 – Application 9
Moves 35-41 – Application 10 – Countering Sequence
Moves 42-51 – Application 11 – Countering Sequence

Sparring

Wrist grip release sparring
Push hands game
Grab the push
Escape while striking sparring
Close range under pressure weapon draw
Dynamic Shooting and Sprawling
Hold Down Escape
Shoot and single leg while uke punches
Bulling – partners attempt to push each other outside of a specified area
Stop the wild swings – timing drill – three kinds of timing
Clothing Peel with resistance
Achieving the clinch under pressure – uke throws punches and tori tries to close the gap
Limited throw randori both sides go for it.

Principles

Application Principles

Absorbing force
Open the gate
One point – center of balance
Weapon draw from sword to gun
Empty handed weapon defense strategy
Efficiency of Motion
Throwing into superior position
Control of hips
Timing – go no sen timing, sen timing, sen no sen timing
Kazushi
First strike
Counter the counter

Anatomy

Basic Meridians
Cycle of Creation and Destruction
St – 5
St. – 9
Tw – 11
Tw – 17
Lu – 5
Lu – 8
H – 1
H – 6
Sp – 21
Gb – 20
Anatomy of the elbow
Anatomy of the wrist

Energy

Kiai
Basic Meditation

Research

Use of force continuum
History of Shuri Karate





Pinan Nidan Lessons

Application 1

Basics

Palm Strike
Straight Punch
Cross hand wrist escape
Wrist locks
Side fall
Stir the pot

Forms

Pinan Nidan Opening Moves

Sparring

Wrist grip release sparring

Principles

S-5 – Knockout
Use of force continuum
Basic Meridians
Meditation

Application 2

Basics

Chest push
Absorbing force
Getting offline – pivot and 45 step
Sweeping block
Hooking block
Standing armbar takedown
Hidden Step Facefall

Forms

1st three part turn

Sparring

Push hands game
Grab the push

Principles

Tw-11, H-6, L-8
Open the gate
Anatomy of the elbow

Application 3

Basics

Same side wrist-grab escape
Hook punch
Opening block
Shoulder stroke
Back fist
Hammer fist
Inner leg reap
Back fall

Forms

Statue of Liberty section

Sparring

Escape while striking sparring
Close range under pressure weapon draw

Principles

One point – center of balance
Weapon draw from sword to gun
Empty handed weapon defense strategy
History of Shuri Karate

Application 4

Basics

Shoot
Sprawl
Hammerfist
Palm Strike
Half Nelson
North south hold down (shiho gatame)
Shrimping, Swimming, and Bridging

Forms

Bear hug to center gedan barai

Uke shoots and tori sprawls, dropping a hammer fist to the back of the head or a palm strike to the chin.

Sparring

Dynamic Shooting and Sprawling
North/South Escape

Principles

Tw – 17
Hold down flow
Efficiency of Motion

Application 5

Basics

Straight punch
Sweeping block
Level Change
Single leg
Standing Side Fall
Side Mount

Forms

Knife hand to jodan uke

Uke throws left punch and tori slips it with a level change. Tori shoots in deep, takes the back leg, levers on the hip, and throws uke on his side. Tori takes the side mount.

Sparring

Shoot and single leg while uke punches

Principles

Throwing into superior position
Control of hips

Application 6

Basics

Straight punch
Level change
45 degree offline step
Sweeping block
Shoulder stroke
Corner push

Forms

Moves 20-23

Uke throws a punch and tori sweeps it off to the side throwing a shoulder stroke into Sp-21. Tori then pushes uke away with a forearm corner push striking H-1, controlling the shoulder.
Sparring

Bulling – partners attempt to push each other outside of a specified area

Principles

Kazushi
Base
Sp-21
H-1

Application 7

Basics

Haymaker Punch
Striking Block
Forearm strike
Head and arm throw
Kneeling punch

Forms

Jodan uke x 2 up to four part turn

Uke throws wild haymaker punch. Tori forearm blocks the punch with a deep step. Then, strikes the side of the neck with his other forearm. Tori performs head and arm circle throw and follows with a punch.

Sparring

Stop the wild swings – timing drill – three kinds of timing

Principles

Timing – go no sen timing, sen timing, sen no sen timing
Kiai
St. – 9
Lu – 5

Application 8

Basics

Double Lapel grab
Wrist control
Clothing peel
Hidden step
Wrist lock
Armbar
Sutemi

Forms

Second three part turn

Uke grabs tori by both lapels. Tori reaches across the body secures wrist control. Using his other hand over and performs a clothing peel. Using the hidden step, tori applies a wrist lock and bars the arm. Uke may perform a sutemi in order to escape from the technique.

Sparring

Clothing Peel with resistance

Principles

H-6
Lu-8
Wrist bending points

Application 9

Basics

Straight punch
Opening block
45 degree footwork
Cross body punch
Underarm clinch and arm trap.
Palm strike
Major outside reap
Side fall

Forms

2[SUP]nd[/SUP] bear hug position to gedan barai

Uke punches and tori slips it and delivers a strike to the ribs. Tori continues motion trapping uke’s punching arm by sliding up under the armpit. Tori delivers a palm strike to the back of the head and throws him down with a major outside reap.

Sparring

Achieving the clinch under pressure – uke throws punches and tori tries to close the gap

Principles

Sp-21
Gb-20
Cycle of Creation and Destruction

Application 10

Basics

Referee’s position
Backward wheel kazushi
Inner leg reap
Outer leg reap
Hip throw
Back fall
Side fall
Forward roll/fall

Form

Three punches to first hadan soodo

Uke and tori lock in referee’s position. Tori attacks with kazushi and goes for an inner or outer leg reap. If uke attempts to push back, tori goes for a hip throw.

Sparring

Limited throw randori both sides go for it.

Principles

Kazushi
First strike

Application 11

Basics

Hip Throw
Hip Throw Defense
Turning Hip Throw
Changing hip throw
Roundhouse kick
Forward fall

Forms

Series of hadan soodo at end

Uke and tori lock in referee’s position. Tori attacks with a hip throw and uke posts out of it. Tori can try another deeper hip throw or a changing hip throw to upend uke after the defense. When uke is on ground, tori roundhouse kicks uke in the head.

Sparring

Limited randori with hip throws. Both go for it!

Principles

Counter the counter

 

[Makalakumu]

These videos should help people visualize what this could look like...

Here is Pinan Nidan split up the way I'm counting it's moves

Here is the lesson for application one

Here is the lesson for application two

Here is the lesson for application three

Here is the lesson for application four

 

[jks9199]

Just a question... but are you solving a problem that doesn't exist? Or trying to teach students your current level of understanding without taking into account how you got there?

The latter is a trap I've fallen into. There was a stretch where we taught brand new students so thoroughly that it would take them 4 or 5 classes to throw a single punch... We were trying to teach them everything that we know about punching, and it was so early in the process for them, that students were being overwhelmed and lost in things that they weren't really ready for. Backed off from that -- and students started making progress, and we could introduce other parts later as they reached the right level of understanding and getting the broader stuff integrated into themselves.

 

[Makalakumu]

Just a question... but are you solving a problem that doesn't exist? Or trying to teach students your current level of understanding without taking into account how you got there?

The latter is a trap I've fallen into. There was a stretch where we taught brand new students so thoroughly that it would take them 4 or 5 classes to throw a single punch... We were trying to teach them everything that we know about punching, and it was so early in the process for them, that students were being overwhelmed and lost in things that they weren't really ready for. Backed off from that -- and students started making progress, and we could introduce other parts later as they reached the right level of understanding and getting the broader stuff integrated into themselves.

I've fallen into the trap myself. I've been guilty of makinig far more complicated than it needs to be. I think this simplifies everything. We have eleven lessons that can be spread over the year and repeated. We have a list of basics that directly applies to the forms. We have material that I think is directly applicable to SD so students can start learning from day one.

The problem that I think this addresses is the common problem with karate. How does everything connect? How does one thing make the next stronger? How does it all work as a unit?

About a year ago, I taught a MA class for credit at a school. Dueing the class I taught one kata. It seemed to well...

 

[K-man]

I think what you are attempting is really good but I also think there are a couple of traps here too. Any move in kata has multiple applications or explanations. There are also many principles involved in kata. If we teach one particular explanation or bunkai as THE explanation it will leave many behind. Some techniques flow for some people and not for others. Some techniques will make sense to some people but not compute with others. For example, defanging the snake is a valid principle but whether it is practical in all situations is questionable. If someone had a knife and I had a stick, sure I'd be striking at the knife hand, but if someone throws a punch, why would I waste time attacking the fist, which I doubt you can do under stress anyway, when you can hit them in the head? By all means teach principles, show examples but I wouldn't structure the teaching of any Bunkai around my understanding of that technique. My philosophy is simple. If someone attacked you in the pub with the technique you are demonstrating, would you, or could you do what you are teaching? If the answer is not a definite yes, I would not be teaching that explanation at all.

I agree that much of the teaching in the martial arts leaves a lot to be desired but we don't have to reinvent the wheel. There are a lot of good people teaching as well. I look at what they do and if it makes sense, I incorporate it into my teaching. But the base of my teaching is still the same that you would find in Okinawa.I would like to think that any of my students could go to any Okinawan Goju school in the world and feel at home. Sure they do extra stuff that the others might not, but the base is the same. I hope that makes some sense and doesn't come across as negative. :asian:

 

[Makalakumu]

I understand your points, but at the same time, where to start? There is a lot of depth in the kata and we can interpret for every class, but at some point, we also need to drill some responses. Perhaps, we can find variations later after some kind of base is formed?

Now, imagine all five of the Pinan Kata are broken up in this fashion. How many moves are redundant? Would we also find some variations this way?

I've been comparing syllabi and training methods for a long time. There are some similarities and some differences, but what always struck me is how disparate some of the elements seemed to be. They never all clicked together. I think this does.

That said, i'd love to see a syllabus for your beginning ranks and ask some questions. I'd love to compare and contrast with you and maybe come to a better understanding.