Product Description

Bunkai-Jutsu is the analysis of the karate katas and their application in real combat. It is also the title of this pioneering book by Iain Abernethy. The fighting applications of the karate katas (forms) is one of the most fascinating and sadly misunderstood aspects of karate practice. Bunkai-Jutsu provides the reader with the information they need to unlock the secrets of kata and to begin practising karate as the complete and realistic combat art that it was intended to be! This groundbreaking and often controversial book provides a detailed analysis of the combative concepts and principles upon which the katas are based. This book is essential reading for all those who want to understand the real meaning of kata. "Bunkai-Jutsu explains every aspect of the katas and their application in real combat" - Doug James 7th Dan "Iain Abernethy has done it again with another excellent book on the application of karate kata. No martial arts library is complete without Bunkai-Jutsu. Iain Abernethy has shown us the real beauty of karate with his innovative and pioneering work" - Geoff Thompson, world-renowned martial artist (6th Dan karate), self-protection expert and best-selling author. "Iain's work is both educational and thought-provoking" - Paul Clifton, editor of Traditional Karate and Combat magazines.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #23865 in Books
• Published on: 2002-08-05
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Traditional Karate, September 2002
The book looks at the nature of real fights, the history and development of kata practice...

About the Author
Iain Abernethy is one of the UK's leading exponents of Applied Karate / Bunkai-Jutsu. Iain is the author of the critically acclaimed Karate's Grappling Methods book and videos, he regularly writes for the UK's leading martial arts magazines and he is also a member of The "Combat Hall of Fame." He has been practising karate since childhood and his highly pragmatic approach to kata has proved to be very popular with those who wish to practice karate as an effective civilian self-protection system.

Customer Reviews

Become inspired!
Having read, "Karate's Grappling Methods" by the same author I was eager to read "Bunkai-Jutsu" and was certainly not disappointed. "Bunkai-Jutsu" is a very well written and argued text concerning practical application of karate kata. There are many clear illustrations of effective techniques that compare directly with moves in kata and avoid the more commonly taught bunkai which often involves a set of techniques that logically doesn't make sense when broken down from a practical standpoint (e.g. blocking in one direction then turning away from the opponent). There is a clear logical progression through the book which starts with a chapter on the history of kata. The chapter explains why it is no accident that often techniques are hidden in kata or how katas have developed to contain often exaggerated moves (e.g. stances) that remain sound to the original principles and application and allow for a more consistent practice, provided we realize in reality the moves themselves may be slightly more rough and ready in a real fight and that it is the underling principles that are important when considering bunkai. Practical discussions take place toughout the book and are backed up with many quotes from masters of all styles and easy to understand comparisons to real life situations. Other chapters discuss the performance of kata, striking, grappling, throwing and locking techniques. All chapters have examples from katas including the chapter on ground fighting! There are also chapters on pre-emptive stricking, the use of stances, vulnerable stricking points, extrance/exit techniques and more. The key to this book is the simple common sense approach. The author argues his point very well providing many quotes from renowned practioners past and present to back him up. There's something for us all, you cannot help but, 'become inspired'.

Eyes wide open!
When I started training in Wado Ryu Karate I had many questions. Why do we train blocks and stances in Kata that we never use in Kumite? Why this discontinuity between Kata and Kumite. Despite 10 years training and seminars with high level Japanese Sensei the questions were never satisfactorily answered. This book answers them. It provokes more questions about the way Karate is taught. How can you perform the Kata properly or with spirit if you don't know what the applications are? Why was I given such poor applications of Kata in my training? Why did my Sensei not ask more questions of their Sensei?

the best book on the application of kata you'll ever read
I have been studying karate (as well as a number of other systems) for half my life and inevitably I found the explanations of the moves of kata to be somewhat confusing! Most of the applications which I have been taught depend on attackers grabbing/punching/kicking in a completely ludicrous way which would simply not happen in the street. Since karate was developed for self defence in the street i.e. someone won't approach you and use a karate technique, kata applications were designed by the masters to be realistic.
This book takes the reader through a comprehensive history of kata, explaining its significance and development. Most useful though, are the tools given to unlock the katas so that the techniques learnt can be used in a realistic and effective way. What I'm trying to say is: this book is fantastic, buy it if you are interested in gleaming any sort of benefit from your study of kata.