PRACTICALITY; WASTE NOT, WANT NOT

 by Phillip Starr

It was Master Seiyu Oyata (dec., 10^th dan of Okinawan karate) who told me, “Karate is very practical. In the kata, nothing is wasted. Every movement has a special meaning (application).” And he proceeded to demonstrate exactly what he meant. I recall working on a portion (actually, just the first two movements) of the kata known as Naihanchi Shodan (in Japanese karate, it is often called “Tekki”) for four hours one afternoon! Although I'm a kung-fu stylist, I'm familiar with several karate katas and I would never have suspected how much information was concealed within this simple form.

The people of all Asian cultures are very pragmatic. They try not to waste anything (this is especially true of food, especially meat of an kind). This is particularly true of their martial arts. In arts such as karate and kung-fu, EVERY movement following the bow or salute has a special application. There are no “empty” movements that lack practical application. In some cases involving forms that feature various movements prior to the bow/salute, the movements BEFORE the bow have special applications. Nothing is empty or wasted.

And so it should be in the practice of jyu-kumite (freestyle sparring). No movements are wasted. One moves only when it is necessary or to one's advantage. There is no hopping up and down like a kangaroo on methamphetamine...