So you want kata bunkai?

Kata bunkai - the old chestnut again. I was discussing bunkai with someone only yesterday. We were in agreement that you have to get the fundamentals right before you can start leaping in with bunkai and suchlike. The big question is - "what are the fundamentals?"

Basics doesn't mean the bit in class where you stand in line doing military drill (y'know, all that marching about and kiaiing together).

What do Basics mean to you?

I said in my conversation that I tend not to worry about "bunkai" these days - y'know bunkai, the "he does this, you do that" routine using kata-like movements. The competition people have taken over that type of thing and are holding the wrong end of the bo again. I think there's a lot of misplaced emphasis in the karate world at the moment and bunkai is one of them.

I'm not against bunkai of course, I just think there are too many people thrashing away at it when there are more important things to look at.

Here's an article that might help.
http://www.shikon.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1084