Nihanchin Kata

[MifuneBoBune]

Furthermore, you should sit in grateful awe that you live in an age wherein you can get on a computer and watch videos of martial arts masters all over the world. These men are the carriers and transmitters of a knowledge that you can't even imagine. The only way you can begin to know is to shut up and submit to instruction. So, what are you going to do?

[MifuneBoBune]

Shimabuku was an older man and not in good health when he did these demos. For you know-nothings making your crass little uninformed comments ... take karate till you are a shodan, then you might be qualified to ask a question. If you don't have the balls to go the three to seven years to get your first degree black belt, just sit there and shut up, realize you're idiots and do something to change your childish attitudes. You don't have a right to ask a question, much less, comment on anything.

[mrthebillman]

And he did it all while drunk!, apparently.

[Sochinsensei]

from what i have heard,from guys who trained with him years ago Shimabuku Sensei was nothing to be messed with, don't let your pompous egos fool you, please keep in mind there are reasons in Okinawa that the U.S. Marines for the most part only studied under Shimabuku Sensei,and had picked to train with him over the other Okinawan masters offering Karate to the American G.I.'s,and the Marines I know, are not going to waste their time learning something that will get them killed in a bar fight,

[Sochinsensei]

As a demonstration it is wanted but as reference material it is very good.I believe that this footage was never supposed to be shown to the outside world, or Shimabuku Sensei would have more than likely thrown a lot more power behind the technique, and properly demonstrated his version of Naihanchin,However I do think that this footage along wiht the other footage was filmed for reference purposes and it serves that purpose well, I use it for reference material in my training.

[cmskokoro]

my favorite Kata. Shimabuku created the style, mastered it and could still kick serious butt when he was really old. I Love the man!

[enokuh]

Whise karate style is it??

[Saiforn77]

You meen Naihanchi?

[fernandobodi]

And completing (and finishing ) my comment on this, if you ask me if I like the way that the naihanchi is performed in this video, I will say: No, I don´t like it at all. I love this kata, but I don´t like how is done by Shimabuko. If you ask about effectiveness of the different techniques displayed in Naihanchi, I would say that this kata is very effective when done properly. To master a Kata means not only doing the right movements, but also having the mental condition.

[fernandobodi]

What would you call a real fight? Those tournaments seen on TV? Boxing, Vale tudo, Kick boxing, etc.? Full contact sports are not real fight situations, and in this cases, again, it is about the person not the martial art whatever that may be. A good bag training doesn´t give you the mentality to suceed in a real fight. Remember that a bag doesn´t hit you back. Of course this is my opinion and I don´t look for any agreement. I am just thinking that this discussion has no sense....

[fernandobodi]

It is not about martial art, it´s about the practicioner. It is very disrespecful to state that kata or the bunkai is overrated or is not effective in real fights, I personally had to defend myself of an attacker, and believe this: it worked. Some martial artists are simply not good and get kicked by somebody who is used to fight everyday with no style at all. Period. to bee continue...

[fernandobodi]

I don´t get why there is kata vs bag training discussion as a comment of this video. Honestly I don´t like at all the way this kata is performed, period. Regarding kata vs bag, karate is not about only kata or punching and kicking a bag. A complete martial artist must do both: Kata will give the technique, distance, coordination and mental attitute. Bag will give the strengh, distance and focus. In addition, a complete karateka must do bunkai, makiwara, streching and meditation.

[miguelmstewie]

It is a relevant discussion because kata is suppossed to be about fighting and with the advent of MMA and video evidence on the internet, it is very apparent that traditional karate and kata it not very effective in a real fight. You are consistently seeing traditional karate guys getting their butts handed to them by a fighter that has trained in MMA,BJJ and just about any other art that requires sparring or grappling training.

[miguelmstewie]

Bunkai and Kata are simply over rated and it is no longer possible to impress people by theorizing what should happen during a real fight when there is overwhelming evidence to the contray. The Martial Arts have evolved beyond Kata and Bunkai; get over it already!!

[talon115]

If one guy practiced kata for 6 months and another guy hit the heavy bag for 6 months. Who would you want on your side in a bar fight?

[miguelmstewie]

You can practice any strike on the heavy bag, including knees and elbows, eye gouges and strikes to the throat and have the advantage of experiencing real impact. All other things being equal, I would want the guy training on the heavy bag without a doubt. I saw a video on you tube of two kung fu masters in a full contact fight and they looked like a couple of school girls. They had no clue how to deliver a true strike because they had only done kata.

[talon115]

I'm glad someone on here is sane.

[miguelmstewie]

A ballerina can throw incredible flying kicks and fling their arms in the air, but just like kata they cant use that in a real fight. How many successful professional karate/mma fighters do you know that have never sparred and never hit any type of bag? The correct answer is ZERO!! Although kata does have benefits of conditioning and coordination, Kata alone is not going to cut it in a real fight. It is ignorant and naive to think otherwise.

[miguelmstewie]

I prefer the original Naihanchi, before Shimabuku changed it. The original kata had focus, power and dynamics and left out the shaky upper body movement. The legend is; the same Okinawan masters that withdrew their blessings of his new style warned him not to teach the American Marines the true Okinawan techniques. Thus Kihon and Kata were changed according to their demands. This is hear say among the traditional Okinawan Masters who still do not recognize Isshin-Ryu.However, seeing is believing

[Thekaratekid101]

Your so right but who cares he made such a great kata and style.

[miguelmstewie]

Opinions vary.

[nijuken]

very interesting