The educational system often talks about the ‘Three Rs’ of Reading Writing and Arithmetic. In Karate, however, there are three Ks – Kihon, Kata and Kumite. Let’s look at each one and explain what they are and how these elements work together.
Kihon is our Basics. Basics are the fundamentals of our art or style; basics are our punches, our kicks, our blocks, our strikes and our stances. To build a strong foundation for our karate, we must drill and practice the basics constantly.
Kata means Form. Forms are sequences of movements that are put together in an overall pattern. Kata training includes the elements of direction, technique, speed, power and rhythm. On a deeper level, the analysis of kata can lead to many useful discoveries for practical self-defence, since hidden within the different forms are many useful sequences of movements that can be directly applied to different scenarios. This is called Bunkai.
Kumite means Partner Work or Sparring. At a basic level, pre-arranged training drills help us get used to using different punches, kicks, blocks and strikes (the techniques learned from the kihon and kata). Through these set training drills, we are able to directly apply our defensive movements and counters against actual attacks.
Bunkai literally means to “separate” or “break down” (“bun”) and “understand” (“kai”). Kata-bunkai means to break down the movements of the kata and study their practical applications, Every kata tells a story. In many styles, there is a divide within karate over kata versus kumite. They are two different things, and both can influence Bunkai. Bunkai is the marriage of Kata and Kumite through the practical application of Kihon.