Basic Seiyunchin Bunkai for Goju Ryu

We are starting weekly online karate classes from the 3rd of August 2024: email [e-mail] to get added to the sign-up list. Getting ready for your next Goju Ryu grading? We break down Seiyunchin into manageable, basic bunkai sections, demonstrating the techniques contained within the kata. Ideal for those heading towards brown and black belt, or established seniors looking for new ideas.
Kihon bunkai is designed to introduce karate practitioners to the most basic elements of fighting, creating a foundation upon which to build a more advanced, practical understanding of the kata. We've created 12, bite-sized bunkai for this long kata - please let us know which one is your favourite in the comments below!
Chapters:
00:00 - 01:58 - who this bunkai is designed for
01:59 - 04:24 - 1: Mountain block/yame uke
04:26 - 05:52 - 2: Hike-uke and nukite
05:53 - 07:53 - 3: Breakout and punch with ashi barai (sweep)
07:54 - 08:55 - 4: Empi uchi/hije-ate (elbow strike)
08:56 - 11:36 - 5: Chest block, shikodachi and gedan berai
11:37 - 13:30 - 6: Morote-uke/Double block (face and groin strike)
13:31 - 14:50 - 7: Sweep, strike, uraken (back fist)
14:51 - 16:00 - 8: Morote-uke and bensokudachi
16:01 - 17:32 - 9: Uppercut, uraken, gedan berai (kiai point)
17:33 - 21:04 - 10: Double elbow strike
21:05 - 21:44 - 11: Block and uraken
21:45 - 23:46 - 12: Last move of the kata
23:47 - 26:00 - Why kihon bunkai matters
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Video produced by:
Zoe Jagger-Hinis
zoehinis.com/

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

We're working our way through basic bunkai - watch this space for more soon!

[@coolboy5428]

At least you admit the first part is not really real, I do karate and the first part will never work

[@johnarokium8068]

Thank you Sensei .Well executed video on basic bunkai of Seiyunchin kata .

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Thank you so much, Sensei! We love to hear from you 🙇🏻‍♀️

[@kyleandramorgan3536]

Great video as always!

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️

[@zoehinis7848]

Still learning to work around the mic, but Sensei Jagger is definitely improving his volume control. Didn't have to do as much audio clean up as last time!

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

At least the mic only fell off once 🤣

[@philipmoscatello3034]

A very good explanation of the kata, thank you Sensei.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Only a pleasure! Thank you for watching and commenting 🙇🏻‍♀️

[@philipmoscatello3034]

@@GojuRyuKarateCentre Always a pleasure watching your very informative videos.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

And we love to hear from you! We know it is easier to just watch and click away, so we always appreciate your comments 🙇🏻‍♀️

[@siriusbontea]

Great presentation, Sensei. Master the basics, and the rest will follow. Thanks for doing what you do!

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Ah, thank you so much for these kind words! Never too cool, too senior or too old to do basics 🙇🏻‍♀️

[@siriusbontea]

​@@GojuRyuKarateCentre, absolutely!

[@matthews1082]

There are like a handful of my favourite bunkai for this kata and as I watched your video I kept thinking "do it do it" and sure enough you'd do it as a variation. So good to watch a quality presentation for a change! You call it Basic Bunkai - I call it the only type of Bunkai that works. Over the years I've watched so many fancy and largely impractical joint-manipulation and escape techniques being inferred from those 3 simple opening moves of Seiyunchin (by some internet-famous karatekas too), your basic interpretation is a refreshing change. I've never seen an old Okinawan master do those fancy moves - it's always 1 defensive move followed by one irimi (move in) going for the kill. Your presentation here is almost like our basic syllabus plus a few interpretations which we'd only teach advance students (such as sneaking the hand behind the nape of the other guys neck, pulling him in and then elbowing him in the head/face). Such a nice video I watched it more than twice actually. In the 3 opening moves of Seiyunchin, we move: 1) Forward 2) 45 degrees, 3) Sink down - that tells us that 1) we close with the opponent 2) at an angle therefore usually to get to one side of him 3) We sink into Shiko Dachi using our body-weight - which means usually to use the weight to break-free or drag the guy down/off balance him. I think any bunkai of the arms must incorporate these 3 principles as much as possible. In fact all the instances of Shiko-Dachi in this particular kata seem to come with a pulling/dragging of the opponent using one's own body-weight (as do the Neko-Ashi dachi instances). Double hand blocks : Again, you are absolutely right - it's always one hand blocks, the other attacks simultaneously , not any other fancy explanation of arm-locking etc. Nice video! Looking forward totally to the next one.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

We know we'll never be as big as the famous karate guys, because we do the "boring" karate that doesn't entertain hobbyists or Cobra Kai fans who don't actually do karate. But we think it's important to contribute to the wider karate library of knowledge, because we stand on the shoulders of giants and we owe to them to make sure their knowledge continues onwards. You are 100% right - Seiyunchin is a close-range kata with lots of throws and chokes implied. And we are so glad that we covered your favourites! Rice is basic, but we need it for a good meal! No shame in doing the straightforward stuff that gets the job done. It would be a delight to share the mat with you someday, sir! I'm sure we would have much to discuss. Thank you for this lovely, reaffirming long-form comment - it brings us great joy, truly!

[@matthews1082]

@@GojuRyuKarateCentre Keep working at your videos because they're full of substance and details - and more viewers will come to appreciate them, I believe. Many hobbyists etc fail to appreciate the simple moves - take Seyunchin's opening moves for example - one hand grabs, the other jabs - it seems simple. But if it were Chojun Miyagi grabbing one's arm (or Morio Higaonna as a living example) and they grabbed the fleshy part and squeezed, the power of their grip alone would have half-paralysed most attackers - the nukite into the side wouldv''e finished one off. The effectiveness of the Goju-ryu system comes from training much hojo-undo (how many people have the ability to KO an opponent with a nukite into the body?), it comes not from having a wide repertoire of flashy techniques. But that's a lot of sweat pain and patience and not much entertainment.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

This is what we explain to people - the average Westerner doesn't have the strength to really hurt anyone with a nukite to the body. We do a fair amount of hojo undo and we still wouldn't consider our hands strong enough to do the kind of damage that the old Sensei could do. So yes, it looks "impractical", if you don't know the origin story. And you're right - the real deal is more repetitive and boring than people realise.

[@matthews1082]

@@GojuRyuKarateCentre The old stories of Ryu Ryu Ko (passed down via Kanryo Higaonna) said that he first worked in construction and then when he was old, in making bamboo furniture. I watched 3rd world country brick-layers in some countries - one guy would toss a brick 2 Meters into the air, the other guy who's standing on top of the wall, would catch/grab the brick - and they'd do this hundreds of times a day every day until the wall is completed - here's an example kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJa6XpWIlrh_a5Y that's gotta be good hojo undo!

[@zoehinis7848]

@@matthews1082 oh, absolutely! Ché is a 5th generation chimney sweep - that twisting motion with the brooms, and schlepping tool boxes from a young age, helped form his super strong forearms and grip. It's actually his winter job! In South Africa here, I've seen labourers throwing bricks up one or two storeys, effortlessly. Can't beat that kind of training! We have a student who is a welder, and is also incredibly strong and wiry. Hojo undo is as natural as breathing to him!

[@barbarba7]

Thank you Sensi for your continued hard work. I appreciate it.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

And we appreciate you! 🌺

[@barbarba7]

😘

[@vitormaltez]

Arigatou gozaimashita Sensei, for the excelente explication of the seiyunchin basic bunkai and the aditional knowledge that you passed for the advanced bunkai. That is a tendency to stay only with the basic bunkai and do not evolve to the advance ones, wich I thing is a real problem. I think a marcial artist has to think, dream, imagine, create and materialise in the real world his understanding of the movements of self defense contained in the kata. That transfer is very important. These videos are truly an inspiration. Once again, Doumo arigatou gozaimashita.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Thank you so much for these very kind words, Vitor! Our bunkai and kata must evolve - treating karate as a dead, static art hurts the style and the practitioner, especially when there is so much to learn! Sometimes it is a case of the instructor reaching the limits of their knowledge, but luckily we live in an age of unprecedented karate knowledge and sharing. And if we know our karate well enough, then we can parse what is useful and what isn't for us online. Wishing you all the best in your training! Thank you so much for commenting and watching 🙇🏻‍♀️

[@bassoskat]

As somebody who trains in a style that has aspects of both of goju and shotokan, this is really helpful. So knowledgable thank you!

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

So glad we can be helpful! Do you perhaps train in Gokan Ryu?

[@danilodibujo]

Excellent!

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Thank you!

[@angelinadamatta2670]

Thank you sensei!

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Always a pleasure, champ!

[@lesbubka]

Good clip thank you sensei

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Thank you! It means a great deal to us to hear this from you 🙇🏻‍♀️ Also, no title please - you are much more Sensei than I am! - Ché

[@lesbubka]

@@GojuRyuKarateCentre I think we can both agree that title are not needed :)

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Titles are for books!

[@Prindad]

Fabulous, as are your other videos. I have returned to Goju Ryu after several years and your videos are supplementing my training marvelously. Thank you!

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Ah, this is such a lovely comment to receive, thank you! And we're so glad our videos can help you in your renewed Goju journey 🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️

[@kungfudileep5691]

Oss master,Super & easy explain all methords

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Thank you so much for the lovely comment!

[@billtierney9044]

Again, great job.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Thank you so much, Bill! Much appreciated 🙇🏻‍♀️

[@billtierney9044]

Hi Sensei, thank you for your posts. It helped me prepare for my black belt. I look forward to you sharing your knowledge.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Ah, thank you so much for these kind words! We are honoured to be of help with our little channel, and we look forward to sharing more content with you, and being a small part of your amazing karate journey 🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️

[@cesarrodrigues6392]

Thank you! Working towards my brown belt and this video was really helpful - clear video and explanations, highlights of slight differences how the kata might be taught in different dojos and abundant discussion of the (im)practicalities of using some of the basic bunkai techniques in real-life situations. Thank you very much!

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Ah, so kind Cesar! We're so glad our video is helpful to you - it is always our goal to produce clear and helpful videos 🙏

[@aishwaryapotdar1348]

So so helpful, feel better about the bunkai now haha, thank you!

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Wonderful! So happy that we could help - with the extra diligent study, I'm sure your Sensei is proud 👏🏻

[@chrishepler3107]

I also found the final move of Seiyunchin lacking -- as a block against a single opponent, it's too much movement, and as an escape that turns into strikes or throws I found I had to add movements that weren't directly in the kata. Following the principle that any two-handed movement is probably not meant to double up on a single-limb attack, I discovered something very interesting. Try it with TWO opponents, each holding on to one of your arms with double-handed grips as if they were trying to control you. The second-to-last movement, the step forward with the raising up of the arms creates kuzushi and starts to swing the ukes -- then like in the kata, the tori drops back into neko-ashi-dachi, rotating one opponent on each arm as tori's arms loop. It's likely the ukes let go in the process, which allows for an escape, but if they don't, the final hand position ends up with tori grabbing their heads and slamming them together. I don't have a dojo or willing partner at the moment to video what I mean, but it made so much sense to me once I'd done it that I'm convinced that's its actual main application. Give it a try.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Absolutely outstanding bunkai idea - I can see it in my mind's eye, going to try it out and get back to you. Definitely, much has been lost through time, and some answers are just not satisfying, especially as we try to reverse-engineer bunkai decades and decades later. Thank you for this thoughtful and enriching comment!

[@lakshmanweerakoon6261]

Very valuable sensei😍😍😍

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Ah, thank you so much for the kind words!

[@taxmanr1]

🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Thank you!

[@williamyoung2517]

Excellent video, good sound and picture quality! I see that Zoe Sensei's background as an Aikido Uke was put to good uses. Loved the comments that were added to the video and the kata for pistol at the end. my original senseis were husband and wife and its was always fun to have them work together. Your comment about moving off the center line is very important and always not realized by martial artist. Especially with older or smaller defenders. The center line and how it is used is key to understanding several martial arts. You can also move off the center line inside of the opponents punch. this lets you deliver a vertical palm strike to the chin, block the second punch and hit the carotid artery. I think that palm strike and carotid artery strikes are also very important to older and younger defenders. Lastly moving off the center line can give you the ability to just run if that is the best option. The problem I have always dealt with when learning bunkai is since most attacks are two roundhouses, right and left, how do defend against the second while dealing with the first. being quick and moving off the center line are two ways, but not all of us are quick anymore! I feel reinforcing basics are so very important. Thank you again for a great video.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Still going to leave this here - a great comment is a great comment!

[@caiden5266]

Realy nice done

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Thank you! 🌺

[@farhadt8581]

Sensei thank you very much for sharing the Kihon Binkai of this kata. Well appreciated & keep sharing more videos. Would love to watch & improve. DOMO ARIGATO GOZAIMASTA

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Only a pleasure! Thank you so much for taking the time to watch and leave such a lovely comment. Your diligence will pay off!

[@anthonyvesona5531]

Thanks!

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Oh wow! Thank you so much for the super thanks! With Ché planning a trip to Okinawa on July for grading, every dollar counts 💞

[@anthonyvesona5531]

@@GojuRyuKarateCentre wishing che and all of you the very best always!! ♥️

[@Burvedys]

My two euro cents for the viewers, as a rule of thumb: bunkai explains the movement to be learnt and consist of basic techniques (hence, bunkai translates "to break to pieces"); oyo shows the applications of the techniques in an direct (omote) and hidden (ura) sense (hence, it is "an application of the combination"); henka waza shows a variation that might be more convenient to the practitioner due to his height, weight or whatever he/she preferers (some people are too shy to grab the groin, for example). So gedan-barai might be a sweeping downward block which makes no tactical sense at the end of combination but helps to explain bunkai when learning the embusen of kata; however, it might also be a grab of hair and a pull down which is the oyo (or henka: "let me grab your nose instead..."). :)

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

All true and very useful! Thank you for sharing more than just two euro cents - this is golden 🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️

[@oldschoolmuzzey]

thanks

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Pleasure! Thank you for watching and commenting 🙇🏻‍♀️

[@markfisher2683]

Hi Sensei! Real “ quick “ question, for a change;)! In your professional opinion, or at least in your personal teaching/Dojo, at what point in a students training ( and/or Dan ranking) does the conversation of getting into the introduction of “ applied versus BASIC karate “ begin? Thank you again. Great video and breakdown, btw!

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Great question! Short answer: age and readiness to discuss and learn. Long answer will be in our next bunkai video, just for you 🙇🏻‍♀️ Thank you for the lovely feedback! Always great to hear from you 🌺

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Hope my answer in the upcoming video covers it. Thanks for all the comments Che

[@jonasjpm1989]

👍👏

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

🙇🏻‍♀️🥋🙇🏻‍♀️

[@Tamales21]

Morete Uke is just a Kata Guruma isn't?

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Have also seen it called that - my various karate books all offered different terms 😅 Thank you for stopping by and commenting! Always appreciated 🙇🏻‍♀️

[@Tamales21]

@@GojuRyuKarateCentre and I appreciate these awesome videos. Edit: oh man I meant he the double block looks alot like a fireman throw. Especially your variation from the inside. 👍👍🥋🥋👊

[@lesbubka]

@@Tamales21 can be but not only :) our sample kzbin.info/www/bejne/pWGrkHelotWnbMk

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Ah, yes indeed - Seiyunchin has some delicious throws hidden in the bunkai. More for advanced study - and I forgot the kata garuma from my judo and Aikido days (says Zoe)

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

@LesBubka Beautiful 😍

[@adisarman2735]

Onegaishimashu...... 👍

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Dou itashimaste!

[@vijaybansod186]

This is for fighting.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Hai!

[@chejagger1]

Very Basic

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

So is rice, but the world needs it 🙇🏻‍♀️

[@Tamales21]

@@GojuRyuKarateCentre the one two combo is basic so is ashi barai but people still win gold medals with that basic technique

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Exactly this, @Tamales21!

[@keithhere5292]

i find these basic bunkai an attempt to explain movements not understood

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Bunkai is definitely the way to unlock the meaning of kata. We hope you found our video useful! Thank you for taking the time to comment 🙇🏻‍♀️