Practical Kata Bunkai: Gekisai-Dai (Fukyugata-Ni) History and Bunkai

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This video gives a very brief overview of the history and bunkai of Gekisai Dai Ichi (also known as Fukyugata Ni) and Gekisai Dai Ni. As with all such clips, this is a very short summation and hence it is impossible to cover all details and the wider training methodology. I nevertheless hope what is shown is of interest and that it encourages you to seek out further instruction.
All the best,
Iain
History of the Kata:
Essentially, the two Fukyugata are “Pinan equivalents” in that they were designed to be summation of the karate that went before. They are very new kata (made in the 1940s) and were created by Shoshin Nagamine (Matsubayashi-ryu) and Chojun Miyagi (Goju-ryu) at the request of Gen Hayakawa (governor of the Okinawa Prefecture) via the Karate-Do Special Committee.
The idea was to create standardised kata that would cut across all the various streams of karate, that were suitable for novices, and would provide a common grounding in the basics of karate. The Pinans had been in existence for some time, but they were considered to be a summation of “Shuri-te” line alone (quite rightly) and hence were lacking the “Naha-te” side of things.
Shoshin Nagamine made the first kata (Fukyugata Ich) and Chojun Miyagi made the second kata (Fukyugata Ni). Matsubayashi-ryu still practise them both. Fukyugata Ni remains part of Goju-Ryu but under the revised name of Gekisai Dai Ichi (normally the first kata taught in Goju-Ryu). Chojun Miyagi later went on to teach a second version of the same kata, which is largely the same, but with the addition of the circular hand motions common to other Goju kata. This revised version of Fukyugata Ni / Gekisai Dai Ichi is called Gekisai Dai Ni (normally the second kata taught in Goju).
The name “Fukyu” (普及) translates as something like “universal”, “popular” or “widely spread”. So the name of the kata matches the intention behind their creation. The revised name of “Gekisai" (撃砕) translates as “Pulverise” or “Attack and Destroy” which would seem to be more reflective of the intent of the applications; as opposed to the former name which reflected the “political intent” of the kata.
Irrespective of core style, the two kata are useful to all karateka for the overview they were intended to capture. For “Shuri-Te” types like myself, Fukyugata Ni (Gekisai Dai Ichi) and it’s close variant Gekisai Dai Ni can be a great way to add a little “Naha-te” into the mix. Short, simple and easy to adopt into regular practise (just as they were created to be).

[@vydyanathsubramanian8722]

A good learning of various kattas and fine tuning of kattas are possible. My thanks and gratitudes are acknowledged herein.

[@pedro.claudino]

Great! That's a feasible application for the kata! Thanks.

[@bryandivers1552]

Sensei Iain, top video as always...I've also seen the double punch and pull back (at the end of the kata) as a hit, like you've done, and throw :)

[@L0b0ccs]

Kaisai no genri says "Techniques executed while advancing are offensive. Those executed while retreating are defensive." however, in geki sai we have the gedan barai retreating and it's supposed to be an attack and the chudan yoko uke advancing, in morio hygaonna's renzo bunkai those are defensive moves.

[@practicalkatabunkai]

A strike done on the retreat can be seen as a defensive action. The “retreating gedan barai” done in this clip above in response to the enemy correcting their line and attempting to land a punch (explained at 3 mins). The step back and the dropping into the stance is an evasive motion. The gedan barai itself can be both block and counter strike, or direct counter strike. Either way, the motion is primarily defensive. Kaisai no genri does indeed say that "Techniques executed while advancing are offensive. Those executed while retreating are defensive." However, I would say that’s not the same as asserting “Techniques executed while advancing are STRIKES. Those executed while retreating are BLOCKS." I hope that better explains my thinking. All the best, Iain

[@huntergrant6520]

@@practicalkatabunkai i liked in kung fu they dont differentiate between attack and defense. Palm strikes are blocks/obstructions.

[@dirgniflesuoh7950]

To mess this up some more: When I trained "Nahatedo" we first learned Tachi kata and the Fukio katas, four of them, in a pattern similar to a compass rose, only two first were really required at the grading, they would be the style equivalents of the Takyo series in Shotokan. Then we went on to Gekisai Dai Ichi and Gekisai Dai Nie , to me they are the equivalents of Heian-series. (Our dojo also joined IOGKF for a while and then left, and then dropped the Fukio-series) I am curious at what kata might correspond to Saifa ... I find it very difficult to find videos of both the Tachi kata and the Fukio katas!

[@ssj360fan13]

Horay for Matsubayashi-Ryu!!! :)

[@zaryet]

Awesome

[@KenpoKid77]

Forgive my ignorance, was there a reason the previous version of this vid was replaced?

[@practicalkatabunkai]

I’d made a spelling error :-) So I corrected it and re-uploaded the video.

[@KenpoKid77]

practicalkatabunkai Oh, ok, thanks for responding, I know you're a busy man. Arigato Gozai Masu!

[@pokeman316]

practicalkatabunkai your effort in these videos is really appreciated, sir.

[@ookamidojo3287]

Iain, a question... In Kyokushin we have Gekisai Dai, which is roughly te same as Gekisai Dai Ichi, but we also have Gekisai Sho - which is not similar to Gekisai Dai Ni... Do you have any idea on the background of this kata?

[@jean4j_]

That being said the Goju-Ryu looks much better in my biased opinion. By the way I'm practicing neither, I used to be shodan in Wado-Ryu but I want to switch to either Kyokushin or Goju-Ryu. I love kyokushin for the full-contact sparring and I love Goju-Ryu for its kata and bunkai I actually can't choose which style

[@kevionrogers2605]

@@jean4j_Kyokushin has all the Goju Ryu kata in addition to its own unique kata plus Shotokan kata; though on the converse Kyokushin got its sparring style from Goju Ryu, so a traditional Goju Ryu dojo ought to be training similar to Kyokushin though with less modern equipment & fewer kata.

[@jean4j_]

@@kevionrogers2605 Yes it's true however the Goju-Ryu kata practiced in Kyokushin are still different. They do look more Japanese and as far as I know, they're not practiced that often, furthermore their bunkai is usually pretty supercifial. I wish Mas Oyama just kept the original Goju-Ryu kata, they are more practical. Well long story short, I'm not a big fan of Kyokushin kata haha I'm a big fan of their sparring and spirit though!

[@kevionrogers2605]

@@jean4j_ Mas Oyama studied under Gogen Yamaguchi of Goju Kai which is Japanese Goju Ryu, so its not the Okinawan version. Most Kyokushin dojo and their spinoffs either invented new kata or just do kata for drill and examinations.

[@davidnewth924]

Brilliant. I love the historical context and placed around katas and the deeper bunkai interpretation that what is initially taught! Thank you!

[@2bjjones]

I'm convinced jodan uke comes from southern dragon fist.

[@pedroalvarezl.4135]

Oss sensei