Practical Kata Bunkai: Wanshu / Enpi Opening Sequence

www.iainabernethy.co.uk/
This video looks at the opening sequence of Wanshu / Enpi (including the opening "salutation"). I see this sequence as mapping out various options -- in the form of a sequential drill -- that can be applied should the enemy secure a grip on your clothing.
The video was filmed on a small handheld camera at a seminar I did in the UK in July 2013. It was an uncharacteristically warm day and hence a fan was running to keep people cool. The sound of the fan is therefore present throughout the clip. I hope you are still able to hear everything OK and the noise does not prove too distracting.
I hope you enjoy it!
All the best,
Iain

[@PeterJonesKajuenRyu]

It is worth saying for casual viewers that this part of a much bigger way of thinking and training. If you haven't already, be sure to buy Iain's DVDs or attend seminars. They're worth it.

[@wellard72]

Thank you for your videos. I get a lot from them and enjoy the sequences and flow of attacks that you show.

[@calebhintz7351]

Thank you for the bunkai for the kata, Wanshu is one of my favorite katas.

[@riversidema]

Very interesting. Thank you for sharing these clips. The quality of the content far outweighs anything "lacking" in the professional shooting area!

[@postalshark]

Very informative. I will try this out next class.

[@mikewilliams7745]

Nice job... I study under Hanshi/Doshi Terumasa Ogawa he studied under Takemori and Funakoshi and is from Nagoya, Japan he teaches here in Hampton Roads at the age of 77 and leads us and drills us and is bad to the bone. He teaches us bunkai as we show the interest we have Muay Thai influence and chinese boxing or kempo influence in our style. It is nice to see the interpretation of others. It use to be the only people I ever heard talk about or show Bunkai were from Sensei/Hanshi/Doshi T.Ogawa of Seikukan Karate Do , Soke , Shogo Kuniba of Seishin Kai and Hanshi/ Soke/Sensei T. Hamada of Dai Nippon Butoku Kai at ODU... Bunkai is the meat and potatoes!!! The "Jitsu," of the "Do!!" Very nice work."Osu!!"

[@TheSimolit]

Yup its great to see more schools learning the 'meat and potatoes'. When I found my instructor in the early '90s it was after 15yrs of following patterns, bouncing around and using kickboxing for the combat part of the art. 20 years later I can paint my own pictures with my art....and the depth of understanding of the 'old masters' just stuns me.

[@KenpoKid77]

Mike Williams Osu, Senpai Mike! This is Rohan, one of Hanshi Jim Thomas' (R.I.P.) students from the D.C. area. I saw you mention Tesshin Sensei, just wanted say hElko. And I love Iain' s bunkai videos too. Hope all is well with you, OSU!

[@sajolray2591]

excellent

[@senseiruss]

Very cool interpretation. Every movement has effect on the attacker. Osu!

[@balajin7841]

Super very nice

[@NaihanchinKempo]

One Bunkai for the fist to the palm, represents a open hand parry and punch to the inner elbow... in this case it would not apply. Cool video sir

[@R0nge]

Wow that must have been yesterday or Saturday.... too hot for training for me, it was either the Lions or Wimbledon final and lots of cold beer..! you mad man.

[@karatearmchairhistorian9825]

My 13 year old son who has just began to learn Empi was flabbergasted, to the point of being upset, when they showed him the first technique ("the kneeling block") in class. I was happy that he questioned it, as when I learned it I took it completely for granted. Honestly, I was not able to show him any reasonable application for it. Even Iain's stuff, which is usually very creative when it comes to finding cool applications is not really good here. I suppose there really are movements in kata that are either superfluous, ineffective, or whose meanings have been completely obscured.

[@towi7303]

You mean the first technique after the yoi-position? Mainly considered as a gedan barai? Personnally, I consider it to be a takedown. Check out some Aikido-videos. There you should find many examples where one pactitioner takes down his partner and ends in a position which is very similar, if not identical, to this position in Empi.

[@R0nge]

I am a big fan of iain's stuff, but my main issue with Iain's opening interpretation for Wanshu, is that if you have your opponent by the chin and back of the head, why then bother going for the groin.. you have your opponent at a massive advantage with a raft of options to finish him..

[@practicalkatabunkai]

It’s simply if the crank fails. If it works, then job done. If not, and you can feel the crank slipping, then we don’t chase a failing technique, but instead move onto something ease. Kata is full of “what ifs” and sequences that flow on from the previous technique failing. It’s one of the problems with KZbin videos: they can never contain the entirety of what was covered so they are always missing things. This was a 4-hour session, of which there is eight minutes here. Those there will have understood the context of what is shown. I hope that helps clarify a little. Thanks for the support!

[@R0nge]

Hi Iain, wasn't expecting a response! Thanks for that. Absolutely with you on your point about the limited window a youtube video snap-shot provides.. having been to a number of your sessions I would fully expect there to be a full explanation on the day and the one you provide is both obvious and rational. For me, however, I still don't like the head crank, it doesn't feel satisfactory, but that may have more to do with my own unsatisfactory interpretation and general feeling of fustration with Empi applications. :-)

[@Bellshazar]

Is your next dvd going to include this kata. Are you going to add any more more video's of niseishi (other than the one already on your channel)?

[@MrWintersho]

Well done, my friend. You have my respect. Osu, Frank (Ass. Inst. WCA # 0007)

[@kostaspapaioannou4283]

I think what the video says is too complicated. It is just a block.

[@BelloBudo007]

I think it's fair to say that these applications are unlikely to be the original ones. Having said that, they're way better than most of the rubbish people are putting forward as ata bunkai. At least these are logical, workable, make sense AND you can still see the kata in them. In fact, there's every chance that these applications are actually better than the originals.

[@klemenbaker6682]

Moves in kata have more than one function.

[@retarded_panda0765]

I always thought it was l leg lock instead

[@drewnut]

hand covering the fist also reminds me of yin and yang. like you said, it's just an opinion cause the truth is lost