UNSU Kata BUNKAI by Iain Abernethy (

Learn practical kata application from bunkai expert Iain Abernethy and Jesse Enkamp - The Karate Nerd. The UNSU kata was originally named UNSHU in Okinawa but was renamed and modernized for Shotokan when Funakoshi Gichin sent his students to learn it from Kenwa Mabuni, the founder of Shito-ryu. However, it's brutal defensive techniques work no matter what version of the kata (UNSU / UNSHU) you practice because self-defense is not limited to specific Karate styles. Visit www.karatebyjesse.com to learn more awesome stuff! @practicalkatabunkai

[@KARATEbyJesse]

Thanks for all your comments! Make sure to visit my website to learn more about Karate: www.karatebyjesse.com 😄

[@onray1000]

More bunkai from Unsu please. That was awesome.

[@triau7166]

We demand more practical bunkai : D thanks sensei

[@anonymous-jr6tf]

You won't get it..he has no clue what he's doing he's just a money grab and he's an absolute joke to karate.

[@debanjandutta2235]

That's what real karate looks like where are those people who say karate doesn't work 🤨

[@watenallace663]

@@basteagui I think this kind of self defense kata is for when you aren't prepared and need something from muscle memory, no time to think

[@anitasmith815]

Wow high level

[@debanjandutta2235]

@Bryan have you seen the masvidal vs askren fight yet,,, not everytime wrestlers win,, not everyone is khabib ,, conor McGregor has beat so many wrestler's ass in his life ofcourse wrestlers are good athlete but you know what there's always a solution for every problem

[@FireTripperJeff]

In what situation would you run into an attacker with your face covered and then try and gouge their eyes? Karate can work, but kata's are worse than useless. Doing a preset dance and not having a resisting opponent is a complete waste of time. Unless you are doing the kata for display I can't see the point; you would be better off spending the time improving your conditioning.

[@b3agz]

@@basteagui One of the things Iain Abernethy reiterates a lot is that the masters (I forget which) clearly stated that Kata was not for fighting other trained fighters. It was for dealing with attacks by "ruffians"

[@onlyhuman7420]

As always,Iain and Jesse are on the top of the Karate game.

[@akrocuba]

ANOTHER OUTSTANDING VID!!! I love how this vid demonstrated that Kata is NOT useless in any way, shape or form. I hear and see a lot of people dismissing Kata because they think it is useless. Now, I only practice a handful of my favorite Katas, but I respect them all and once in while I find a new one that I never heard of and I'll try it out MUCH RESPECT!!!!

[@practicalkatabunkai]

Thank you!

[@yoannybatista4202]

Tip of the iceberg! I was assigned this Kata back in 1992 to practice endlessly for competition. The beginnings of Shotokan in Cuba. The bunkai was never taught to me then. I remember performing all the movements endlessly imagining possible applications while surrounded by multiple attackers. Thank you for this eye opening demonstration.

[@damienm3640]

Iain is the Man to explain the Real karaté as a bujutsu and not only Budo or karaté-sport

[@IronMartialArts]

As a Karateka & Judoka I would argue that the footwork looks more like O Uchi Gari to me & instead of sweeping from the back like Ian mentioned (Osoto Gari) it’s look to me to be a sweep from the inside instead but that’s the beautiful thing about Kata different people interpret it different ways (:

[@danilodibujo]

I guess it would depend on your position and distance with the "enemy"...

[@helmutkogel6506]

It is a typical first class Bunkai explanation of Iain! Congratulation! This interpretation for the beginning of Unsu Kata has real practical relevance in close combat. Much better than the often demonstrated ballet moves of other authors. Thanks Jesse, thanks Iain. with kind regards Helmut

[@nurbaiti_hikaru]

My beautiful fav Kata, and now I know how brutal it is.

[@safdarkh786]

I wont be looking at the wierd hand positions the same way anymore!😯. This is pure savagery!(or savageness pardon my english!😅)

[@KARATEbyJesse]

Beastmode! 🔥

[@richardropee6083]

Unsu, one of my favourite katas...... thanks for the great insight, masters👊👊.... Btw, I AM FIRST😜😀😀 Oops......looks like I missed it😛😛 - A Shōtōkan boy from India.

[@KARATEbyJesse]

Thanks for watching!

[@debanjandutta2235]

Hey brother I'm also from India And I'm a brown belt in shotokan

[@richardropee6083]

@@debanjandutta2235 Are you from Bengal, mate?

[@bunkaiking]

Traditional karate has alot of throws, and takedowns. Unfortunately the art was "watered down" and was mainly looked at as a sport. Which I really did not like. However, its great to see again, sensei Jesse and sensei Iain sharing there ideas and philosophy to all us karate nerds!

[@riazzaman20]

Love it! More please!!!!

[@tapasdutta2989]

Unbreakable Karate moves. Awesome!!!!!!!

[@kdog3311]

Thank you so much for sharing that. Awesome!

[@leodaido]

Definitely the best bunkai I've ever seen!! Thanks Senseis

[@antoinecarter536]

You two are great!

[@Jaska124]

God dang. I wondered for ages, what the bunkai for those moves could be, and there it is. Brilliant. And brutal.

[@satheeshkumar6865]

Awesome bunkai, thank you for sharing. 🙏🙏🙏

[@nickhellfreakshow]

Picked my favourite kata. Love it

[@alanellenii]

AWESOME! Love these segments! Kata Bunkai - Rocks!

[@practicalkatabunkai]

Thank you! I'm pleased you liked it.

[@allzweckwaffe5995]

Never thought Unsu is this brutal :D

[@mehdin.fazlic8619]

Great !Txs both of u

[@peponk1410]

great work jesse

[@Crystals10000]

i love bunkai its so fun to theorize

[@3Pillers]

I like it. Thanks for posting. GB

[@MajinGaijin]

Sensei Abernethy’s brilliance never ceases to amaze me. Thanks for the awesome content, Jesse!

[@KARATEbyJesse]

My absolute pleasure 😄

[@practicalkatabunkai]

Thank you!

[@Remi8748]

Beautiful application by mr Abernethy. Really well explained

[@practicalkatabunkai]

Thank you!

[@SIMONSK9CLUB]

Oss sensei. Loved this video. Always enjoy watching your kata bunkai oss sensei

[@KARATEbyJesse]

Great to hear!

[@Bleyk]

Cool nice work again

[@MrEMT4466]

GOOD STUFF!!! THANKS!!!!!

[@provakarroychy1535]

Truly said- "Beautiful and Brutal".

[@ShakeNShred]

Makes so much more sense than the femoral artery strike everyone seems to teach for that move. In a self-defense situation, the chances you'll be accurate enough to strike the femoral artery with one finger (and not shatter that finger) is remote. Great stuff, Iain and Jesse!

[@kresimirsijerak6260]

Just a 50 cent from me.I watched Tsutomu Oshima doing nukite in to the body,but he lined up and bended fingers so it worked really well.He use it in a snappy way and it is destructive.And you dont need to condition fingers before ...so it is possible I guess

[@practicalkatabunkai]

Thank you!

[@Turbulent2000]

Nice! Wow! How about to show the whole Unsu Bunkai in the next videos? )

[@thevoiceofthesign5592]

Lain Lain Lain you very dangerous. Respect you. I like your karate applications

[@leoreodcinn9153]

Beginner Judoka here. I instinctively thought how familiar 0:45 looked to Ouchi-Gari before seeing the rest of the video. We are taught to step forward and draw a circle with our toe. How interesting!

[@peponk1410]

thx for all

[@danteandcratosman89]

This is so great to watch, I do this kata with shotokan and absolutely hated it when our sensei makes us practice Unsu but this was an excellent video Osu

[@FrankBrocato]

I have trained with Iain here in the States,his knowledge and expertise is amazing . Thanks for posting this working together always makes us better.

[@practicalkatabunkai]

Thanks Frank!

[@FrankBrocato]

@@practicalkatabunkai I am sure you are wondering , I was with you in Franklin N.C. with Donnie

[@practicalkatabunkai]

@@FrankBrocato That was a fun few days!

[@gabrielemorasso2844]

Very good!! OSS!!

[@madet9267]

cant wait to learn this kata ^-^

[@KARATEbyJesse]

It's a fun one, good luck!

[@madet9267]

@@KARATEbyJesse thankss

[@gmddmg]

The very realistic interpretation of the first movements, in my opinion.

[@Spikespiegel823]

That's beautifully brutal😁

[@blockmasterscott]

Wow, I will never look at Unsu the same way again!

[@ChristosLouridas]

Nice one to both of you. Blue belt here. Don’t dare to touch Unsu yet. But was a nice bubkai of it. Also nice glitch at the end. Jesse😉

[@DanielFelipeFonseca]

Post more videos with iain!

[@KARATEbyJesse]

You’re welcome

[@DanielFelipeFonseca]

@@KARATEbyJesse Yesss! thanks

[@banzai8789]

Nice place, by the lake

[@robertma6068]

Interesting to see a more brutal Kata. It's funny that vehicles and people doing stuff seems to follow you more than others in your videos. I was just thinking as I post this that maybe it's because you do a lot of your videos in lots of outdoor locations, and a lot of your indoor locations are busy ones, like full dojos.etc. So with more aggressive/brutal kata like this, would this have been made by practitioners in the past that were in more peril than in other time periods locals?

[@nytrodralyg1860]

Can you do a video on Taekwondo Forms? I am very confused, as apparently it seems that General Choi Hong Hi created the Taekwondo Forms based on the Shotokan Kata without actually knowing the application of those kata

[@KARATEbyJesse]

🙊🙊🙊

[@giantflamingrabbitmonster8124]

I don't know much Korean history, but I'd wager that the General knew. It's probably that just like the modern karate forms taught in America today the teaching of the applications hasn't survived (especially with the shift towards competition-style martial arts).

[@nytrodralyg1860]

@@giantflamingrabbitmonster8124My I had that assumption, after I watched all of the old Recordings of Gen. Choi Hong Hi explaining the Taekwondo Tul/Hyeong and then reading all of his books About them. In his book he is Always showing the Hikite not being applied or all of the blocks literally being used as a block, which is obviously incorrect

[@giantflamingrabbitmonster8124]

@@nytrodralyg1860 Wow, that's kinda surprising. I'll have to look into the history of why he was there and who he may have learned from. I know that Japan and Korea have been at odds for a very long time. No idea about Okinawa though.

[@philipk83]

That would be interesting to see as well. I transitioned from TKD to Muay Thai yrs back and I know 90% of the TKD practitioners now don't know the application to their forms (at least for WTF style). But TKD did start as Karate so it's very interesting to see the similarities. Since coming across Iain's YT channel, I've been looking back at the old TKD forms in a different light. Thanks for the vid Karate Nerd!

[@geraldaitken478]

Beautiful kata but deadly. MANY katas fit that description.

[@danilodibujo]

I would´ve never imagine that movement was about that! This guy is a MASTER of bunkai, no doubt about it! "Beautiful and Brutal", indeed!!!🤣

[@practicalkatabunkai]

Thank you for the kinds words!

[@cinimatics]

Oh my. That's fun lol

[@ahmaenya7211]

I wanna see you in mma, jesse

[@cronix2700]

Could you do a kobudo fight plz

[@apatheticsquid5658]

I'd like to see some applications of some of the advances Goju-Ryu kata, maybe sepai or sesan?

[@KARATEbyJesse]

Sure! The grappling of Seipai is epic 💪💪💪

[@apatheticsquid5658]

@@KARATEbyJesse my sensei has worked on a bit of the bunkai with us but it's always great to see another point of view 😊

[@practicalkatabunkai]

Here is a few that may be of interest: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppfac4VtnJWWbKc kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZCbpoaiot2Aisk kzbin.info/www/bejne/bWOopIV3rN5gjac

[@rogerbyrd3524]

Nice move. Gojushiho has then nice eye gouge as well 😁

[@rogerbyrd3524]

Alessandro Giolitti Cool and thanks I sure will ! Yea I practice Shorin Ryu Shorinkan katas the Gojushiho we have came down from Shugoro Nakazato who he learned from Chibana etc. so it’s close very similar to what Sho is with a few differences in stance etc so we have the finger not thumb gouge to the eyes before the end. Yea these are nice katas for sure. It’s great to learn the little variations and bunkai. Always up for that !

[@ferfykins]

Excellent ^_^

[@terrynichols4614]

I'd like to learn whole kata & most important are the applications. Please teach us how to apply (use,) any kata!!!!!! Most of us improvise oppent , with leg= broom on chair or 2 brooms tied in cross & pillows tied to it hung from door frame. We need improvised experience (not pretend) to remember & react with 1or 2 things from a 1000 moves when the time comes. With improvised experience there's a REWARD = ENJOYMENT so I study & relax more. I'm able to give LOVE to those who HATE, HARM,& DESIRED to ROB me!!!!!!!

[@pablomartinezguerrero7782]

A very brutal kata too with a lot of dark moves is Sanseru :)

[@KARATEbyJesse]

Stuff of nightmares!

[@malangmma2134]

Finally Answered. For a long time I thought it's a double Glock Draw and Shot.

[@teikarate]

❤

[@thisisbaxter1354]

This was why they wanted strong fingers and grip strength

[@rafaelcoelho9345]

Pls BASADAI

[@pedroramos3265]

Mae mía

[@tprnbs]

katas are usefull but teaching them without application and sparring (like most schools/dojos sadly do nowadays) is like teaching someone to swin on dry land

[@KARATEbyJesse]

That’s a nice metaphor

[@practicalkatabunkai]

Totally. They need to be part of a process.

[@kinggepys3675]

I got told this was a protection from a sweep and jab to the throat with your finger

[@kinggepys3675]

I was a third brown going for a black in Shotokan

[@kinggepys3675]

Can anybody let me know if this move can be used like that

[@adammills9715]

@@kinggepys3675 Hey :) , here's my 2 cents: I'm personally not that fond of applying this as avoiding a sweep and jabbing with a finger for 2 reasons. 1. We know from the writings of people like Itosu that kata were probably designed for protecting ourselves against criminals and not other martial artists. Because of this, the need to defend a sweep falls way down the line of things we need to practice as it's not likely to be something we'd see from a criminal. 2. This doesn't really look like a good way to finger jab the throat to me. Why not extend and overlap all fingers to reinforce the jab? The hand position seems too risky, if you miss and hit something hard I would say you're more likely to damage your finger. Also, If 1 hand is jabbing to the throat, what is the other hand doing and why would it be held in the same configuration? Anyway, just my opinion

[@BUNKAIKARATE]

One of the richest shotokan kata regarding bunkai

[@rdgnr8]

one of the characteristics of Kata; beautiful but brutal

[@practicalkatabunkai]

Martial and Art :-)

[@darrylcheese4240]

🤔hmm... interesting!

[@jamesmondragon526]

Suparimpei please

[@KARATEbyJesse]

What about it?

[@jamesmondragon526]

@@KARATEbyJesse video bunkai😅

[@TheRandomizedHuman]

Dana white in karate

[@hamzadesidragonsarwar]

So Katas have a 2nd purpose to them I can see why they make us do them on a daily basis

[@shahadulislamsakib8928]

this man looks like Dana White

[@teesea7782]

What dan are you jesse

[@santokukan]

It is interesting that you bring all this Sensei around to teach Bunkai. I am not really a fan of this guy "Ian". He does have a great imagination that at the end of the day is what give life to "Bunkai" and other factors of the kata. Nevertheless this could be a good way to apply this movements in real life. There can be a hundred more ways to look at them too. Maybe a good idea for future videos is compare his ideas with other Sensei to see different variations to the same move. (my humble opinion)

[@practicalkatabunkai]

Other opinions on bunkai are certainly out there and that’s a great thing. At the presentation I gave at this event, I started with the General Patton quote: “If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking.” Divergence in thought is a sign of health in any community. It’s to be encouraged. I am one of many people putting forth information and it’s up to the individual to make their own decisions about what explanations make most sense to them. Jesse shares lots of content from many different people, but you can also use KZbin’s search function and do the comparison yourself. Maybe even make videos etc to share your own thoughts. The more people do that, the better it is for karate.

[@kathykish5235]

That would be painful

[@KarateMetKevin]

It’s Unshu.

[@neozone4547]

I have no motivation to practice anymore 😕

[@KARATEbyJesse]

Why not?

[@neozone4547]

@@KARATEbyJesse I have no idea man 🤷.. I mean I used to love practicing cause I had a lot of fun doing it, but now I don't have any of my Karate buddies with me, nor any goal to become something.. how do U keep urself so motivated always?

[@CabralNick]

I enjoyed the video, but as Karateka who also happens to be a Judoka, I strongly disagree with this bunkai, particularly at the start of the Kata. You may argue whatever you want about the big circle motion of the hands, but to propose that the following movement is an Osoto Gari only denotes a not sufficient level of grappling knowledge. The movement is an O Uchi Gari, the big circle with the lead leg is something that every Judoka knows, which differs from the reaping leg motion of the Osoto Gar, which can only be successful if you stepped to his side while unbalancing him... If you don't follow this process and your opponent knows how to fight, you give him too much opportunity to suplex your neck to the ground, especially if you used a circular motion instead of reaping one (it unbalances yourself). And the fingers position is something that only grapplers could know, is the basic tutorial on how to grab and manipulate your opponent's clothes... Beginners always try to grab a full hand, making a fist, which is not optimal for Kuzushi (unbalance your opponent), the better way is to guarantee your last three fingers with a good amount of cloth and use the indicator finger and the thumb to direct the pull and push motion. Also, O Uchi Gari is a better following for that scenario of the guy rushing toward you and somehow you end up squared with him, in that distance, there's just not enough space to go for an Osoto Gari, and if the goal is to react as fast as possible that would be illogical.

[@attiylanen]

You think you could push your thumbs into somebody's eye sockets and squeeze until they go through the eyes? No, you couldn't. Most people are not capable of doing such a thing.

[@manivasagamkavitha1050]

Mmmmmmm brutality Karate does wok 😏😏

[@FireTripperJeff]

Sorry, but I can't see the point in kata's. A set of moves like a dance, a non resisting opponent. Wouldn't the time be better spent getting in good physical condition? The only thing you can learn from kata's is bad habits, in my opinion of course :). Did enjoy the Bill Wallace video, this just looks like LARPING.

[@mountaintiger2767]

Kata is more like shadow boxing with specific movements to follow

[@mountaintiger2767]

Kata is more like shadow boxing

[@aoshi3000]

If you want analyze a kata for bunkai just look for the worst and nastiest application you have ever imagined.

[@mermerac9610]

Delusional.