Kata questions

[Nothingfancy]

Two questions came to mind last week.

1. Do the Kata address varied attack scenario's when there are multiple attackers? I know Kyoshi hit on this kind of subject when he had his Shuri bodyguards working their way through crowds, but in my mind I'm picturing a circle attack, a semi-circle attack, a lined up attack, an inverted and a regular triangular attack; and any other number of formations attackers could possibly take.

2. Do the Kata make use of a partner? Its conceivable that as bodyguards and policemen the Okinawan's would have been patrolling in pairs or more; and for that matter, the Chinese or Japanese who held such positions. Is there anything in other systems that may support "partnerships" of defenders?

[ujwa2@comcast.net]

Nothingfancy:
Many of the combative and police arts have training "kata" that involve partners. This is usually only viable in professional situation(s). Where you work and train with the same person(s) all the time. Unless you happened to have your Partner with you- you would not find this training helpful in a defensive situation. In other words, in my opinion, the use of "partners" in Kata training would not be of much use to most people. That being said; Kata is best practiced using a partner. That is the partner in this case being the attacker/defender.

It is almost unconceivable that our forefathers did not group and partner train, but I would think that most of that was lost because of lack of need. Ninjitisu has a lot of group attack Kata, maybe this is where that knowledge ended up. A lot of the Shotokan Kata is designed to show us how to load up a pile of attackers in the way, as well as "punch(move) through" a group. The Kata point is: Move from an attack and create a tactical advantage to counter. Does this answer your question?

[HanshiClayton]

I have to admit that some of the katas would make more sense if there were a second fighter on "our" side, following us around and bashing the miscreants with a 2x4 whenever we turn our backs on them.

But if I were to wish for that kind of help, I'd wish for a .44 magnum and a pony, too.

I don't see much sign of "team fighting" in the Shotokan katas. However, over on the Chinese side forms were used to train soldiers, and soldiers assume there are allies beside and behind you. The forms might also. The Romans definitely trained in two-man teams, to deadly effect.

Here are two actual responses to your concern, however. One, I sometimes train families to coordinate a response to a street attack of a home-invasion. There's a picture of that in the first edition of Shotokan's Secret. The key is the groin kick from the rear. While the bad guy is punching out Dad, wife/daughter steps up behind him and kicks his testicles up into his tonsils. QED.

Two, with reference to your concern about various attack geometries, linear karate is Very Good for breaking up any kind of formation. You change straight at, into, over and through the first guy, driving him twenty feet back out of position. Then you turn around and charge full speed at the next guy, knocking him out of the lineup like a bowling pin and chasing him 20 feet away. Turn and pick a third guy. I have seen this done (admittedly on YouTube) and it was very effective. The assailants had no idea how to respond to it.

Don't play their game. Make them play yours.