Bill Burgar

This remarkable book gives the reader a unique insight into an amazing five year study of a single kata (Gojushiho). It shows the depth that is waiting to be discovered by the close study of kata, covering an incredible range of subjects including:

Imagery
The psychology of confrontation
The common acts of physical violence
Vital points and how to exploit them
The methodology for the break-down and understanding of kata
The applications of the kata
The principles of karate and how to apply them
The applications (in detail) for each of the movements of Gojushiho
The major variations of each application
Objective measurements regarding their practicality
How to link the applicatioins together

The author also explains how to undertake your own study using a single kata of your choice, and how to build a training regime based on the kata. If you have ever wondered what kata is really all about then this book is for you.

When kuarate was a seacret art, practiced in the back yards of Okinawa by a few dedicated masters and their disciples, it was usual to train in a single kata for many years. A master of karate would know just one, two or possibly three kata. Through the drep study of those few kata the master karateka would possess a complete self-defence sysem, he would be well versed in the underlying principles of karate and he would have a memory aid which would map out his complete training regime. Over the last century the practice of a single kata has disappeared from karate practice. The deep understanding of a few kata has been replaced by the superficial understanding of many. This book shows you in great detail how to recover that understanding and how to put kata back at the heart of karate.

'Without question this book adds to the body of knowledge in the study of karate'-Rick Clark

'I am convinced that Five Years, One Kata may very well be the best book on kata I have ever read'-Patrick McCarthy

'No martial artist serious about gaining a true understanding of kata should miss this work'-Vince Morris

Contents

Acknowledgments
Foreword by Rick Clark
Foreword by Patrick McCarthy
Foreword by Vince Morris
Section 1 Theory
INtroduction-Purpose; Intended audience; Introduction; Overview; Terminology; Pictures
History adn background-HIstory; HIstory of gojushiho kata; The common contemporay view of kata; Personal responsibilit; The envrionment for study; Kata-centered karate; Aims and objectives; Difference between learning, pracitsing and drililng; Think in training, do not think in battle; Negotiation skills; Observation skills; Climbing out of the box; Getting help from a mentor; The strategy of karate
Probablillity theory-Introduction to probablility; Normal distribution curve; Examining probablility theory through vital points; Predictability of assault techniques; Using probablility to define training time; Possibility sets; Other areas of applicationof probability theory
Menal rehearsal-Introductin to visualisation; How good is your visualization?; Sufficient vs. complete visualization; How to develop good visualisation skills
Instincitve confrontational behaviours-Introduction; An example list of the confrontational behaviours (Body space invasion; Round punch; Single-handed lapel grabs; Throat grab; Pushes; Straight punches; Uppercut; Argumentative gestures; Grabs from behind; Arm grabs; Finger pointing; Football kicks; Chancery head lock; reverse chancery head lock; Bear hugs; Rugby or running tackle; Head butt)
Habits built upon instinctive behaviour-What is habit?; Habit and instinct; Log-jam; Habit change; Predominant side; Identifying, practising and driling habits
The habitual behavioiurs-Introduction; Breathing (The osygen bank acccoiunt; Anaerobic threshold traingin; Akutogenic breath control; Centre; The zone; Speed; Strength; Posture; Mobility; Mindset; Taking the balance; Pre-emption and proactivity; disorientation and distraction; Redundancy; Strike vulnerable points; Creat links; Timing; Use haavy hands; Use verbal commands; Stimulus-response-OODA loop; Developing the habits through kata training)
Vital points-Introduction; Vital points used in Burgar gojushiho (Side of chin; Groin; Eyes; Back of neck; Inside of sin; Top of spine; Wrist; Corner of forehead; Under earlobe; Inside of thigh; Outside of thigh; Elbow; Side of neckk; Soklar plexus; Floating rib; bridge of nose; Collar bone; Back of the hand; Back of the calf)
The bunkai myth-Bunkai fro 1900 to 1950; Bunkai from `950-2000; The bunkai we purchased-caveat emptor; Bad bunkai filter (Techniques that defy probability theroy; Techniques that rely on a sixth sense; Simultaneously dealing with more than one attacker; Fighting range is unreal; Continual blocking; Simplicit of skill acquisition; Defences against karate techniques; The futhre of bunkai)
Reverse engineering kata-Introduction; Use lateral thnking; Reverse engineering by usage comparison; Reverse engineer by the HAOV method; Change the range; Change the position of the assailant; Be prepeaered to discard most ideas; Do not be afraid to steal!; Preparatory mvements are blocks and strikes (Down block; Upper block; Outside-in block; KNife-hand block); A block is a strike; Both handds are always in use; Drop in stance implies controlling; Use different parts of you body other than the obvioius; Is it a pre-emption?
Measurement of oyo effectiveness-Introductiion; Measurement criteria; Proactive: Keeps initiative; Maximizes safety; Maximises redundancy; Workable under infuence of adrenaline; Works with instinct; Maximises predictable response; Unbalances the opponent; Leads the mind of the opponent; Low maintenance; Range; Simple; Transferrable skills; Overall balance of the kata
Section 2 the example f gojushiho
Gojushiho bunkai-introduction
Mnemonic 1-Shotokan movement-preparation; Burgar movement-none
Mnemonic 2-Shotokan movement-augmented back-fist; Burgar movement; Oyo-defence against space invasion (Measured; Henka 1, 2, 3; Links and flow; Practice)
Mnemonic 3-Shotokan movement-wedge block to the left; Burgar movement-blocking movement to the left; Oyo-defence against a right round punch (Measured; Henka; LInks and flow)
Mnemonic 4-Shotokan movement-wedge block to the right; Burgar movement-blocking movement to the right; Oyo-defence against a left round punch
Mnemnic 5-Shotokan movement-prepare for tate shuto to left; Burgar movement-step up left arm low, right arm high; Oyo-close-in takedown (Henka; Measured; Links and flow)
Mnemonic 6-Shotokan movement-tate shuto, punching, kicking to left; Burgar movement-grabbing, punching and kicking; Oyo-grabbing, punching and kicking; Oyo-grabbing, punching and sweeping (Measured; Henka; LInks and flow)
Mnemonic 7-Shotokan movement-prepare for tate shuto to right; Burgar movement-step up, right arm low, left arm high; Oyo-close in takedown
Mnemonic 8-Shotokan movement-tate shuto, punching and kciking to right; Brugar movement-grabbing, punching and kicking; Oyo-grabbing, punching and kicking or sweeping
Mnemonic 9-Shotokan movment-rising elbow, turn, push back; Burgar movement-rising elbow, turn, push back; Oyo-defence against a left-hand lapel grab (Measured; Henka; Links and flow)
Mnemonic 10-Shotokan movement-block to front and side, triple spear hand; Burgar movement-parry, cover, control, atack; Oyo-turn aside and attack (Henka; Measured; Links and flow)
Mnemonic 11-Shotokan movement-turn to front, block to fornt and side; Burgar movement-turn to front, circle arms; Oyo-defence against an uppercut (Henka; Measured; Links and flow)
Mnemonic 12-Shotokan movement-step forwards triple spear hand; Burgar movement-step forwards, triple spear hand; Oyo-defence against a right lapel grab (Henka; Measured; Links and flow)
Mnemonic 13-Shotokan movement-turn, double block to side; Burgar movement-turn, hands down; Oyo-head twist takedown (Henka; Measured; Links and flow)
Mnemonic 14-Shotokan movement-knee raise hands out and back; Burgar movement-rising kick, two-handed strike and pull back; Oyo-mid range pre-emption (Henka; Measured; Links and flow)
Mnemonic 15-Shotokan movement-knee raise, two hands out and pull back; Burgar movement-sweep, two-handed strike and pull back; Oyo-close pre-emption (Henka; Measured; Links and flow)
Mnemonic 16-Shotokan movement-block to fornt and side, triple spear hand; Burgar movement-parry, check, multiple attack; Oyo-defence against left arm push (Henka; Measured; Links and flow)
Mnemonic 17-Shotokan movement-turn right-hand shuto uchi; Burgar movement-turn right-hand slap; Oyo-defence against rear grabs at shoulders (Henka; Measured; Links and flow)
Mnemonic 18-Shotokan movement-multiple stepping shuto uchi; Burgar movement-slaps and covers; Oyo-attacking slaps (Henka; Measured; Links and flow); Oyo-defence against same-side wrist grabs (Henka; Measured; Links and flow); Oyo-against cross-side wrist grabs (Henka; Measured; Links and flow); Oyo-defence against arm grabs (Henka; Measured; Links and flow); Oyo-defence against pulled-in lapel grabs (Henka; Measured; Links and flow); Oyo-cover (Measured; Links and flow)
Mnemonic 19-Shotokan movement-uchi uke, kick, drip, reverse gedan barai; Burgan movement-twist right arm forward then up, left arm down; Oyo-defence against double upper limb grabs (Henka; Measured; Links and flow)
Mnemonic 20-Shotokan movement-turn to back; Burgar movement-pull and slap; Oyo-defence against left hand pointing (Henka; Measured; Links and flow)
Mnemonic 21-Shotokan movement-pull to side; Burgar movement-push down and strike; Oyo-defence against right hand pointing (Henka; Measured; Links and flow)
Mnemonic 22-Shotokan movement-block to front and side, triple nukite; Burgar movement-parry, cover, control, attack; Oyo-defence against two-hand push (Henka; Measured; Links and flow)
Mnemonic 23-Shotokan movement-turn double-hand block; Burgar movement-turn hands down; Oyo-shoulder twist takedown (Henka; Measured; Links and flow)
Mnemonic 24-Shotokan movement-tate shuto, knee raise, punch; Burgar movement-hands extended, knee raise, punch; Oyo-defence against football kick (Henka; Measured; Links and flow)
Mnemonic 25-Shotokan movement-tate shuto, knee raise, punch; Burgar movement-two-handed pull, knee raise, punch; Oyo-close-in work (Henka; Measured; Links and flow)
Mnemonic 26-Shotokan movement-augmented backfist; Burgar movement-circling hands, backfist; Oyo-half nelson come along hold (Henka; Measured; Links and flow)
Mnemonic 27-Shotokan movement-step back hammer fist, step forward punch; Burgar movement-drop and withdraw, step forward punch; Oyo-defence against chancery head locks (Rear-under right arm; Rear under left arm; Front under the left arm; Front under right arm; Henka; Measured; Links and flow)
Mnemonic 28-Shotokan movement-hands front, dip head, hands behind, turn left; Burgar movement-hands to front, dip head, hands behind, turn left; Oyo-defence against front under-arm bear hug (Henka; Measured; Links and flow); Oyo-defence against front over-arm bear hug (Henka; Measured; Links and flow); Oyo-defence against rear under-arm bear hug (Henka; Measured; Links and flow); Oyo-defence against rear over-arm bear hug (Measured); Oyo defence against running tackle (Measured; Links and flow)
Mnemonic 29-Shotokan movement-circle arms, raise hands, double-hand stike; Burgar movement-raise hands, kick, drop hands, double-hand strike; Oyo-defence against head butt with double lapel grab (Henka; Measured; Links and flow)
Section 3 Your own single kata study
Planning and practising your own kata-Planning; Suggested sequences for single kata study (Path 1 and 2); Goal setting; Choosing the kata; Initial bunkai selection; Refinement; Creating a training regime; Drilling
Building a training regime around kata-Introduction; Performance ve. practice; 'Horizontal' vs. 'vertical' practice; Free flow; Using modern technologies to enhance the training regime (Heart rate monitors; Random HAOC generators; Camcorder)
Section 4 Where to from here?
The Burgar kata hypothesis
References-Highly recommended books/videos (bibliography)
Index… (mehr)