They call this Bunkai

[JimHawkins]

Of course the competition is not the street, etc, etc.. Not intended as an example of deadly street techniques. But at least these fellows can actually execute some moves.

Now then if Fujiwara faced Mike Tyson on the street, well ...

On the other hand Tyson could take out the whole school of folks in the first clip--at once.

[Kuma-de]

To be fair, thats probably just a demo, i got a friend who trained shorin, and told me that they would do ##### like that simply to put on a show.

Well, yes, I think that's generally true, but it's passe because people are no longer awed by eastern martial arts in general, and too many ordinary people can recognize unrealistic demos. It's just bad marketing, IMO, and it needs to stop. Although you can get any kata guy to talk about realistic bunkai, too often it is spoken of as an "advanced", even a secretive thing shared by masters with their trusted lieutenants, as if beginners and intermediate students can't or shouldn't be taught to connect their kata with things that actually work. Makes me wonder what percentage of them actually know such things and what percentage of them were told about such things but simply never taught.

What is sad in this video is that the chief Instructor of this group, Neil Stolsmark, was a senior student of Tadashi Yamashita of Shorin Ryu Fame. I believe a few years ago he broke away from Yamashita for another more traditional Okinawan Shorin Ryu association after Yamashita founded his own style.

In this clip Morio Higaonna performs bunkai and one of Shinpo Matayoshi's Students performs a bo kata then at 4:15 Yamashita performs his trademarked demos. Neil is the taller of the 2 uke, with long hair.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KH5FUsqQx8I

[TSDguy]

Hey, I actually knew that kata once upon a time, haha! Brings back memories.

I got lucky in that my first instructor was the younger, bad-boy special forces sniper brother of the federation head and he basically taught us the good stuff with a cursory glance at the required curriculum. He's the reason I still feel like everything I've done over the past 13 years is all TSD.

The required curriculum was actually very very good in the hands of the federation head since he knew damn well what he was doing, but it was just as terrible as this video in the hands of people who didn't quite get it.

I did enjoy the breakfall the little girl did, though; that always get a reaction.

[Bruise Lee]

Okay I did not think it was all that bad for people learning the art of Karate, except that it was slow and sloppy - until he bowed and the guy did the leap-frog-split-jump over him from behind, taking out 2 other people, and he slaps a rear choke on him. That was beyond Ninja Turtle ridiculous.

But there are people interested in learning the discipline of Karate-do, much like there are people interested in learning Tai chi for reasons other than UFC or street fighting.

[IJ]

Well, if it's a self development art for people with slow and sloppy movements, do it at the mall in sweats instead for the camera in blackbelts as if you're the grand pooba. And if it's a choreographed, fast paced, TMNT stunt fest with a bow as a defense against a rear flying split attack of doom, then do it wearing ninja suits.

Kind of like those spam ads for male sexual enhancement or weightloss for women who've gained from "stress." Don't pretend its a medication; if you're marketing a placebo full of potentially toxic herbal extracts without proven benefit, just be yourself.

Otherwise it looks bad and its a dishonest sale.

[AAAhmed46]

But there are people interested in learning the discipline of Karate-do, much like there are people interested in learning Tai chi for reasons other than UFC or street fighting.

[/quote]

Mechanically i really really like tai chi, absorb, spit, and powerful movement for all range of motion.

Karate i like the 'focus', how you throw everything you have in all your strikes(i don't mean one punch victory)

[MikeK]

I like how Morio Higaonna's bunkai often stuck with the same weapon which to me seems more realistic. Yamashita's stuff looked like it was more contrived.