Naihanchi (Tekki) Kata:

The Seed of Shuri Karate

“Exploring the essence of traditional karate through the study of a single form”

Volume One - Framework, Structure & Dynamics

By Chris Denwood

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Naihanchi (Tekki) Kata: The Seed of Shuri Karate

Volume One - Framework, Structure & Dynamics

Copyright © 2013 Chris Denwood. All Rights Reserved.

No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or

transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing

of the author.

All photographs contained within this publication are either from the personal

collection of the author or have been confirmed as copyright free and have such,

been released into the public domain.

Published by: Lingwood Publishing

P.O. Box 105

Whitehaven

Cumbria

CA28 0BF

ISBN: 978-0-9927139-0-4

First Edition: October 2013

Cover Design by: Jenny Ling

Disclaimer

The author and publisher of this book will not be held responsible in any manner

whatsoever for any injury that may result from practicing the techniques,

instructions, advice and/or opinions given within. The exercises described may

be too strenuous in nature for some readers, so it is highly recommended that a

physician be consulted prior to any training and that any practice is undertaken

only under the strict supervision and guidance of a suitably qualified and

experienced person. Any persons attempting any of the activities herein do so

entirely at their own risk and all readers should be aware of and adhere to all

appropriate laws relating to self-defence.

http://www.chrisdenwood.com

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This book is lovingly dedicated to my brother Brian. A uniquely special soul

who gave me an eternal insight into the significance of embracing life, the true

meaning of courage and the reasons why we should never give up. If only we

could all compare, then the world would be a much better place.

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Figure 1: Practicing Naihanchi Kata at the beautiful Fukushuen (a Chinese style garden) in Naha

City, Okinawa. Built in celebration of the links between Naha and Fuzhou, a relationship that in the

past was also critical to the development of karate.

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ach morning I wake up and feel truly blessed to have so many fine people

around me. I am lucky to have a number of family members, friends and

colleagues who share my achievements and help lift me up if and when I happen

to fall. They are honest, loyal and do not ask for anything in return. They stay

by my side no matter what path I choose to take and act as a constant inspiration

to keep pushing me forwards.

This book has not been easy to write and has taken a great deal of time

away from my family. Even though the long process to breathe life into this

publication has been challenging at times, it has also been a period of great

enjoyment. This page is far too small to list everyone who has influenced this

project, but if it wasn’t for the help of the following individuals then what you

hold in your hands today would simply not have been brought to reality.

My Fiancée Jenny: For her love, patience and support of my chosen path.

My son Jayden: For making his dad smile during the most challenging of days.

Jonathan Roll: For his ‘true’ friendship and honest advice when I needed it most.

John Smallman: For his help with all the photographs, often at very short notice.

David Parker: For proof reading the original manuscript and raising its quality.

Kerry Wright: For helping me better understand the internal/external connection.

My closed dojo students: For their sheer enthusiasm and interest in my research.

All my teachers, past and present: For their precious guidance and support.

I would also like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere and

heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has acted as a positive influence throughout

my journey so far. Some people come into your life only for a short period of

time, whereas others choose to stay much longer. Nonetheless, your support and

friendship will always be remembered and very much appreciated.

Chris

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Figure 2: Watching attentively as the late Isamu Arakaki

Sensei (10th Dan Hanshi) very kindly brushes some

calligraphy for me at his Kodokan dojo. The characters

make up the karate maxim 'Shu-Ha-Ri' (Keep, Destroy,

Depart). I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to

spend time with such an inspirational teacher.

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DEDICATION .............................................................................................................................. 3

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................. 5

PREFACE .................................................................................................................................... 9

CHAPTER I: SETTING THE SCENE .............................................................................................. 13

CHAPTER II: ORIGINS AND ADAPTATION ............................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

CHAPTER III: THE SOLO FORM ............................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

CHAPTER IV: CHARACTERISTICS & KEY FEATURES ................. ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

CHAPTER V: ANALYSIS FRAMEWORK .................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

CHAPTER VI: FOUNDATIONAL ELEMENTS .............................. ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

CHAPTER VII: STRUCTURAL ALIGNMENT ............................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

CHAPTER VIII: EXERCISES FOR STRUCTURE ............................ ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

CHAPTER IX: POSTURE TESTING ............................................ ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

CHAPTER X: BODY DYNAMICS ............................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

CHAPTER XI: EXERCISES FOR BODY DYNAMICS ..................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

CHAPTER XII: BREATHING METHODS .................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

CHAPTER XIII: PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER ............................. ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

CONCLUSION......................................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR ............................................................................................................... 18

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Figure 3: Paying my respects at the memorial of Sokon 'Bushi' Matsumura, one of the most

prominent figures in the development of karate.

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he Okinawan born art of Karate has both fascinated and inspired me since I

was a small child. During my first few years of training, it was all about

collecting as many belts, trophies and techniques that I could in the shortest

possible space of time. What I realise now to be somewhat shallow motivation

for my early progression is more often than not how most people tend to begin

when embarking on a new skill, especially at such a young age.

The main driver for my training was as a physical means of being able to

channel the negative energies associated with the bullying I suffered during

childhood. To this day, I openly thank those bullies, for without their persistent

taunts and harassment I would never have felt the need to enter through the front

door of my first dojo. Indeed, I may not have found a pursuit that was to become

a lifelong passion and enjoying what I consider to be a wonderful life. One

which allows me to explore this passion on a daily basis and provides me with

the opportunity to help inspire others around me to do the same.

Karate has a habit of changing you. It helps mould you into new shapes

and allows for the shedding of numerous 'skins' so that your true nature can begin

to shine through. Transience is inevitable for all things and just as the once frail

and frightened child may enter the dojo floor and start to develop in body, mind

and spirit, so too can the very reasons for practice change. So much so that if

someone were to ask me today why I practice karate then I would find it almost

impossible to answer.

I suppose you could say that my motivation for training has progressed

from an extrinsic type to an intrinsic type, since I know that the powerful spark

that ignites me to rise early each morning to strike the makiwara comes from a

place deep within. Many of my friends and colleagues struggle to understand

how I can remain so consistently motivated, but the answer for me is simple. No

longer is karate something that I choose to do or don't do...it has become part of

my identity and thus, there is no longer a choice to make nor a motivation to

chase.

Not only do I love to practice karate, but I also love to write. The notion

of expressing oneself through the written word is in many ways similar to the

way one would express himself through the performance of kata. By this I mean

that each technique can look and feel totally different, depending on the energy

and emotions apparent at the time of execution. The same is very true for words,

which for me (being English) are made up of only 26 letters of the alphabet, but

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when combined together throughout history they produce a myriad of prolific

works. Although I still consider myself a novice in the field of writing, I am

nevertheless greatly inspired by such a timeless way of sharing one's individual

creativity.

I have been longing to write a book for a while now that would aim to

express my own approach and understanding of karate, specifically capturing

what for me makes the art so intriguing. However, whenever I first decided to sit

down and put pen to paper, the result was more often than not, a disorganized

assortment of musings that were void of any framework suitable for structuring

the project. With no specific route to travel, it always felt like there was just too

much to write about and with every page I added, the goal of a finished book

seemed to ironically stretch further and further from view.

I began to find that I was literally sailing around in ever expanding

circles, often writing the same chapters over and over again, looking desperately

for somewhere solid to drop an anchor. When I looked in front, all I could see

was my back and then when I looked behind, all I could see was my face staring

annoyingly back. It was a testing time that had me questioning almost on a daily

basis, whether or not I actually had the required depth of understanding to

achieve what I first set out to accomplish.

Even though it didn't feel so at the time, this drawn out experience of

trying to catch my tail actually turned out to become one of the most valuable

lessons I've experienced in karate. An exploration I now see as being completely

necessary for continued progression along my budo path, it forced me to return

again and again to challenge the very roots of my study. After a while, I finally

began to realise that rather than working so hard to find answers ahead or behind

me, I should instead be focussing my attention to the heart of all those ripples I

was generating.

As soon as I looked towards this core, I found what formed the unity I

had been searching so hard to find and contained within it was the perfect

framework required to provide direction for my book. Paradoxically, it had been

right under my nose the whole time (typical) and had been an integral part of my

karate training for as long as I can remember. It takes shape within a traditional

form that has been fundamental to Shuri-based karate since its early

development and was originally the first such exercise offered to new students.

Hence almost overnight, it became clear that the most appropriate way for me to

present this book and indeed my current approach to karate, would in my

opinion be via one of the art's most important forms of all - Naihanchi Kata.

Naihanchi Kata (also known as Tekki Kata in Shotokan Karate) is a

unique form, featuring side to side stepping with strange 'crab-like' footwork and

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is found in almost all karate styles derived from the

original Shuri-te lineage on Okinawa. It is a short kata,

the physical movements are relatively easy to pick up

(from a superficial point of view) and due to its lack of

visual aesthetics, it is seldom a good choice for winning

karate competitions. In fact, I have heard many

modern-day karate practitioners in conversation refer to

this kata as being boring, lacking in any substance and

only worth learning in order to pass the relevant grades.

However, despite its somewhat insignificant

appearance, the movements of Naihanchi Kata actually

contain a huge amount of information and specifically,

a series of vital lessons, which together aim to provide

a more holistic understanding of karate's main

strategies. This essential curriculum is often hidden to

practitioners by the apparent simplicity of the form, but

those of us who actively choose to scratch below the

surface will reveal a kata that is immeasurably deep and just like an acorn, holds

the exact blueprint for something far greater.

There is an old saying on Okinawa that states, 'Karate should begin and

end with Naihanchi Kata'. My thinking to justify the reasoning behind such a

statement is essentially what I would like to present within these pages and I

hope that the information contained here may inspire readers to explore this idea

further for themselves. With such a deceptively rich form, every performance of

Naihanchi Kata, either knowingly or unknowingly, strives to connect each

practitioner to the very core of their art.

In recent years there has been some fascinating work undertaken by

dedicated karate practitioners from around the world to explore the potential

within Naihanchi Kata. Nevertheless, a quick trawl of the Internet will also

reveal that even to this day, many practitioners still openly suggest that the form

was created for learning how to fight with your back against a wall, protecting a

doorway, on long boats or in paddy fields. Undeniably, statements such as these

reveal the extent of what is clearly a very varied understanding due to the

unusual looking movements, lack of historical evidence as to its original

application and in certain circumstances (dare I say it), a pragmatically flawed

thinking process when attempting to study it.

From tradition, we know that Naihanchi Kata was considered a

fundamental form by many of the pioneering masters and demanded many years

of intense practice. If the early teachers insisted on such levels of study then as

modern day practitioners, we should also consider this kata as requiring deeper

Figure 4: The Author

practicing Naihanchi Kata at

the Kyudokan Dojo in Naha

(March 2012).

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exploration. It is for this reason that I consider it essential to look at the form

without the 'post war' karate blinkers (which gave rise to the long range

punch/block/kick approach), to generate a more plausible explanation as to why

this form was so revered by the early generations of karate exponents. Thus, as I

endeavour to study Naihanchi Kata with an open, honest and genuine frame of

mind, I sincerely hope that the contents of this book opens the door to help others

do the same and find for themselves, an individual understanding of what is for

me, one of the most fascinating forms in karate.

As I write this, I am sitting on my hotel room balcony overlooking the

beautiful beach at Palma Nova in Mallorca, the sun is just beginning to set and I

have just finished my daily practice of Naihanchi Kata after what was a

wonderful day with my family. I am smiling to myself that my performance of

this kata fits perfectly into this small space and that even when I go on holiday, I

always seem to have the time and room to practice what is for me, the very

essence of karate. So it is here (since I have a little 'quiet time' before dinner),

that I figured it would be a good time to sit down and finish the preface for my

book.

This project has been both challenging and (at the same time)

wonderfully enjoyable. I have learned so much more about the art that has held a

special place in my heart since childhood. Originally planned to be my debut

book, I seriously underestimated the amount of work required, which is why my

other book entitled, 'Respecting the Old; Creating the New', took the lead and

was published first in 2011. Plus, due to the amount of information I would like

to present, the decision was taken to split what was originally intended to be a

single publication, into a number of smaller and more focussed volumes. This

has helped greatly to organise the material I would like to share with readers into

distinct sections and more manageable chunks.

Karate is a living process, whereby the controlled manipulation of body,

mind and spirit are used in collaboration to meet the main objectives of the art.

The movements of kata allow the body to act as an efficient conduit to issue,

absorb and redirect force primarily for use in civilian self-defence - a creative

platform that is also used to help forge the character and develop our true nature.

In my opinion, Naihanchi Kata represents the very seed of this process and I

trust that this book may in some way help to express this notion more clearly.

So, this only leaves me to say thank you for taking the time to read my

book and I sincerely hope you take something positive from my words.

Chris Denwood (October 2012)

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he traditional combative system of Karate was born out of a genuine desire

to protect oneself (and family) from harm. It came from a time on Okinawa

when the value of human life was inferior to that of today, death, injury and

violence were commonplace and law enforcement organisations much less

sophisticated. Further development of the art into the 20th Century served to

enrich the quality of human life through physical, mental and spiritual

development, where the notion of a ‘martial way’ began to take priority and the

original close-range fighting skills were progressively replaced by longer range

concepts to help facilitate athletes in the increasingly

popular sport karate movement. Now, as one of the

most popular martial arts to date and with literally

millions of people practicing around the World, a

recent curiosity in pragmatism has taken hold that has

inspired numerous exponents to seek the original

applications of kata and causing the emphasis of karate

to return once again in the direction of its original

roots.

Karate was originally a holistic system that was

fundamentally based on building skills for civilian self-

defence and expressed through movement of the human

body to transmute energy in accordance with a number

of principles, rules and scientific laws that cover key

aspects such as state of balance, structure, alignment,

efficient movement and dynamics. In other words,

karate is a way of accessing The Self through arduous training of the physical

realm via effective combative methodologies.

The universal rules (genri) that govern karate and indeed all martial arts

cannot possibly materialise in isolation and it is only through physical structure

and form that these principles may be brought to life. Thus, it is always the

individual expression of karate that makes the art so special and all genuine

practitioners around the globe today ultimately share this common bond and

responsibility of study, regardless of their style, system or rank.

Traditionally, karate can be split up into three principal components that

when stitched together using the thread of austere training, can allow for a

complete personal expression of the art. The first of these components is kata or

'form', which represents the manifestation of the root principles through physical

T

Figure 5: The Kanji for

'Karate' (Empty Hand).

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movement of the human body. Generally speaking, any physical technique can

be regarded as kata, whether it be a single punch or a fifty movement pattern.

The second component is ohyo or 'application' and this covers the

combative function of kata through the study of bunkai (analysis) in accordance

with the original aims and objectives of the art. So in other words, in addition to

expressing the root principles, we also need to understand the reasons to do so.

The third and final component is hojo undo or 'supplementary exercises',

which sits almost like an umbrella over the other two components and is used to

help develop the key functional attributes associated with the effective

application (ohyo) of the physical form (kata), which in turn expresses the

universal principles of the art.

Rather than a linear (or academic) arrangement of study where there

exists a defined order of things, the three components of traditional karate as

described above, although being individually different, are supposed to be

studied in harmony with one another so that a more spherical (and creative)

learning process may be followed. It is imperative that to attain effectiveness, all

three components are practiced together and omitting only one would be

comparable to buying a jigsaw puzzle and hoping to complete it, knowing

already that certain pieces are missing. This can be a concern with some of the

more modern-day expressions of karate, especially when the primary aims of the

Hojo

Undo

Ohyo

Kata

Genri

Figure 6: Spherical model of traditional karate components showing a ‘slice’ of study.

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art have been altered and where practitioners of these are for whatever reason,

ignorant of how this change in context may affect their specific outcome(s) or

indeed, their long-term goals.

Naihanchi Kata is a classical form, most commonly practiced within the

Shorin-Ryu lineages and the numerous styles of karate to have been developed

from the much older empty-handed arts from Shuri, the former capital of

Okinawa. This book uses this kata as a primary focus, sharing openly the

findings of my own personal understanding in accordance with the traditional

'three component' model described above.

Something I would like to emphasise from the beginning is that the

content of this book is based on my own experience and understanding of the

form, i.e. what makes the most sense to me at this point along my journey. In no

way do I profess to have uncovered the original application or meaning of

Naihanchi Kata. Indeed, with the lack of historical information available, I don't

think anyone today could truthfully claim this. I have simply decided to outline

in words why I believe the serious study of Naihanchi Kata is so worthwhile and

to openly share my opinions so that you may (hopefully) gain something positive

from what I have found along the way.

After a short introduction that covers the history and foundations of

Naihanchi Kata, I will then describe how I personally prefer to practice it. This

solo choreography represents the first component of traditional karate (kata) and

is included merely to provide a common point of reference on which the rest of

my work will be based.

Again, I do not claim to teach the most authentic or superior version of

Naihanchi Kata, nor do I wish to deceive readers here by fostering a belief that I

am directly linked to any key historical figures from Okinawa. The information

contained in this book largely comes from an accumulation of many and varied

sources, my influences from study around the world and specifically, from the

grey matter found between my ears. Feeling very fortunate to have trained with

some amazing teachers, I have tried my best to learn in earnest and to naturally

evolve in accordance with my own personal needs and objectives.

After the solo choreography of the kata, the rest of this book and

subsequent volumes will present five distinct layers of analysis, which together

make up the remaining two components of ohyo and hojo undo. These layers

have been divided such that like an onion, each can sit neatly over the former,

coming together to surround a central core (i.e. the form itself). These layers of

analysis are as follows:

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Bunkai Shodan (first level analysis) aims to develop a degree of self-

awareness through proper structure, alignment and dynamics of the

specific kata techniques.

Bunkai Nidan (second level analysis) covers the direct combative

application of the form aligned to an overarching strategy for civilian

self-defence and a series of guidelines that I consider essential to the

proper analysis of kata.

Bunkai Sandan (third level analysis) looks at what I call 'breaking the

mould' and details a series of two-person pre-arranged and semi-

spontaneous combat drills that amalgamate some of the key principles

found within the Kata. This allows for a more free-flowing approach,

helping to bridging the gap between form and function.

Bunkai Yondan (fourth level analysis) looks at the subject of live drilling

and explains how the combative lessons associated with Naihanchi Kata

may be practiced with varying degrees of non-compliance for specific

skill development and more realistic practice.

Bunkai Godan (fifth level analysis) focuses on supplementary training,

both physical and mental, detailing also the use of a number of both

traditional and more contemporary tools for effective and specific

attribute development.

Volume one of this work centers on laying the foundations of a detailed

understanding of the form itself, the outer choreography plus the structure and

dynamic elements associated with Bunkai Shodan. Volume two continues with

the specifics of combative application for civilian self-protection, covering

Bunkai Nidan and Bunkai Sandan respectively. Volume three then helps to bring

the previous two volumes together by detailing a series of practical training

methodologies for both Bunkai Yondan (live drilling) and Bunkai Godan

(supplementary training). All three volumes together will present a

comprehensive training strategy for Naihanchi Kata, providing readers with a

solid platform with which to personally develop and seamlessly integrate into

their current studies.

When reading this book, I would recommend that instead of studying

each chapter in sequence, you instead make efforts to read through all the

chapters first to gain a general appreciation of the bigger picture before starting

over again to cover each 'jigsaw piece' in depth. Better still, if you have all three

volumes in your possession then be sure to concisely glance over each of them

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first, before sitting down to read from the beginning with greater attention to

detail.

In presenting my own expression of Naihanchi Kata, it is with sincerity

that I openly encourage readers to consider exploring those un-trodden paths that

sometimes show up along this kind of journey. In karate, there is no room for

ego and it has always been my view that the art must become a personal

endeavor for all who practice it. So if this book happens to proactively challenge

your understanding of certain aspects then that is as planned - because in doing

so there will exist the finest environment for such individual growth.

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hris Denwood has been a dedicated practitioner of

traditional karate since childhood and specialises

in exploring the art's core principles for civilian self-

defence, personal development, life integration and

self-discovery. He is Founder and Chief Instructor of

E.S.K.K® Martial Arts & Fitness and teaches regularly

from his home in the North West of England.

A member of the Martial Arts Combat Hall of

Fame, Chris is a respected author and magazine

columnist, with his articles, books and instructional

DVD's being sold in many countries around the world.

His dedication to martial arts and enthusiasm for

continued study has taken him to Okinawa, the

birthplace of karate, in order to train with some of the most senior masters on the

island and pay respects to his historic lineage.

As an adjunct to his martial training, Chris is also a nationally qualified

fitness instructor, advanced level kettlebell lifting coach and second degree Reiki

practitioner. These interests, alongside many years of research in martial arts

have allowed him to pursue a holistic personal expression of traditional karate,

away from the more conventional views associated with much of its

contemporary practice.

It is Chris's deep passion for karate that provides the fuel for him to

continually expand. He aims to teach openly, from the heart and actively

promotes a motivating approach that's based on enriching one's life through

austere training, healthy living and honest self-expression – allowing the

traditional study of karate to shape a practical way of life in today's modern

society.

For more information about Chris and to contact him, please visit his website:

http://www.chrisdenwood.com

C