Explain bunkai to me

[skribs]

I come from a Taekwondo background. In my experience with Taekwondo, forms are generally taught for demonstration, competition, or testing, and not necessarily application. Application comes in other ways. I believe this to be relatively common in TKD (in fact, I just made a poll on r/Taekwondo to see how common it is). I've long been skeptical of bunkai. But I still find it intriguing, nonetheless.

I'm curious as to how bunkai is taught from the 30,000 foot view. What specifically is taught to the student, and what specifically are they expected to figure out on their own? How are they guided in this self-study?

Are students taught the kata and the alternative techniques, and then expected to put them together in different sequences? Are the students taught some alternative techniques and expected to come up with other techniques by applying the principles? Are the students presented with scenarios that they need to apply the techniques in? Are they given specific kata or portions of a kata to work on, or do they just get to apply what they want? Is the vibe of bunkai more of a workshop, a drill, a game, a sparring round?

I know it's a lot of questions, but really it's only a couple:

1. How much of the application is taught, and how much is figured out?
2. How are students guided in that process and assigned the tasks?
3. How is bunkai actually trained?
4. What questions didn't I ask that I should've, and what are the answers?

 

[isshinryuronin]

I come from a Taekwondo background. In my experience with Taekwondo, forms are generally taught for demonstration, competition, or testing, and not necessarily application. Application comes in other ways. I believe this to be relatively common in TKD (in fact, I just made a poll on r/Taekwondo to see how common it is). I've long been skeptical of bunkai. But I still find it intriguing, nonetheless.

I'm curious as to how bunkai is taught from the 30,000 foot view. What specifically is taught to the student, and what specifically are they expected to figure out on their own? How are they guided in this self-study?

Are students taught the kata and the alternative techniques, and then expected to put them together in different sequences? Are the students taught some alternative techniques and expected to come up with other techniques by applying the principles? Are the students presented with scenarios that they need to apply the techniques in? Are they given specific kata or portions of a kata to work on, or do they just get to apply what they want? Is the vibe of bunkai more of a workshop, a drill, a game, a sparring round?

I know it's a lot of questions, but really it's only a couple:

1. How much of the application is taught, and how much is figured out?
2. How are students guided in that process and assigned the tasks?
3. How is bunkai actually trained?
4. What questions didn't I ask that I should've, and what are the answers?

It must be noted that the answers depend on the school and instructor's knowledge of just what kata is (of course, that knowledge may be wrong). But I'll tell you what I have learned about it from my better than average study and experience in the matter as far as traditional Okinawan karate is concerned.

1. There is the obvious basic bunkai for all to see: blocks, kicks punches, twists and turns, etc., but I think you're talking about the actual true meanings of these moves and their application. Some of these are recognizable to one who is familiar with the principles of kata such as contained in Miyagi's rules of kata and some of Kubota Shozan's 20 kuden (oral teachings) which go a long way in "decoding" and figuring out many kata techniques. For example, a turn is often not to face a new opponent but is throwing the guy you're currently engaged with around. It should be understood that Okinawan karate entails a lot of stand-up grappling so kata movements must be seen in that light. Some kata moves, even with this knowledge, are hard to figure and one must reverse engineer to come to a reasonable application.

2. At first the kata is usually taught doing the basic moves, getting them down with correct form and execution. Then, at some point, the true meaning (of how these moves can be actually employed as breaks, takedowns, etc.) is shown. At post black belt levels it is up to the student to explore variations (one general movement can be put to different tasks). At advanced black belt level, being able to take these moves/principles out of kata context and use them in free fighting should be explored.

3. Very often, bunkai is not trained at all (likely because the instructor isn't knowledgeable). When it is, it's best done with a partner just as any other fighting combo would be. Kata is really just a series of fighting combos against grabs, kicks and other specific attack scenarios.

4. All the above is based on modern karate. Originally, it's believed that kata was taught as a way to solo practice two-man drills. Additionally, I think the concept of basic and advanced bunkai was much different then. The "basic" obvious bunkai was presented to the public only to disguise the real combat application - karate was taught in secret for much of its history. The students were taught the real bunkai right off the bat. As karate was introduced into the schools, the dangerous advanced applications were removed (and somewhat forgotten) and the less dangerous basic bunkai was emphasized.

 

[MadMartigan]

Bunkai is also a tricky subject for me. I feel like some people get really lost in the weeds looking for subtext or some esoteric possible interpretation of what a certain move could mean. Sometimes it's like those uber star wars fans that look at a purple lightsaber, and need it to mean more than Samuel L. Jackson just wanted a cool color for his character to use.

That said, I do believe that a principle based approach to kata(forms) will yield more than just the level 1 a-block-is-block understanding.

E.g. In my class tonight, I was teaching a basic side step off the line of a punch, with a simultaneous knife hand block and strike to the carotid. The same method that we use to generate power when stepping back into a knife hand guarding block (front hand eye level, support hand across the torso) in kata applies to this counter attack drill. The difference is the angle of the step, and the support hand becoming a strike (rather than just sitting in front of the solar plexus). By training the kata version of the movement, we have been training how to maximize power and perfect timing of the counter strike as well.

Sorry if the explanation didn't paint a picture enough to make sense (made perfect sense in my brain though .

 

[isshinryuronin]

I feel like some people get really lost in the weeds looking for subtext or some esoteric possible interpretation of what a certain move could mean

I agree. But it's really not that tricky once you understand the principles of kata. They are merely a collection of counters to specific attack scenarios. The goal is to effectively neutralize the attack ASAP with minimum risk. This implies simplicity. Anything else is in opposition to the goal. Bunkai normally has these basic fundamental steps and features:

Step 1. EVADE the striking attack.
Step 2. CONTROL the attacker, position to set up counter (against strike or grab).
Step 3. COUNTERATTACK with high probability disabling strike, break, etc.

These steps are not really different from what one seeks to do in most fight situations. Practicing kata helps develop the ability to do these steps in a seamless and effective fashion.

 

[wab25]

To understand what bunkai is... you first need to know what kata is. Kata is part of the first step in the Shu-Ha-Ri method. This method has been used in Japan for lots of different things, before being used for martial arts.

Teaching and Shu Ha Ri

(THE TRADITIONAL JAPANESE METHOD OF KNOWLEDGE TRANSMISSION.) This essay originally appears on the Takamura ha Shindo Yoshin Ryu website By...

www.kimusubiaikido.com

Kata is first to be memorized, and copied exactly.... this teaches you the basic fundamentals of the movements, it works on focus, attention to detail.... all kinds of things. This is the Shu stage.

The Ha stage is where you start to diverge your kata. The idea is that you have learned the principles and ideas enough that you can explore expressing those principles and ideas in different ways.

Bunkai then would be the martial application of the principles and ideas that are expressed in the Kata. If you truly understand the principles and ideas taught in the kata, then you should be able to express them in other ways and apply them in a martial situation. Just like the Ha stage, the sensei should be involved at first.... helping the student to explore the martial expressions of the principles in the kata. The goal of the sensei here is to help the student learn to explore and evaluate on his own. If the student expresses bunkai as a grab and punch, followed by a throw.... it is not wrong, because of the martial aspect or efficiency.... but wrong because the part of the kata used to start with is not in harmony with the movements needed for that combo. The student needs to find a combo that is supported by the moves in that part of the kata, but also needs to find where in what kata are the moves that support the combo he came up with. In this way, you are strengthening your combos / applications when you practice your kata, because you are now learning the martially important parts to focus on. In fact, you are improving all the applications that come from that movement, when you practice that part of the kata.

This part of the kata is a lunge punch. That is the kata. But the principles that movement teach can be applied to many applications. It can be applied to a punch, a joint lock, an arm break, quite a few throws,.... a lot of other things. These are the bunkai, or application of the principles. The important parts of the kata, are the movement and power generation... not that the power is delivered through the front two knuckles of the fist.... though it certainly could be.

 

[SahBumNimRush]

I train and teach applications weekly. The following video is my self-defense portion of my 7th dan test back in 2020. 90% of the defenses are form applications. Note there are no Naihanchi applications as none of the defenses started from the clinch or in very close range. We are Tae Kwon Do, so we excel at the long to medium range. Much of the forms apply best at close range, which helps round out our tactical repertoire.
Edited to directly answer your question:

1. Core principles are taught and basics are drilled at each level. There is little room "to figure it out" as the principles are taught. As the student progresses more detail and attention are given to the previous forms.

2. Form practice is just solo practice, learning the mechanics of the movements. Principles are then practiced regularly in "1 step sparring." Advanced students train once a week in a class that is geared toward strictly training the two man drills and free flow drills/sparring as it relates to forms.

3. Applications are trained in a progressive 2 person exercise. From compliant partner to progressively non-compliant to combative. These drills are particularly helpful in forms like Naihanchi that are all close quarter or clinch style standing grappling techniques.

 

[skribs]

I train and teach applications weekly. The following video is my self-defense portion of my 7th dan test back in 2020. 90% of the defenses are form applications. Note there are no Naihanchi applications as none of the defenses started from the clinch or in very close range. We are Tae Kwon Do, so we excel at the long to medium range. Much of the forms apply best at close range, which helps round out our tactical repertoire.
Edited to directly answer your question:

1. Core principles are taught and basics are drilled at each level. There is little room "to figure it out" as the principles are taught. As the student progresses more detail and attention are given to the previous forms.

2. Form practice is just solo practice, learning the mechanics of the movements. Principles are then practiced regularly in "1 step sparring." Advanced students train once a week in a class that is geared toward strictly training the two man drills and free flow drills/sparring as it relates to forms.

3. Applications are trained in a progressive 2 person exercise. From compliant partner to progressively non-compliant to combative. These drills are particularly helpful in forms like Naihanchi that are all close quarter or clinch style standing grappling techniques.

How do you go from form to application?

For example, in my TKD school, the green belt curriculum includes a form called Palgwe 1, and includes 3x punch defense and 3x kick defense.

Palgwe 1

This isn't exactly the way it was done at my school, but it's close enough for what I'm about to describe next.

Punch Defense

All three start with a step to the outside with the left foot.

1. Open-hand outside block (palm in), chop to neck (outward motion), grab the head and elbow strike.
2. Open-hand outside block, chop to neck, chop to body. Step through and rear elbow strike with left then right hands (push with the other hand for more power).
3. Knife-hand block (palm out), grab the wrist. Roundhouse kick. Palm strike to chin. Chop to neck (outward motion). Sweep the leg with your left leg, back kick with the right.

Kick Defense

1. Step inside at a 45 degree angle, face your attacker in horse stance. Low block, double punch to solar plexus.
2. Step outside at a 45 degree angle, face your attacker in horse stance. Low block, double punch to head.
3. Step back, low X block. Grab the ankle. Step back again and pull them off balance. Throw the leg away. High-middle punch.

Look at the form, then look at the application. There's nothing I see that remotely connects them together. We do train forms. We do train application. But it's like learning the letters A through J and then being told to spell "xylophone".

Your video shows the end result, but not the process. It doesn't show whether those applications you displayed come from the forms (I don't know your forms, so I wouldn't know), or whether they're like my experience.

 

[isshinryuronin]

I'll let Mr. Rush or other sr. TKD guy address these forms in particular. I would like to just point out that some forms are lacking application by original design or by entropy. For the purposes here, I see 3 types of kata:

1. Older traditional kata were combat, self-defense oriented, designed and practiced for dealing with (generally) close to mid-range attack scenarios. They were application based with grabs, takedowns, joint locks and strikes to vital areas.

2. After karate was introduced to the public schools a century ago, a new type of kata was developed. These were developed as a planned, progressive curriculum (because that's what was required for school subjects) emphasizing basic techniques and lacking the more dangerous ones. They were not designed with the full combat DNA. Karate was repurposed as an exercise and then sport, especially in Korea. It became less self-defense application oriented. Some schools (#1) have "dojo" forms made up by the instructor to serve this purpose for beginners.

3. The older traditional kata were not immune to this repurposing. Over time some of their combat applications were lost and seen thru the lens of exercise and form over function. (Also, the Okinawan masters did not pass on the "real" applications to the American military who brought the art back to the USA.) Even though these kata still contained the combat DNA, techniques other than the basics were no longer recognizable as such and were explained away as dramatic postures, meditating on the moon, hiding in the brush, fighting against a wall or on a sampan, or simply ignored, concentrating on what was well understood. It took 40+ years to rediscover their true nature (in many karate schools).

So, when looking for advanced applications, it's helpful to know the form's history and what type of form you're looking at. They either have them and are taught, don't have them, or have them but not recognized. You may be looking for something that's not there, or the technique may have degraded to be less recognizable.

 

[wab25]

I am probably on his ignore list... but I will put this here anyway.... (maybe someone will quote me and he will see it...)

How do you go from form to application?

Start at the beginning. I watched your video above... lets start with the first move... he turns left executing a down block with his left hand.

So, lets start with that, as defined.... its a down block, intended to block a kick. If the person is throwing a right side snap kick, what does that block do to the attacker and what position does that leave the attacker in. You blocked the inside of his leg, opened his stance such that he will be facing the right hand counter that comes next in the form. However, if the attacker is throwing a left side snap kick.... you are blocking to the outside of his leg, turning his stance such that the right counter that comes next is to the back of his head, not the face.

Does the block have to block a kick? If it is blocking a low punch, how does that change what happens to the attacker? Should be very similar to the above explanation for the kicks, except you will not get the same effects to his foot placement....

One way to explore is to change the distance or the relationship. What if you are standing there facing forward and the attacker walks up on your left side, reaches out with his left hand to grab your right wrist to pull you away... Now when you do your down block, notice it gets chambered to the ear and comes down over the top of the right arm... this would then be a move to clear your right arm from the grab.... you pull the right arm back, while using the left to clear the attackers arm... like above this turns the attacker so that your next attack will be to the back of his head.

So now, what if the attacker grabs your right shoulder instead of your wrist? This time the left arm comes up towards your ear, but grabs his sleeve. The down block, now becomes a pull of the sleeve, again turning the attacker to present the back of his head for your hammer fist. In doing this pull, should also severely compromise his stance and structure.

All of these are using the power generated by moving your body in that first quarter turn, to power your left arm down and out. The changes in the application come from whether you are blocking a kick or punch, from which side, whether the person is grabbing you or even you grabbing them. Play with different attacks, different situations.... apply the foundational motions and see what that does to the other guy. Not all will work. Sometimes, the thing you consider a block will actually be a pull, a push, a clear, a joint lock, a choke, a throw...

 

[skribs]

I am probably on his ignore list... but I will put this here anyway.... (maybe someone will quote me and he will see it...)

If I am ignoring A, and B quotes A, I will see something along the lines of "Quoted ignored user" instead of seeing your content. I have to click the "Show Ignored Content" button to see it in both the posts and the quotes.

Start at the beginning. I watched your video above... lets start with the first move... he turns left executing a down block with his left hand.

So, lets start with that, as defined.... its a down block, intended to block a kick. If the person is throwing a right side snap kick, what does that block do to the attacker and what position does that leave the attacker in. You blocked the inside of his leg, opened his stance such that he will be facing the right hand counter that comes next in the form. However, if the attacker is throwing a left side snap kick.... you are blocking to the outside of his leg, turning his stance such that the right counter that comes next is to the back of his head, not the face.

Does the block have to block a kick? If it is blocking a low punch, how does that change what happens to the attacker? Should be very similar to the above explanation for the kicks, except you will not get the same effects to his foot placement....

One way to explore is to change the distance or the relationship. What if you are standing there facing forward and the attacker walks up on your left side, reaches out with his left hand to grab your right wrist to pull you away... Now when you do your down block, notice it gets chambered to the ear and comes down over the top of the right arm... this would then be a move to clear your right arm from the grab.... you pull the right arm back, while using the left to clear the attackers arm... like above this turns the attacker so that your next attack will be to the back of his head.

So now, what if the attacker grabs your right shoulder instead of your wrist? This time the left arm comes up towards your ear, but grabs his sleeve. The down block, now becomes a pull of the sleeve, again turning the attacker to present the back of his head for your hammer fist. In doing this pull, should also severely compromise his stance and structure.

All of these are using the power generated by moving your body in that first quarter turn, to power your left arm down and out. The changes in the application come from whether you are blocking a kick or punch, from which side, whether the person is grabbing you or even you grabbing them. Play with different attacks, different situations.... apply the foundational motions and see what that does to the other guy. Not all will work. Sometimes, the thing you consider a block will actually be a pull, a push, a clear, a joint lock, a choke, a throw...

Taking this back the other direction. This is something I see being relatively easy to do with regard to a basic block or grip break, followed by a counter-attack. But what about either:

1. More complicated movements in the forms (i.e. scissor blocks, diamond blocks)?
2. Grappling techniques, especially when you get into specifics of how to make things like an elbow attack or wrist attack work? (This is also a common criticism in BJJ of the "ecological" training method vs. drilling technique).

How much of the form can you find use in? Excluding duplicates of already-done combinations (i.e. Step 1 and Step 3 are very similar), this gives you a potential of 12 different 2-technique combinations in this form. i.e. #1-2, #2-3, #4-5, #5-6, #6-7...

 

[skribs]

I'll let Mr. Rush or other sr. TKD guy address these forms in particular. I would like to just point out that some forms are lacking application by original design or by entropy. For the purposes here, I see 3 types of kata:

1. Older traditional kata were combat, self-defense oriented, designed and practiced for dealing with (generally) close to mid-range attack scenarios. They were application based with grabs, takedowns, joint locks and strikes to vital areas.

2. After karate was introduced to the public schools a century ago, a new type of kata was developed. These were developed as a planned, progressive curriculum (because that's what was required for school subjects) emphasizing basic techniques and lacking the more dangerous ones. They were not designed with the full combat DNA. Karate was repurposed as an exercise and then sport, especially in Korea. It became less self-defense application oriented. Some schools (#1) have "dojo" forms made up by the instructor to serve this purpose for beginners.

3. The older traditional kata were not immune to this repurposing. Over time some of their combat applications were lost and seen thru the lens of exercise and form over function. (Also, the Okinawan masters did not pass on the "real" applications to the American military who brought the art back to the USA.) Even though these kata still contained the combat DNA, techniques other than the basics were no longer recognizable as such and were explained away as dramatic postures, meditating on the moon, hiding in the brush, fighting against a wall or on a sampan, or simply ignored, concentrating on what was well understood. It took 40+ years to rediscover their true nature (in many karate schools).

So, when looking for advanced applications, it's helpful to know the form's history and what type of form you're looking at. They either have them and are taught, don't have them, or have them but not recognized. You may be looking for something that's not there, or the technique may have degraded to be less recognizable.

This is my understanding as well.

I know some folks have tried to find meaning in the forms that I believe didn't have any deeper meaning in them (i.e. the Taegeuks). And to some that helps. To me it doesn't. It's like trying to figure out what message the painter was trying to tell when they painted people without hands, until you figure out they just can't paint hands.

But I'm wondering how people who train kata that were designed with bunkai in mind (or who have forced it into the square hole that is the kata that it was not designed for).

 

[wab25]

Taking this back the other direction. This is something I see being relatively easy to do with regard to a basic block or grip break, followed by a counter-attack. But what about either:

1. More complicated movements in the forms (i.e. scissor blocks, diamond blocks)?

This is where the fun begins. If you are doing it by yourself... you will find a few.... if you can train with someone who has found a bunch, you can learn those as well... adding to what you find. But don't just add.... break them down, and find your own variations....

Okay... I realize that you meant, in the situation where you don't have someone like that.... Bunkai is a Japanese term used in relation to a Japanese art. So, lets look at the forms, as if they were Japanese. In the Japanese Kata, it was called a block or a punch, because that transmitted the gross motor skills to the beginner in a way that he could do the movement with commitment. In doing so, he will be exposed to the principles of the art. As the student focuses on the principles, the punch or block becomes less relevant.... the specific situation will determine block, punch, push .... So to find new applications, first start to identify the principles. I good one to start with is power generation. Where does the power comes from, where does it go and what path does it take to get there. Now change the distance to the attacker... punch becomes elbow becomes should shove becomes grab the body and move it.... grab different parts of your attackers body, have your attacker grab you in different ways. Then use the same body movement, to generate the same power, moving that power along the same path and see what happens. Not all of them will work.... some will. Then increase the resistance and try different people to see how well your idea works. In the form, if the complicated bit is in the middle or end, start with the simple stuff through the beginning of the form to that part. What did you do to the attacker just before and what effect should that have had on the other guy? Where can you grab the other guy to start a grapple with the motion from the complicated part? Where could he grab you? What if he defended the attack before... where would the two of you be, and what openings are there? What if his buddy grabbed you while you were finishing the previous move?

Can you find video reference to some of these? If they are similar to stuff found in Shotokan I may have worked through some of them...

Grappling techniques, especially when you get into specifics of how to make things like an elbow attack or wrist attack work? (This is also a common criticism in BJJ of the "ecological" training method vs. drilling technique).

When Karate went through transformations to use introduced to elementary school kids, or taught to the US service men who just defeated them in war or was made into an adult game of tag... many of these specifics got lost. Finding lines of the art that kept these details is one way.... though hard to do sometimes. (also, doesn't everyone claim to know and understand the true one way....?) Learning the history of the art and why specific changes were made can help. Most helpful, in my opinion, is to cross train. Learn those specifics from arts that have not lost them and that may have improved them.... and add them back into your form. Be open and humble about this process. Sometimes you will get it right. Sometimes you will get it close. Sometimes you will be wrong. That's okay, so long as you are open enough to change when you learn better... or figure out better....

 

[skribs]

@wab25

1. I'd be curious for your opinion on the fancier moves in Taegeuk 7, Taegeuk 8, or Keumgang. I have provided links to the official Kukkiwon youtube channels, so you can see from the official KKW source how the techniques are described to the TKD population.
2. This is my opinion on the purpose of TKD forms, although with a layer of abstraction. I feel the forms teach body movement mechanics, and those movement mechanics are used in the application training. But I don't try to overtly connect the dots and say which form any specific technical application comes from.
3. This is also part of the plan for my school. I want folks with different backgrounds to join and offer new value to the school. I now have a strong foundation in TKD and HKD, working on BJJ, and have some experience now with MT. If I brought in people who had similar experience from different schools, or experience in other arts (like maybe Karate or Krav Maga) it would add new elements as well.

 

[SahBumNimRush]

I've never trained the "newer" Korean formsets. Our curriculum, form wise, has preserved the Okinawan formsets originally taught to my Kwan Jang Nim in the 1950's and 1960's. I say Okinawan, as we use the Okinawan terminology vs Japanese or Korean, although I am uncertain as to specifically why (Bassai, Chinto, Naihanchi, etc.) Therefore, our forms have combative principles that predate the long distance fighting style TKD is known for. These close quarter fighting strategies and standing grappling techniques are not focused on heavily in the mainstay of TKD training, so I suspect there was never any intention of adding those types of techniques to the Korean forms that were created. I am purely speaking in speculation though.

I'm not certain delving into speculative applications would be particularly fruitful in those Korean formsets. If you are looking for that type of education, I would recommend cross training with a martial artist or martial art that practices forms with applications. Once you learn to read a form, much of the basics start jumping out at you. That may give you insight into your own formsets, whether there was ever any intention there to begin with. Just my .02

 

[skribs]

(in fact, I just made a poll on r/Taekwondo to see how common it is)

This poll hasn't gotten the traffic that other polls of mine have gotten. With a small sample size (14), it appears that 21% of schools do not practice any application, 21% practice "Bunhae" (the Korean term for Bunkai, according to the one comment I got), and the remaining 57% practice application and forms separately. (Doesn't hadd up to 100% due to rounding error).

 

[skribs]

I've never trained the "newer" Korean formsets. Our curriculum, form wise, has preserved the Okinawan formsets originally taught to my Kwan Jang Nim in the 1950's and 1960's. I say Okinawan, as we use the Okinawan terminology vs Japanese or Korean, although I am uncertain as to specifically why (Bassai, Chinto, Naihanchi, etc.) Therefore, our forms have combative principles that predate the long distance fighting style TKD is known for. These close quarter fighting strategies and standing grappling techniques are not focused on heavily in the mainstay of TKD training, so I suspect there was never any intention of adding those types of techniques to the Korean forms that were created. I am purely speaking in speculation though.

I'm not certain delving into speculative applications would be particularly fruitful in those Korean formsets. If you are looking for that type of education, I would recommend cross training with a martial artist or martial art that practices forms with applications. Once you learn to read a form, much of the basics start jumping out at you. That may give you insight into your own formsets, whether there was ever any intention there to begin with. Just my .02

What would you say is the difference between your Okinawan forms and the Korean forms? What is it about an Okinawan form that gives it the combative principles, and/or what is it about the Korean forms that they do not have it?

 

[SahBumNimRush]

What would you say is the difference between your Okinawan forms and the Korean forms? What is it about an Okinawan form that gives it the combative principles, and/or what is it about the Korean forms that they do not have it?

As I have never been formally taught the newer forms, I cannot speak with authority. However, let's take a couple of moves from an intermediate form as an example.

The first four moves in Pyung Ahn Sah Dan (Pinan Yondan). The block is offered on both sides to train the block against right and left handed attacks, which traps the arm, pulling in for the moves across the middle. Moves 3 and 4 are the follow ups from the deflection, limb control, the "X block" is a punch the the back of the head, the "reinforced block" is an elbow or back fist strike to the spine or back of the head. I'm not sure if I can effectively communicate this via text.

Therefore, the wraps, the stacks, the postures, the direction of turn, all have an important purpose and lesson to teach. Orienting yourself around your opponent, controlling negative space, controlling their limbs and posture, striking with efficiency, etc.