For realisitc techs and teaching see a qualified Ryukyuan Shuri Te instructor in your area.

I just happened to have such an opportunity two weeks ago (or very close to it). The bunkai were great.
I was taught that one point of Naihanchi is to attack with your hands and feet with zero telegraphing, independent of the body so to speak. Of course the power generation is there, but body movement, as in kata, is minimal. This makes it impossible for the opponent to react once you are close enough. What do you think?

That sounds about right to me. Naihanchi is a lot of in-fighting and grappling. What looks like a reverse ridgehand strike can be transformed or interpreted as a strike, head grab to elbow strike and neck wrench/throw. The "returning wave kick" is not only a low kick parry or leg kick but also a trip or sweep. Notice the hands when you do the simultaneous "uppercut" and "body punch". Is it only interpreted as that, or can it be a twisting arm bar to a disbalance/throw?

There is so much there. It's good that there are folks who still teach kata like you learned at the seminar. Keep training and researching and good luck in MAs and life.

wow I posted this like 2 months ago and this is now getting the attention it deserves. So far I have found the following from my study of Naihanchi Shodan kata:

Arm locks/dislocations, neck throws/breaks, force redirection, leg breaks/trips/parries, muscle grabs/tears, ankle locks, wrist breaks, triangle chokes, arm bars, the "judo" choke, nerve attacks, hip toss, neurological shut downs... the list goes on.

I was told that Naihanchi Shodan is all you need to effectively defend yourself in any situation. I have been studying and deciphering this kata for a little over 7yrs. The more I study this kata the more I find this statement true.

Kind regards,

Raul

This is truly one of the great strengths of karate that has been forgotten by the majority of practitioners of karate. Okinawan masters have been quoted as saying a person who uses karate should use the techniques to grapple with their opponents. I interpret this to mean that it is the grappling range at which karate is most effective. Although it is true karate masters did not fight all out in sparring because of the danger of their techniques they would enter into tegumi matches to test their power and ability as it relates to karate. I assume these "sparring" sessions were not much different from the NHB contests of today. It was only until karate was introduced into the Japanese mainland that these aspects of karate were eliminated. Naihanchi kata are some of the older karate kata and appear to have similarities to such things as Ba Gua and Taoist circle walking. Any one who says that practicing kata does not help prepare a person for "real and alive" fighting has obviously not been taught how to properly train and use the kata of okinawa.

Funny story:

I was helping my Senpei with a childrens sleep over at my dojo (the "Ninja awake-over"), along with some friends. Senpei asked me to go to the other end of the plaza and pick up the pizza's he had ordered as a midnight snack. I happily obliged.

I was gone about 5 minutes. Can anyone guess what was tuaght during those 5 minutes I happen to be gone?

That's right. Naihanchi Shodan.

As soon as I got back, my friends ran up to me to tell me they had learned the kata (new to all of us).

I almost fell over! LOL!

Luckily, I got a chance to go through it later.

Hi everyone
In regards to the Naihanchi Kata. I value them very highly. Especially Naihanchi Shodan. It has so much depth packed into such a short sequence, I can even teach it in my self defense class without offending the "UFC-is-real-fighting-kata-is-a-waste-of-time "crowd. And, believe it or not, these students are getting turned back on to kata because of this.

I am glad to see that everyone here realizes what a treasure the naihanchi katas are.

We only do Naihanchi Shodan in Wado Ryu but as a kata I love it for nasty vicious in fighting.

As a sidline I've been having another look at it. i've been struck by similarities between Maori Hakka and this kata. Don't view Hakka (think that's the spelling) as simply what the NZ rugby team does before a game there are lots of different ones and some similiarities do seem to exist.

I'll do you one better find someone have them practice Naihanchi Shodan 2 hours a day for a year spend 3 weeks reviewing applications another 3 weeks in timing and ffotwork practice and they will be a very effective fighter.

How many Nihanshi kata do people practice. I have seen 3, yet am told there were only 2. I have also seen just one that incorporates all 3. Dr. K should have a thought on this.Of the 3 that I learned, and I understand there is no 3, Nihanshi Nidan seems to me to offer the least. Nihanshi Sandan(if there is such a thing)I really enjoyed, so with my luck that is not the real thing. When training with Chosei Motobu Sensei he only did Nihanshi Shodan and Nidan, but then put both of them together, which makes a real nice kata and is really good for stamina as well.