I found an interesting article about Bunkai in kata in Karate, and I think it is of interest for other Martial Artists too:
A Punch is a Block: A Block is a Punch. You have probably heard this saying. A punch can also be a block. A block can also be a punch (or a strike). This is true in a basic mechanical sense. If someone punches toward your face, you can block it by punching toward his or her face. Your punch will intercept the attacker’s arm, thus blocking it.
Each Movement Has Many Meanings. In a larger sense, a punch can be much more than a block. The same is true of a block. Almost any technique can be used in a variety of ways. Rick Clark wrote a book entitled “75 Down Blocks: Refining Karate Technique” (Tuttle Publishing, 2003). If a simple down block can have at least 75 meanings, how many meanings can be found in a kata consisting of many different techniques?
I wrote about it in my blog The Dojo
