Recently, I have been analysing the Bunkai for Nijushiho. I am in the process of "internalising" a set of Bunkai whilst performing the kata.

There are some Bunkai moves to Nijushiho which I really like. For example, after doing kakiwake-uke, you can modify the age-uke + tate enpi in to an arm break. This is probably my favourite Bunkai for the whole kata. But it doesn't allow for a proper age-uke technique when performing the kata. So I stick with a more simpler set of Bunkai which allows me to perform the techniques correctly (block a Jodan punch with the age-uke and counter with the tate-enpi).

I picked up 10 stones and lined them up. Then I practiced Nijushiho whilst focusing on visualing the Bunkai. After each completion of the kata, I threw away a stone.

I often wonder whether it would be more productive to teach students kata by first teaching them the Bunkai of key moves, and then after they have had some fun learning the applications, we put it all together in to the kata. I think that some students need to understand the kata before they can "get it" and this would be a way of achieving this. However, I am also aware that different students have different learning styles so this would not suit everyone. Maybe one day, when I have my own club I will be able to try this theory out.