The context IMHO that Funakoshi was using the term "sente no kata" means that
there is no first attack in the kata. Kata is ubiquitous for karate, the
term we all know that has become synonymous with Uchinandi.

Can you or should you use the intermediary movements of "karate" to stop a
potential attack at the moment you anticipate it ? IMHO that is up to the
person. Is there a moral question as to whether you should attack the
potential attacker first ? Again it is up to the individual and the
circumstance. Unless you are a mind reader how can you know someone will
really attack you ?

Sente no kata again IMHO is the fighting strategy of Uchinandi. In Okinawa
there is two basic scenarios that a fight will take. One, a surprise attack,
and two, a situation that escalates into a physical encounter. The kata
fighting postures (kamae) and intermediary movements are designed for these
two scenarios. These two scenarios are driven by the fact that Uchinandi is a
self-defense based solution and works best when the opponent makes the first
movement of attack and Uchinandi can be used in a counter movement. In the
escalation scenario the kata and two man drills are used to prepare you to
defend yourself. Again the defense is seen as the best way to take advantage
of the opponent.

In Japan, for reasons that have been well documented by others, the Butokai
required that there be a measurement of skill of the new martial art,
"karate", so therefore the ippon shobo kumite was devised. With this
innovation karate introduced a new scenario to a potential fighting
situation, mutual agreed upon combat. With the addition of the mutually
agreed upon combat scenario the techniques of the kata did not produce the
skills needed and the kata began to change along with the kihon of "karate".

Mutually agreed upon combat is not consistent with the dojo kun or the
philosophy of Uchinandi so the process of change began in the kata and
techniques of karate. The purpose of the kata was changed. This change has
brought on a vast misunderstanding of Uchinandi that is evidenced by numerous
articles and opinions in karate magazines and internet discussions venues
that discuss the relative ineffectiveness of the old ways vs. the new modern
ways. In a recent article in Black Belt Magazine a prominent personality in
the world of "karate" was featured showing how the old techniques of Tang So
Do do not work in the ring. Well I guess they should not work since they were
not designed for mutually agreed upon combat and scoring points. Also in the
same issue of the magazine was a gentlemen that was showing the differences
of the old blocks of karate and how they had been misrepresented and now he
was showing how they really should be used. All of his demonstrations were
designed against an opponent that was not attacking by surprise or and
escalation of a physical situation. I might add this article was written by
someone representing themselves as an Okinawan stylist).

IMHO the above has led the gross population of people practicing "karate" to
misunderstand the techniques and therefore not have confidence in them. This
loss of confidence has led people to change the techniques for what they
think will serve them best. The Japanese did it and the rest of the world has
followed.

Sente No kata is a descriptive term of Uchinandi. It is a key that leads to
the understanding of the kata.

The terms that were mentioned in some post; sen no sen, go no sen, and sen
sen no sen are as most of you know from Kendo. The origin of these terms are
from the strategy of fighting with a sword. Combat in Japan took the form of
all three scenarios and therefore these strategies work and work well but
they are not from an Okinawan perspective part of Uchinandi. All three
concepts violate Uchinandi except for go no sen, which is the moment after
the initiative.

Please remember the word kata was Japanese and was introduced into Okinawan
karate by the Japanese. Prior to the word kata being used the Okinawans
simply applied the term "di" after the name; for example "Seisan di".

Just my opinion because there are no facts.

Gumbatte

Dan Smith