Tag: kata

Viewing 11 - 15 out of 16 Blogs.

<< First  < Previous | Page:  1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Next >  Last >>

Further to my article on the numeric names of kata:

In Chinese schools (eg. ngo cho kun) the kata is called "saam chien / sanzhan" while the stance is called "chien be / zhan bu" (battle stance) . The latter is probably the more "correct" description/name of the stance. By comparison, in karate we could perhaps call sanchin dachi "chin dachi".

The kata name "sanchin" means "3 battles" and my theory is that the "battles" referred to are not "mind/body/spirit" or some other elaborat... Read More

I was asked on a forum why the suffix “te” is added to numeric kata names (such as “sanseru te”, “seisan te”, etc.). Furthermore why not the non-numeric kata names (eg. kururunfa)?

The Chinese martial arts often add "step" (“pu” or “bu”) to the name of a technique or a form in order to give it some sense. Hence "mabu" is their term for shiko/kiba dachi and it means literally "horse step" . The same goes for zenkutsu dachi (gong bu - forward step). This is to avoid the... Read More

[Note that this is a continuation of Part 1 of this article.]

One of the chief differences that has been pointed out to me about the way I was taught to do sanseiru and most other dojo is that in the second shiko dachi a jodan uke / age uke is used instead of the sokumen awase uke discussed previously.

In this variation (as demonstrated by Teruo Chinen and perhaps the most common and regarded as the standard) the feet in the shiko are angled 90 degrees but the body is turned 45 deg... Read More

It is known that a version of Seisan was taught in Naha by Seisho Aragaki as early as 1867. Moreover the Shuri and Tomari te styles of karate (the “Shorin” schools) appear to have taught a version of Seisan even before this.

Seisan is presently taught in all Goju-ryu schools, in Ryuei-Ryu, in Tou’on-ryu and Uechi-ryu (the "Naha te" schools). Although the Uechi-ryu version is significantly different from the other Naha te schools in the second half, the first half is clearly identifi... Read More

The second move in Taikiokyu Shodan I'd like to discuss is the "big turn".

Move 2 - the "Big Turn"

The big turn starts from a right forward stance. You look over your right shoulder and then bring your left foot around 270 degrees so that you are in a left forward stance, facing what was your right. You then execute a left downward block and advance to a right foot forward stance and execute a mid punch.

This move is usually explained to beginning students as a simpl... Read More

<< First  < Previous | Page:  1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Next >  Last >>