The Heian kata are held to be the basis of karate. They were developed at the beginning of the 20th century by Anko Itosu who had introduced karate as a physical education curriculum in Okinawa.

The original name for the Heian kata was Pinan, but Funakoshi changed the name by using the japanese pronunciation of the kanji for the okinawan Pinan. The meaning of the characters therefore remain the same, "calm and peace" or some translations use "peaceful mind".

Most of the basic Shotokan techniques are learned throughout the five Heian kata.

Heian Shodan is based on the two basic stances "zenkutsu" (front-stance) and "kokutsu" (back-stance), 3 blocking techniques : "gedan barai" (downward block), "age uke" (rising block), and "shuto uke" (sword-hand block), and finally three striking techniques: "oi-zuki" (stepping punch), "tetsui uchi" (hammer fist strike), and "shuto-uchi" (sword-hand strike).

----NEXT MOVEMENTS DONE FASTER, ONE----FLOWING INTO THE NEXT----

>Stack arms for a HIGH RISING BLOCK with the right arm
>Crescent walk forward into a front stance with the right foot forward
>Execute a HIGH RISING BLOCK with the right arm
>Stack arms for a HIGH RISING BLOCK with the left arm
>Crescent walk forward into a front stance with the left foot forward
>Execute a HIGH RISING BLOCK with the left arm
>Stack arms for a HIGH RISING BLOCK with the right arm
>Crescent walk forward into a front stance with the right foot forward
>Execute a HIGH RISING BLOCK with the right arm-----KIAI

----SLOW DOW TO ORIGINAL SPEED----

>LOOK OVER LEFT SHOULDER
>STACK FOR A LOW BLOCK WITH LEFT ARM
>EXECUTE A LONG 270 DEGREE TURN INTO A FRONT STANCE WITH THE LEFT FOOT FORWARD
>EXECUTE A LOW BLOCK WITH LEFT ARM
>CRESCENT STEP FORWARD INTO A FRONT STANCE RIGHT FOOT FORWARD
>EXECUTE A LUNGE PUNCH WITH THE RIGHT FIST TO THE SOLAR PLEX

>LOOK OVER RIGHT SHOULDER
>STACK FOR A LOW BLOCK WITH THE RIGHT ARM
>EXECUTE A LONG 180 DEGREE TURN INTO A FRONT STANCE, LEFT FOOT FORWARD
>EXECUTE A LOW BLOCK WITH THE RIGHT ARM
>CRESCENT WALK FORWARD INTO A FRONT STANCE, LEFT FOOT FORWARD
>EXECUTE A LUNGE PUNCH WITH THE LEFT FIST TO THE SOLAR PLEX

>LOOK OVER LEFT SHOULDER-(DOWN THE MIDDLE)
>STACK FOR A LOW BLOCK WITH THE LEFT ARM
>STEP OUT TO THE MIDDLE INTO A FRONT STANCE, LEFT FOOT FORWARD
>EXECUTE A LOW BLOCK WITH THE LEFT ARM

----NEXT MOVEMENTS DONE FASTER AND----FLOW TOGETHER----

>CRESCENT WALK FORWARD INTO A FRONT STANCE WITH THE RIGHT FOOT FORWARD, EXECUTE A LUNGE PUNCH, WITH THE RIGHT FIST, TO THE SOLAR PLEX
>CRESCENT WALK FORWARD INTO A FRONT STANCE WITH THE LEFT FOOT FORWARD, EXECUTE A LUNGE PUNCH, WITH THE LEFT FIST, TO THE SOLAR PLEX
>CRESCENT WALK FORWARD INTO A FRONT STANCE WITH THE RIGHT FOOT FORWARD, EXECUTE A LUNGE PUNCH, WITH THE RIGHT FIST, TO THE SOLAR PLEX, KIAI

----BACK TO ORIGINAL SPEED----

>LOOK OVER LEFT SHOULDER
>STACK FOR A KNIFE HAND BLOCK WITH THE LEFT HAND
>EXECUTE A LONG 270 DEGREE TURN INTO A BACK STANCE WITH THE LEFT FOOT FORWARD
>EXECUTE A KNIFE HAND BLOCK WITH THE LEFT HAND

>LOOK 45 DEGREES TO RIGHT
>STACK FOR A KNIFE HAND BLOCK WITH RIGHT HAND
>STEP OUT 45 DEGREES TO RIGHT INTO A BACK STANCE WITH THE RIGHT FOOT FORWARD
>EXECUTE A KNIFE HAND BLOCK WITH THE RIGHT HAND

>LOOK OVER RIGHT SHOULDER
>STACK FOR A KNIFE HAND BLOCK WITH THE RIGHT HAND
>EXECUTE A LONG 180 DEGREE TURN INTO A BACK STANCE, RIGHT FOOT FORWARD
>EXECUTE A KNIFE HAND BLOCK WITH THE RIGHT HAND

>LOOK 45 DEGREES TO LEFT
>STACK FOR A KNIFE HAND BLOCK WITH THE LEFT HAND
>STEP OUT 45 DEGREES TO LEFT INTO A BACK STANCE, LEFT FOOT FORWARD
>EXECUTE A KNIFE HAND BLOCK WITH THE RIGHT HAND, ----KIAI----
>LOOK OVER LEFT SHOULDER- (DOWN THE MIDDLE)
>STEP INTO KIBA-DACHI FACING FRONT
>WITH LEFT FOOT STEP INTO MUSUBI -OREI
>STATE NAME OF KATA - "HEIAN SHODAN"

ITEMS TO WATCH FOR:

1. ALL PUNCHES TO THE SOLAR PLEXS
2. ALL FRONT STANCES - DEEP KNEE BEND ON FRONT LEG, BACK LEG LOCKED, FEET SHOULD BE A SHOULDER AND A HALF DEPTH AND WIDTH
3. CRESCENT WALKING DOWN THE MIDDLE SHOULD BE FLOWING AND FASTER THAN THE REST OF KATA
4. ALL LONG 180 AND 270 DEGREE TURNS SHOULD BE SMOOTH AND BALANCE D
5. BLOCKS :
LOW BLOCKS, BLOCKING HAND SHOULD BE ONE FIST DISTANCE FROM THE KNEE
KNIFE HAND BLOCKS, HANDS IN SHOTO, FRONT HAND FINGERS LEVEL WITH SHOULDERS, BACK HAND LEVEL AND ON SOLAR PLEX,
HIGH RISING BLOCKS, SMALL 45 THRUST AT END OF BLOCK
BODY TWIST ON ALL BLOCKS
6. KATA SHOULD BE ABOUT 60 SECONDS IN LENGTH
7. THE MEANING OF "HEIAN" - PEACEFUL MIND
8. KATA PATTERN : "H"/"I"

MUSUBI - BOW - READY STANCE:

Step FORWARD, RIGHT foot, front stance, lunge punch solar plexus

Step back into kibadachi

Step FORWARD, LEFT foot, front stance, and lunge punch solar plexus

Step back into kibadachi

Step FORWARD, RIGHT foot, front stance, lunge punch face

Step back into kibadachi

Step FORWARD, LEFT foot, front stance, and lunge punch face

Step back into kibadachi

Step FORWARD, LEFT foot, front stance, and reverse punch solar plexus

Step back into kibadachi

Step FORWARD, RIGHT foot, front stance, reverse punch solar plexus

Step back into kibadachi

Step FORWARD, LEFT foot, front stance, and reverse punch face

Step back into kibadachi

Step FORWARD, RIGHT foot, front stance, reverse punch face

Step back into kibadachi

Step BACKWARD, RIGHT foot, front stance, lower block, reverse punch solar plexus

Step forward into kibadachi

Step BACKWARD, LEFT foot, front stance, lower block, reverse punch solar plexus

Step forward into kibadachi

Step BACKWARD, RIGHT foot, front stance, middle block, reverse punch solar plexus

Step forward into kibadachi

Step BACKWARD, LEFT foot, front stance, middle block, reverse punch solar plexus

Step forward into kibadachi

Step BACKWARD, RIGHT foot, back stance, knifehand block, shift front foot into front stance,

Slap down left hand to block, vertical spear hand strike to solar plexus

Step forward into kibadachi

Step BACKWARD, LEFT foot, back stance, knifehand block, shift front foot into front stance,

Slap down right hand to block, vertical spear hand strike to solar plexus

Step forward into kibadachi

Step BACKWARD, RIGHT foot, back stance, high windshield-wiper block, shift front foot into front stance, reverse punch face

Step forward into kibadachi

Step BACKWARD, LEFT foot, back stance, high windshield-wiper block, shift front foot into front stance, reverse punch face

Step forward into kibadachi

Step BACKWARD, RIGHT foot, front stance, upper block, reverse punch solar plexus

Step forward into kibadachi

Step BACKWARD, LEFT foot, front stance, upper block, reverse punch solar plexus

Step forward into kibadachi

Step BACKWARD, RIGHT foot, front stance, sweeping block, reverse punch solar plexus

Step forward into kibadachi

Step BACKWARD, LEFT foot, front stance, sweeping block, reverse punch solar plexus

Step forward into kibadachi

MUSUBI - BOW - READY STANCE:
NOTE: All punches and spear hand strikes must be accompanied by a kiai!