Heian Katas

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 Godan is the culmination of all the other kata in the Heian series, and intoduces some new techniques such as a cleverly-disguised throwing technique (actually disguised as a rising fist strike followed by a jump), manji-uke ("swastika" two-level block), and gedan shuto uchi (low-level sword-hand strike).


TEKKI SHODAN

The three Tekki kata were introduced by Anko Itosu who derrived them from from an older kata which he learned from a Chinaman from the village of Tomari.

The Tekki kata are all performed along a straight horizontal line using sideways stepping movements and entirely based in "kiba dachi" or horse-riding stance. It is partly from the use of this stance that the kata's name is derrived. "Tekki" is the japanese transcription of the okinawan name "Naihanchi" which can be best translated from the kanji characters as "iron horseman".


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HEIAN GODAN TEKKI SHODAN
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HEIAN GODAN
>MUSIBI
>OREI - (BOW)
>STATE NAME OF KATA - "HEIAN GODAN"
>READY STANCE ---KIAI---

>LOOK LEFT, STACK FOR A MIDDLE FOREARE BLOCK WITH THE LEFT ARM
>TWIST LEFT INTO A BACK STANCE, LEFT FOOT FORWARD
>EXECUTE A MIDDLE FOREARM BLOCK WITH THE LEFT ARM
>EXECUTE A REVERSE PUNCH WITH THE RIGHT FIST, TO THE SOLAR PLEX

>LOOK OVER RIGHT SHOULDER TO RIGHT SIDE
>BRING RIGHT HAND BACK TO STACK ON WAIST ANR LEFT FIST CROSS BODY PUNCH
>STACK FOR A MIDDLE FOREARM BLOCK WITH THE RIGHT ARM
>WITH RIGHT FOOT STEP OUT INTO A BACK STANCE, RIGHT FOOT FORWARD
>EXECUTE A MIDDLR FOREARM BLOCK WITH THE RIGHT ARM
>EXECUTE A REVERSE PUNCH WITH THE LEFT FIST, TO THE SOLAR PLEX

>LOOK OVER LEFT SHOULDER TO RIGHT
>BRING LEFT FOOT UP TO RIGHT FOOT
>BRING LEFT HAND BACK TO STACK ON WAIST ANR RIGHT FIST CROSS BODY PUNCH

>LOOK DOWN THE MIDDLE
>STEP FORWARD WITH THE RIGHT FOOT INTO A FRONT STANCE
>EXECUTE A REINFORCED MIDDLE FOREARM BLOCK WITH RIGHT ARM
>STEP FORWARD WITH THE LEFT FOOT INTO A FRONT STANCE
>EXECUTE A LOW X BLOCK
>EXECUTE A HIGH "X" BLOCK, TWIST HAND PULL BACK TO RIGHT SHOULDER
>SNAP A BACK FIST TO FACE WITH THE LEFT FIST
>STEP FORWARD WITH THE RIGHT FOOT INTO A FRONT STANCE
>EXECUTE A LUNGE PUNCH WITH THE RIGHT FIST....KIA
>LOOK OVER LEFT SHOULDER TO THE REAR
>WHILE TURNING TO THE LEFT, HIGH RISE STEP WITH THE RIGHT FOOT TO FACE
RIGHT SIDE IN A HORSE RIDING STANCE
>EXECUTE A BOTTOM FIST TO THE GROIN WITH THE RIGHT FIST

>LOOK TO FRONT
>EXECUTE A SLOW CLEARING BLOCK WITH THE LEFT HAND (LEFT HAND OPEN)
>EXECUTE AN OUTSIDE CRESANT KICK WITH THE RIGHT FOOT INTO YOUR LEFT HAND
>SET FOOT DOWN IN A HORSE STANCE FACING LEFT SIDE, AT THE SAME TIME
>GRAB WITH THE LEFT HAND AND PULL TOWARDS YOU
>EXECUTE AN ELBOW STRIKE WITH THE RIGHT ARM
>SLIDE
STEP FORWARD WITH THE RIGHT FOOT INTO A CAT PAUSE STEP
>EXECUTE A REINFORCED BACK FIST TO THE FACE WITH THE RIGHT FIST

>LOOK TO REAR
> SHOOT RIGHT HAND HIGH AND TOE STEP INTO A CAT STANCE WITH THE LEFT FOOT
>STEP OUT WITH THE LEFT FOOT AND LEAP TO REAR
>LAND IN A CROOS FOOTED STANCE TO THE LEFT SIDE
>EXECUTE A VERY LOW CROSSED ARM STRIKE TO OPPONENT

>LOOK TO REAR
>STACK BOTH HANDS ON LEFT HIP
>STEP OUT INTO A FRONT STANCE, RIGHT FOOT FORWARD
>EXECUTE A REINFORCED MIDDLE FOREARM BLOCK....KIA

>LOOK OVER LEFT SHOULDER TO FRONT
>TWIST TO FRONT AND STEP FORWARD INTO A FRONT STANCE, LEFT FOOT FORWARD
>EXECUTE A GROIN GRAB/RIP AS YOU STEP BACK INTO A BACK STANCE WITH LEFT FOOT
>HOLD RIGHT HAND HIGH AND OPEN HAND
>BRING LEFT FOOT BACK TO RIGHT FOOT AND TWIST TO LEFT SIDE
>STEP OUT INTO A FRONT STANCE WITH THE RIGHT FOOT FORWARD
(CONTINIOUS KIA DURING THE LAST MOTIONS)
>EXECUTE A GROIN GRAB/RIP AS YOU STEP BACK INTO A BACK STANCE WITH RIGHT FOOT
>HOLD LEFT HAND HIGH, WHILE LOOKING AT HAND RELEASE LEFT HAND, LOOK BACK TO FRONT

>KIBADACHI
>MISUBI
>OREI - (BOW)

ITEMS TO WATCH FOR:

1. LOW STRONG STANCES
2. POWER AND SMOOTHNESS
3. ALL CROSS BODY STRIKES AT SOLAR PLEX HEIGHT
4. ALL STRIKES PUNCHES AND BLOCKS ARE FULLY CHAMBERED
5. SQUARED OFF STANCES TO SIDED
6. RYTHUM OF OVERALL KATA






TEKKI SHODAN
>MUSIBI
>OREI - (BOW)
>STATE NAME OF KATA - "TEKKI SHODAN"
>READY STANCE ---KIAI---

>BRING RIGHT FOOT INTO LEFT, WHILE BRINGING HANDS TOGETHER IN FRONT LOW
>LOOK TO RIGHT
>SMALL STEP OVER WITH LEFT FOOT TO RIGHT
>HIGH STEP TO RIGHT WITH RIGHT FOOT INTO KIBADAICH
>SHOOT RIGHT HAND TO LAEFT, OPENHANDED AND GRAB
>BRING OPPONENT IN
>EXECUTE AN ELBOW STRIKE WITH LEFT ARM TO FACE
>SHOOT BOTH HAND BACK TO RIGHT HIP

>LOOK TO LEFT AND EXECUTE A BOTTOM FIST TO LEFT SIDE (GROIN)
>EXECUTE A CROSS BODDY PUNCH WITH THE RIGHT FIST
>SMALL STEP OVER WITH RIGHT FOOT TO LEFT
>HIGH STEP TO LEFT WITH LEFT FOOT INTO KIBADACHI
(WHEN PLACING FOOT DOWN)
>SNAP LOOK TO FRONT AND EXECUTE AND SNAP MIDDLE FOREARM BLOCK TO FRONT
>SHOOT LEFT FIST LOW TO FRONT
(NEXT STEPS FLOW TOGETHER AND GAINS FORCE)
>SCISSOR BLOCK, BRINGING LEFT FIST HIGH BEHIND HEAD AND
>SNAP LEFT BOTTOM TO SIDE OF HEAD TO THE FRONT....KIA

>LOOK TO LEFT
>BRING LEFT HAND BACK TO RIGHT SHOULDER AND LEAN TO RIGHT PICKING UP
LEFT FOOT TO AVOID FOOT SWEEP
>BRING BOTH ARMS TO LEFT AS YOU STEP TO LEFT AND PICKING UP RIGHT FOOT
TO AVOID FOOT SWEEP FROM RIGHT
>STEP BACK INTO KIBADACHI
>EXECUTE A DOUBLE RAMS HEAD STRIKE TO LEFT (SOLAR PLEX / FACE) ....KIA
>DRAW BOTH HANDS BACK TO RIGHT HIP
>EXECUTE A SLOW SWEEPING BLOCK WITH LEFT HAND TO LEFT ASIDE AND GRAB
>PULL OPPONENT IN AND DELIVER AN ELBOW STRIKE WITH THE RIGHT ARM

>LOOK OVER THE RIGHT SHOULDER TO THE RIGHT
>SHOOT BOTH HAND DOWN TO THE LEFT HIP
>EXECUTE A BOTTOM FIST TO THE RIGHT SIDE (GROIN)
>SMALL STEP OVER WITH THE LEFT FOOT
>HIGH STEP TO RIGHT INTO KIBADACHI
(UPON SETTING FOOT DOWN)
>LOOK TO FRONT
>SNAP A MIDDLE FOREARM BLOCK WITH THE LEFT ARM TO FRONT
(NEXT MOVEMENTS DONE CONTINIOUS AND BUILDING FORCE, KIA BUILDING TILL END
>SHOOT RIGHT FIST LOW TO FRONT
>EXECUTE SCISSOR BLOCK BRINGING RIGHT FIST HIGH BEHIND HEAD
>CONTINUE MOTION AND EXECUTE A BOTTOM FIST TO THE SIDE OF HEAD WITH THE
RIGHT FIST....

>STEP WITH THE RIGHT FOOT INTO YOI
>MISUBI

OREI - (BOW)

ITEMS TO WATCH FOR:

1. HORSE STANCE IS MAINTAINED THROUGHOUT KATA
2. SNAP IN DIRECTIONAL CHANGES - MUST BE CRISP
3. POWER MUST BE CONTINOUS
4. KATA MAY ADD A SECOND SEQUENCE TO THE RIGHT WHERE THE KATA IS ENDED





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