Pinan Shodan
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I always start and finish my katas formally. While the bow and the motion into second position is not part of the kata it should always be there. These motions signify courtesy and respect. These two traits will win any battle. They are, however, not included in this kata for sake of saving bandwidth.
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The opening move is a box strike into cat stance 90
°
to the left. Here, the dropping of my body into cat stance, along with the sudden turn, propels my arms into place. Note my form. My front leg is just barely touching the floor. Only my big toe is preventing a very nasty kick. And, my arms visually form three sides of a rectangular box. Everything is expanded, here. So, the next move must be a contraction.
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This move is capable of dropping people twice your size. To perform it, bring your arms inward until they cross. But, don't just use your arm muscles. Drop your weight, contract your pectoral muscles and pull them thighs toward each other.
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Then punch with your left hand. Do it by expanding all those muscle that where contracted in the last motion. You should end up with the right arm drawn back at your side just under the ribs. Your left arm extends out to punch. Notice how I turn my hips during these first three moves to aid the expanding and contracting and to add power into my strikes.
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Now, swing your body around 180
°
and box strike in the other direction. Use the turning motion to power your arms into place. If you watch the video close, you'll see that I protected my groin half way through this strike. I did this by allowing my left arm to circle down past it before bringing it up to strike. My weight is a bit forward on this strike but I still maintained effective form.
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This move is capable of dropping people twice your size. To perform it, bring your arms inward until they cross. But, don't just use your arm muscles. Drop your weight, contract your pectoral muscles and pull them thighs toward each other. Notice the exaggerated position of my lower body. This image clearly show that I got the power for this strike from my legs. That is exactly the way it should be.
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Then punch with your right hand. Do it by expanding all those muscle that where contracted in the last motion. You should end up with the left arm drawn back at your side just under the ribs. Your right arm extends out into the punch. Notice how I turn my hips during last first three moves to aid the expanding and contracting and to add power into my strikes.
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Now, draw your right foot back to your left foot, your right hand to your left into a stacked position and, turn your head left all while shift your body mass upward. This is a motion that must be done assertively. However, you will most often see it performed passively. That is fine if their application require a passive strike. However, I know of none. Further, it just looks better when done this way.
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No, I did not lose my right leg. I just did a side thrust kick with it. It is extended horizontally to the right which causes it to be hidden behind my hip.
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This next move is tricky. You want to drop your right leg down and turn 180
°
into a front stance striking with a knife hand. Dropping is the key to power here. Watch the video close and notice how much I drop. Note, the left arm is bent at 45
°
the right is on the solar plexus. Both hands form the knife hand and the right wrist is straight, like the left. The hips are back 45
°
.
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Step forward into front stance and do another 'karate chop'. Notice the form: Right arm bent 45
°
- Left arm at solar plexus - hands in the knife position - hips are back.
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One good chop deserves another. So, repeat the last move, only on the other side, by stepping forward into front stance and chopping with the left hand. Watch your form. All the same points apply.
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Step forward into front stance and strike with the spear hand. Note the form. The right hand extended straight forward with fingers filed in spear hand position. The left forearm is out in front of your body. The tip of my left middle finger is pointing out the location of heart 2 accupuncture point.
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Now, turn 225
°
left strike with a knife hand. Be sure that this knife hand is powered with the turning of your body. Watch your form.
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Step forward into front stance and strike knife hand. In the last motion, the knife hand strikes with the hips. This time, however, it strikes with reverse hip rotation. That is, the left hand strikes forward using the power from the right hip which is moving back.
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Turn right 90
°
and strike with a knife hand. This time the hips an hand move in the same direction to create the power.
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Step forward into front stance strike with a knife. This time use reverse hip rotation.
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This move finishes with the hips facing 45
°
left, the right arm in outside strike and the left arm drawn to your side. However, getting there requires some extra moves. From the last knife hand, pull your left foot back to your right foot while drawing your elbows in towards each other. Then, step forward into front stance 22.5
°
to the left (you should be steping in the direction that the kata started from). Don't hold the front stance for any length of time. Instead, pull the left leg back and turn the hips 45
°
to the left and perform an outside strike. Your stance should feel a little awkward but you groin should feel well protected by your thighs.
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Release the tension in your stance by letting your right leg fly forward into a front snap kick.
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Land forward into a front stance and reverse punch. Hips should be square.
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Pull your right leg back and twist your hips 45
°
right while pull your left arm (the one that just punched) back half way. You should end up in that same awkward stance that was performed three moves ago only this time it is one the opposite side of the body.
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Release the tension in your stance by letting your left leg fly forward into a front snap kick.
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Land forward into a front stance and reverse punch. Hips should be square.
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Step forward and 45
°
left and do an augmented strike. Your hips should be back 45
°
. Your left hand should be by the right elbow and your right arm is bent 90
°
and forward.
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Turn 180
°
and strike downward. Your hips should be back 45
°
. Your left arm should be parallel with your left thigh. And, your right arm is drawn back to your side.
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Step forward into front stance and perform rising strike. Hips are back. Left arm is at the side. Right wrist is about one fist away from you forehead.
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Draw the right leg back to the left. Then, step forward into a front stance and strike downward. Your right arm should be parallel with your right thigh. And, your left arm is drawn back to your side.
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Step forward into front stance and perform rising strike. Hips are back. Right arm is at the side. left wrist is about one fist away from you forehead. And, you are done. That your bow of respect and do it another 10,000 times.
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