- Ready stance.
- Turn left 90 degrees, left front stance, left low (downward) block.
- Step forward, right front stance, right high punch.
- Turn right 180 degrees, right front stance, right low (downward) block.
- Step forward, left front stance, left high punch.
- Turn left 90 degrees, left front stance, left low (downward) block.
- Step forward, right front stance, right high punch.
- Step forward, left front stance, left high punch.
- Step forward, right front stance, right high punch, yell Kiai.
- Turn left 270 degrees, left front stance, left low (downward) block.
- Step forward, right front stance, right high punch.
- Turn 180 degrees, right front stance, right low (downward) block.
- Step forward, left front stance, left high punch.
- Turn left 90 degrees, left front stance, left low (downward) block.
- Step forward, right front stance, right high punch.
- Step forward, left front stance, left high punch.
- Step forward, right front stance, right high punch, yell Kiai.
- Turn left 270 degrees, left front stance, left low (downward) block.
- Step forward, right front stance, right high punch.
- Turn right 180 degrees, right front stance, right low (downward) block.
- Step forward, left front stance, left high punch.
- Return to ready stance.
Category: Shotokan Karate
Shotokan: Meikyo
- Natural Position – Like Gankaku and Sochin, Meikyo does not begin with any special posture. Simply stand in the natural position with the hands resting at the sides in relaxed fists. There should be no tension in the body as you assume this posture, nor should there be any tension left as you stand here.
- Reach and Pull Back – Reach up with the hands open without bending the elbows until the hands are crossed at the wrists in front of the forehead. Most people do this as a wide, circular action out to the sides. As you begin to reach up, start sliding the right foot out into a horse riding stance as you lower your torso by bending both knees. Pull both hands back, clenching them into fists, and draw both arms back until the fists rest at the waist. Be sure that the elbows are not visible from the front. Perform this technique with deceleration and increasing tension.
- Look in the Mirror – Without any serious tension, keep the elbows close to the sides of the body as you bring your open hands up from their drawn positions to a point in front of the face where the little and ring fingers touch. The elbows should still be torso width apart, so your forearms are in a triangle shape.
- Open Handed Wedge Block – Flip the hands over so that the palms now face away from the face, and slowly add tension and decelerate the arms as you wedge block outward with both hands. The finishing posture should have the hands in front of the shoulders with the elbows at 90° angles.
- Down Block and Punch – Shift the left foot so that it becomes the front foot in a new front stance facing to the 45° angle to the left. Turn the hips to the side as the arm descends to block. Down block strongly as you do this. Step forward and punch middle level along the same angle, bringing the hips squarely to the front as the feet pass and then keeping them front facing for the rest of the step. Shift the right foot over 90° to the other 45° angle while throwing a down block, and then step forward and punch with the left hand along that same angle.
- Two Tiger Mouth Blocks – Step forward with the right foot into a new back stance. The step will be somewhat awkward because you must take a heading 45° to your left. Step quickly at first, but the last quarter of the step should decelerate as this technique is performed slowly. As the stance begins to take shape, bring the right forward and up from underneath so that it appears to scoop upward. The right hand should end up over the right knee. Lift the left elbow up and over the head so that the left hand ends up in front of the forehead palm up. Both hands should be palm up and open, and the thumbs should be out.
- Stab Downward – Shift forward about six inches in your back stance. As you shift, close both hands into fists, and then rotate the wrists as you stab downward with both of them. When you are finished, your left hand will be in front of your navel while the right hand will be extended forward to the low level. Shift the left foot forward as you shift into a front stance with the right leg forward as you stab.
- Pivot and Turn – Pivot on both feet into a front stance that faces the rear by looking over the left shoulder and turning counter-clockwise. Perform this quickly in one explosive motion. As you do this, leave your hands where they are in relation to the room, not in relation to your body.
- Reach and Pull Back – Step up with the right foot to the left and then outward so that you are in a new horse riding stance. As you do this, reach forward and pull back as in the beginning of the kata. Unlike the beginning of the kata, you will not do the mirror looking nor the wedge block, though.
- Repeat as Necessary – From your previous position with both hands at your waist drawn back, fold the arms for a left down block and head out on the 45° angle. Down block. Then, along the same heading, step in and punch middle level. Pivot as before to the right and down block again, then step in and punch at the other 45° angle. Step 45° to the left with the right foot as above, slowly decelerating as you perform the two tiger mouths. Stab downward while shifting into a front stance, and then turn, leaving the hands where they were, repeating the motions above. Then step up into the horse riding stance again, performing the reach and pull.
- Inside Block and Stepping Punch – Step out at the 45° angle and perform an inside block in a front stance with the left foot forward. Step and punch middle level. Shift to the right 90°, and inside block as you shift. Step forward and punch with the left fist middle level.
- Bottom Fist Strike – Step to the left 45° with the left foot, assuming a sidefacing horse riding stance. Look to your left. As the foot settles, perform a bottom fist strike to shoulder level with your left fist.
- Crescent Moon Kick – Turn the left foot forward, open the left hand, and crescent moon kick into the left palm with the right sole of the foot. Do not step forward, instead, move to replace the foot where it came from. As you set the foot down, assume a back stance with the right foot becomes the rear foot. After the kick connects with the palm of the hand, down block strongly with both arms so that the left fist ends up over the left knee and the right fist ends up over the right knee. The blocks are not squared to the room, but rather are aimed in the directions the knees point in the back stance.
- Shades of Heian 2 – In place, without stepping, bring both hands up strongly into the opening double armed block of Heian Nidan. The right forearm should end up pointing forward at forehead height, and the left forearm should point at the ceiling. The knuckles of the right fist should line up with the wrist of the left arm as far as height is concerned, but when viewed from the front, there should be a space at least 8 inches wide between the right fist and the left forearm for your face to be seen through.
- Double Block Again – Step forward into a back stance with the right foot becoming the front foot, and bring the arms down to the left waist and then back up again strongly into the same posture as before.
- Double Down Block – Step forward with the left foot into a front stance with the hips square. Block with both hands by crossing them at the wrists and bring each down to the sides of the body pointing out at 45° angles to the floor.
- Double Inside Block – By now you should feel as though Jion and Heian Nidan were mixed and jumbled together in a strange fashion. Step forward again, this time into a back stance. Cross both arms over the torso and then perform double inside blocks that focus when you step.
- Snapping Punches – Shift forward with both feet about six inches as you uppercut punch with both fists from their current positions. Snap the punches and return the hands to their original positions immediately.
- Pivot and Upper Block – Turn to the rear 180° by pivoting on the heels counter-clockwise. As you pivot, reach up over the forehead with the right open hand while you draw back the left hand. Strongly upper level rising block with the left hand as you complete the pivot into a new back stance with the left foot forward.
- Triangle Jump – One thing that’s for sure is that Shotokan Kata seems to have an affinity for triangles. You make triangles with your hands at the beginnings of kata, triangle postures, triangles on the floor, and now a triangle in the air. Leap off of the left foot and jump upward, smacking the right elbow into the left palm at the mid point. Best Karate says that you should attempt to jump in place, but most people seem to travel about a stance length when they perform this kata. When you complete this jump, you should perform a right handed sword hand block and land in a back stance that has the right foot forward. Technically the jump is just like the one from Kanku-Sho, the only difference being the elbow strike and the fact that you change which shoulder you are looking over in mid jump. It is a 360 degree jump. Don’t let the fact that you change directions fool you, you are still putting the feet back where they came from, just in different positions because you change which way the back stance faces during the jump. It isn’t that hard of a jump, despite all of the press to the contrary in various kata books. The jump in Unsu is much more difficult, and so is the jump and duck in Kanku-Sho.
- Sword Hand Block – Step backward into a new back stance and sword hand block.
- Finish – Pull the left foot back to the natural position and relax.
Shotokan: Wankan
- Left diadems – Start from the Yoi: Shizentai – the natural posture. Step with the right foot across the left by about ten inches to your left at a 45° angle. Step out at 45° with the left foot into a cat leg stance. Bring both arms up simultaneously, elbows together, palms inward on the fists, tightly crossed at the wrists with the fists overlapping. Perform this action sharply as you step forward with the right foot. As you extend the left foot, strongly pull the arms down into a wedge block while rotating the fists over.
- Right diadems – Now reverse the action by stepping with the left foot across the right. Mirror all of the actions above to the 45° angle to the right at a 90° angle to your current position.
- Crown Jewels – Face back to 0 degree and draw the right knee into the chest. Point the toes downward toward the floor. Bring both arms up side by side – touching from elbow to fist with the knuckles out and the palms inward strongly.
- Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty! – step down into a cat leg stance and take two more steps quickly and smoothly, leaving the arms up in the position they are in. Step 1.2.3 quickly. The last step should be followed smoothly and continuously by the front foot sliding forward into a front stance. While the foot slides forward, perform a slow, strong reverse vertical sword hand block – as in Sochin.
- Punches – Perform two punches in place. The first punch is a snap, the second a thrust. The first punch is fast, the second is slow.
- Mystery Technique – Turn 90° to the left by drawing the rear foot up to the right so that it becomes the front foot in a cat leg stance. The left hand scoops, hand open, upward to the waistline while the right hand should be thrust down to the same level with an open palm. The entire technique should look like scooping a kick, holding it, and smashing the knee.
- Now perform the same techniques you did at the end of 4 and all of 5.
- Turn 180° to the rear, performing the mystery technique again. Scoop with the left, thrust with the right hand. Draw the left foot over to the left, and then bring it back so that it becomes the front foot of a cat leg stance. Repeat the sequence of vertical sword hand block and the two punches.
- Attack! – Look to the right, back to where you started, and pull the right leg back, and then shoot it out to the side so that it becomes the right leg in a horse riding stance. Strike with a hammer fist to your right about shoulder height. Step forward and front snap kick middle level with the left leg. As you step, perform a left handed punch to the middle level. Repeat the kick punch combination on the right side. Now do it one more time to the left side for a total of three kicks and three punches. Now you are standing in a left side front stance with the left hand extended in a punch.
- Finish – Move both hands to the left waist. Turn 180° pivoting on the front foot of the front stance, and then shift weight so that you end up in a rooted stance to the rear. Perform the Mountain Punch (Yamazuki) with both hands and kiai. Pause a moment and then stand back up into the natural position pulling the front foot back.
Shotokan: Unsu
- Spreading Clouds on the Horizon – From the natural stance, bring the right foot to the left and cross the wrists in front of the chest. Using tension, slowly straighten the elbows until the arms are pointing out to the sides and downward at 45° angles. Expand the chest and contract the back during this motion. Don’t pull the fists back behind your sides. They should go no further than straight out 180° apart. The feet should be touching from heel to toe. After a pause, bring both hands palms upward under the chin until the elbows touch. Do this quickly at first, and then with increasing tension. You should never stop moving, but come pretty close when your elbows finally touch. Then spread the hands outward horizontally from their palm up position to so that they sweep out to the sides. This is not a circular blocking action with the edge of the hands, even though the hands seem to be vertical sword hands. Rather, extend the hands straight out to the sides, as if you are striking with ox jaw techniques. Do this with an initial burst of speed and then with more tension as you extend. After you reach full extension, wait a second and take in the drama. The arms should be exactly 180° apart so that they form a straight line when viewed from above. The shoulder joints should be at 90° exactly so that the hands are extended in perfect line with the shoulders. Be careful not to have one hand higher than the other.
- Look Ma, I’m a Gunslinger – Step forward quickly into a cat stance, lowering your body quickly. Bring the hands down and slide them on the thighs as you make two chicken head wrist blocks. The hands should draw large circles that become smaller as you You will look like a crazed combination of a bird and a gunfighter. Your elbows should be inward of your hands, and the fingers should point at a slight angle downward.
- One finger spear hand – Immediately execute a lower-level pointed finger strike without changing the shape of your hand. Both arms should be very tense in the armpits throughout these three steps with the little circles. When you strike, snap quickly enough that your hand is nearly invisible, and when you bring it back up, it should reassume the tense posture so much that it quivers.
- Circle Step and Stab – Step forward drawing a circle on the floor with your big toe counter-clockwise. The circle should be about 12-14″ in diameter. Draw the circle on the floor slowly using only the big toe. Move the toe out in front of the right foot, and then up, around, and back into place. Once complete, pause slightly, then make another pointed finger strike. Pause slightly before going onward to the next technique.
- Still Mr. Pointy Hands – Step forward again, making the mirror image of the previous technique.
- The Four Directions Punch – Step to the left 90° into a left front stance. without drawing the feet together. As you are moving, execute a vertical sword hand block and rotate the hips to the side. Perform the block in mid air. As your foot lands, throw a reverse punch in synch with the stepping action. Turn to your rear and repeat the action by shifting the right foot over about 2.5 feet as you turn. Turn to your left again, and repeat. Turn around and repeat again. As you perform these four punches and blocks, make sure that the rhythm is even – this is very important. Do not pair the blocks and punches in a 1-2…pause…1-2 sort of timing. Instead, block and punch 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8 evenly for the best effect. Pause after the set of 8 have been completed.
- Drop Kicks – Drop to your right side and forward by not moving your right foot. When you land, you should be on your right elbow and hip with your left palm pressing into the floor. Round kick to the South so that your target is at least even with your head. Snap the kick back very strongly so that there is a very powerful contraction when the heel hits the buttocks on return. Flip over in place, and mirror image the previous technique. Allow a pause after the contraction of the kick return against your hamstring. Flipping over is harder than it looks. Place the left foot just in front of the right shin. Raise yourself up onto both of your hands as you pivot on your left foot, moving your knees to the right. Set yourself down on your left elbow and then repeat the kick from leg’s current position.
- Spreading Clouds Block – Stand up by pushing off with the hands to the South into a horse riding stance. Some people extend the right leg out and then rise. Others prefer to move the right foot out as they stand up. As you stand up, repeat the spreading hands action of the first technique. Bring the palms upward with the fingers curled under, and as you achieve the stance, start spreading them outward. Be careful to avoid bending forward at any time.
- Attack Chicken – Powerfully switch feet and assume a front stance. Simultaneously with stepping back, fold the arms across the body. While stepping back forward with the other foot, left chicken head wrist block to the front and right palm heel block to the rear with the hips to the side. Perform the last and this technique together quickly 1-2. Perform a mirror image of the last without pausing such that they both look like one giant four motion technique. (North).
- Left Reverse Ridge Hand – From the right side chicken head wrist strike with your left hand behind your left buttock, pull the right hand back sharply as you swing the left hand around strongly with a synchronous hip rotation to front. Throw a left ridge hand strike to the temple with the left hand. Some people bend the hand at the wrist away from the target, and some people point the hand straight forward as if it were a stabbing action. Be careful that the arm swings away from the body, this is supposed to be a round strike, not a thrust. Many people simply stab with this hand formation, but this particular shape for the hand doesn’t work for that type of action.
- Left Front Snap Kick – Raise your knee up into your chest and front snap kick to your chin level. Snap the kick back strongly as you pivot on your right foot, the support leg, and turn clockwise. As you pivot, outside block to the high level with your right arm strongly with your foot off of the floor. Keep the support knee in the position it was in during the kick. As you set your left foot down, reverse punch with the left fist. The timing for this entire sequence is 1…2..3.4.
- Repeat the Last Sequence – Turn to the North 180° pivoting on the rear foot and repeat the ridge hand, kick, block, and punch as a mirror image of the previous four motions. The timing for the four techniques in both cases is 1…2..3.4.
- Back to Square One – Stand up by pulling the front foot back to your rear foot into the both-arms-down-and-out posture of the beginning of the kata. Assume this posture with increasing slowness and increasing tension by crossing the arms at the wrist in front of your chest and slowly lowering them while pulling them out to your sides.
- Feint and Stab – Turn to your left 45° angle and step forward with the left foot only one half step without any speed, but not in slow motion. Raise the left arm upward in a sword hand slowly gently. As you raise the left hand, the right hand should be in a sword hand as well pointed downward to the floor fairly close to the body. Bring the right hand up and the left hand down, both in sword hands as you begin to step with the right leg. They should pass each other palms inward. Step forward strongly with the right leg and punch from a high handed position downward to the lower level – a sort of dropping punch. The timing of these actions is 111…2.3.
- Dirty Fighting – Together as one technique pivot on your feet in place and punch/block to the lower level to the rear without any chambering action, and then pivot back around to where you were to punch to the front again with 1-2 rhythm. Make sure you snap your head in each direction quickly for maximum effect.
- Grab and Pull – Turn to the rear and assume a unmovable stance by shifting the left foot over. Make a slow left-handed vertical sword hand block as you begin shifting the foot and complete the second half after the foot is firmly planted. The block should decelerate as you progress through it until finally you are moving very slowly and with great tension. Don’t let the block come to a stop, however, and then move to the next action. Bring the right hand up next to the right ear in an open hand as if you are about to throw an open-handed outside block or sword hand strike. Instead you’ll bring it in a round trajectory down behind you and then scooping up in front of you as a palm heel strike. Fold your fingers in as you bring the hand around it’s path. Rotate the hips to the front strongly in synch with this action. Fold the fingers of the left hand in as well and pull the left elbow into the body a little closer as you bring the left and right palm heels together. This action should look as though you are grabbing someone’s arm in your left hand and then adding your right hand to the pull as your left arm pulls them in.
- Front Thrust Kick – The only front thrust kick in Shotokan Karate kata is right here. Bring up the right knee under the arms while leaving their palm heels touching, then thrust front kick to the knee level strongly as you bring the hands back in fists to your right waist in a cup and saucer action with the left fist on top. Kiai on this technique.
- Two Punches – As you retract the kicking leg’s knee into your chest, punch with the left hand quickly from the cup and saucer position you were making before. As you step forward into a right front stance, punch with the right hand strongly so that the foot lands as you focus the punch.
- Ride’em Cowboy! – Look to the left 120° and step into a horse riding stance while down blocking strongly. Fold the arms as your right foot passes your left, and then block strongly in time with the foot landing on the floor. Without any pause whatsoever, look to the left and fold for a left inside block with the right hand in a ridge hand shape. Shift to the left six inches by raising the left foot and pushing off with the right foot. Throw a high level inside block using the ridge hand surface to block with as you shift. Your elbow should finish at shoulder height and be at a nice 90° angle. Without any chamber at all, look to the right and step with the left foot across into a new horse riding stance with the left foot in front. Block down with the left sword hand in a large arcing action over the head. Look to the right, and as you shift in that direction as above make a high level inside ridge hand block. Shift in place 6 inches as you block. In the same breath as the block, throw a punch with the left hand so that the elbow is nearly straight (don’t use a hook punch). Turn at the waist to throw the punch. The timing of these four actions should be 1-2..1-23 and they are very quick and choppy actions. Beware of collapsing your horse riding stance with all of the shifting. Push those knees outward and keep the stance in a strong arch.
- Sweeping Hand – Turn to the left and assume one of two stances: Either a rooted stance or a back stance with the left foot in front. Which stance you use seems to be a matter of preference sincee even the most famous kata competitors from Japan seem to change which stance they use from time to time. Best Karate Vol. 11 shows an unmovable stance, but Yahara also performs this from a back stance on some instructional videotapes. Take your pick. Also, you can either use a back hand block with the hand in the shape of a sword hand, or you can use a vertical sword hand block for the hand technique. Whatever you do, be careful to decelerate the block as it reaches it’s destination, but never let it finish. You’ll do the following kick and jump right away.
- Laredo Tornado – Jump into the air off of the left foot. Right crescent kick into the left hand as you push off with your left foot. Your going to turn 360 degrees, but only the last 180° with actually be in the air. Your left arm will be pointing to the rear 180° through the turn before you get off of the ground. The kick is for the most part complete when you jump. When you jump, pull both knees and feet up tightly into the body so that you make the rest of the jump in a little ball. Extend your limbs again only as you near the ground. To do the jump at a good height, you need to remember several key points. Try to kick the hand but you’ll never reach it if you do the kick right. Make the motion of the kick pull you 360 degrees around and over in the air. This is not a horizontal action, but more of an “over the top” action. You don’t rotate in the horizontal plane, but rather at an angle as the Earth to the Sun. Think of a basketball lay-up leap off of the left foot. As you land, extend the rear leg as if back thrust kicking, but only at the last second, then land on the right foot and left foot with the hands palm down on the floor pointing in a triangle. The rear leg is supposed to be a back thrust kick. Do not actually try to back thrust kick unless you are pretty good at the jump already – you’ll get hurt. You can do the back thrust kick, but it hurts the height of the kick and ruins your chances of getting a good solid landing with all four points touching the floor at the same time. The landing looks sloppy if you land one foot or hand at a time. Caution: Repeated practice of this technique on a hard, unforgiving surface such as a concrete slab will result in a right knee that pops and crackles when you are young, and then no longer works when you are over 40. Be very selective about what type of surface you do this jump on. Sprung wood or dirt is best.
- The Lawnmower Man – After a brief pause, step forward with the left foot, and back hand block with left and right hands turning them in a circle until the left hand is at the left waist and the right hand is in front of the right shoulder. This technique is extremely difficult to describe in text, but here’s an attempt. From the U punch, hook the back of the left hand using the back side of the palm heel posture. The right hand does the same. Move both hands clockwise, keeping the palm heels facing into the center of the circle your hands are describing in front of you. Once the hands are vertical with the right on top in front of the face and the left on the bottom in front of the belt knot, they are really facing to the sides now. Rotate your wrists so that they are back-end leading again as you continue around this circle of doom one more time. This time, the palm heel backside blocks (otherwise known as round blocks) never make it back to the vertical position. Instead, pull them to your sides as you draw the circle a second time. The left palm heel is drawn at the left waist, the right is drawn over-hand style at the right shoulder. Step forward a second time and repeat the action in mirror image.
- Upper Block Reverse Punch – Pivot on the right foot, turn sharply 180° and put the left foot over into the front foot position of a left front stance. As you pivot, focus the rising open hand that precedes all upper level rising blocks. As you reach the halfway point of this transition focus a left rising block upper level in mid-step. As you step down, reverse punch with the right hand and kiai. The timing of the entire single step is 12–3. Finish by returning to the both-armsdown-and-out posture of the beginning of the kata.
Shotokan: Chinte
- Closed Feet Stance – This kata begins with both feet together, touching from heel to big toe. If you move to this position straight from a bow, such as during practice in a class, then you will have to bring the balls of your feet together. If you are moving to this posture following the natural position, as in a tournament, then you will have to bring the right foot up to the left foot and start from there. Place the left fist in the center of the stomach with the knuckles pointing to the right side, palm side up. Place the right fist on top of the left one vertically cup and saucer style.
- Over Hand Bottom Fist Strike – Look right. Raise the right fist up turning the palm side away from the body. Go straight up to your own height, and then start going over to the right side. When the right elbow reaches shoulder height, start unfolding it more to complete the strike. Finish with the right fist at shoulder height extended to the right side. Do not move the left hand during this technique.
- Repeat – Bring the right fist back underneath the left, and then extend the left fist to the left side in the same fashion. Both of these techniques are performed with increasing tension and deceleration. There is very little pause between the two techniques.
- Double Sword Hand Block – Pivot on the right foot and step forward with the left foot so that you are in a new horse riding stance facing to the right of your previous position. At the same time that you turn into the new stance, raise both hands upward with the finger tips touching at the index and middle fingers. Raise the hands upward over your height with the elbows outward. Your thumbs should be tucked in. Perform this motion quickly.
- Vertical Sword Hand Block – Look right. Shift the right foot to the right about 1 foot, and change the stance to an unmovable stance. As you shift, fold for the vertical sword hand block by bringing the right hand underneath the left as the left reaches across the body. Block strongly and quickly. Without pausing, continue to the next technique.
- Vertical Punch – So far, all of this kata is “Weird Hands.” Reverse punch with the left fist into the palm of the right hand with a vertical punch. Rotate the hips fully to front, and change the stance to a front stance.
- Vertical Sword Hand Block – Step forward into a new unmovable stance with the left foot forward and execute a vertical sword hand block again.
- Vertical Punch – Punch with the right fist vertically into the open palm of the left hand. Rotate to front and stand in a front stance. Perform the block and punch as a pair again.
- Vertical Sword Hand Block – Step forward into a new unmovable stance with the right foot forward and execute a vertical sword hand block again.
- Vertical Elbow – Shift into a front stance again, but this time bring your left elbow up strongly to your own nose height. Keep the left fist near to the ear. Kiai on this technique.
- Sword Hand Block – Pivot 180° to the left on the right foot into a new back stance. At the same time, sword hand block strongly with the left hand. From the elbow strike, reach over the right shoulder with the left arm and straighten the right arm to fold for the block. Focus the block as you stop pivoting. Remember to reach with the fold in the direction you will block – not just any direction.
- Sword Hand Block – Step forward and sword hand block again. with the right hand.
- Front Snap Kick – Without moving the hands, raise the left leg and front snap kick, returning the foot to the place where it was resting before you kicked. Kick to the middle level and no higher.
- Cross Block – As you withdraw the left leg from the kick, fold for a left side down block by reaching over the right shoulder with the left fist. Extend the right arm straight and downward. Unfold them so that the left arm executes a downward block and the right arm performs an inside block. Focus this double handed technique as you step the left foot back down strongly. The hips should be facing forward.
- Lower Level Inside Block – Step the left foot up to the right into a new close feet stance. As you step up, draw the left fist back to the waist. Turn the right fist over, straighten and lower the arm, and then block in an outside to inside fashion with the inside of the right wrist across the lower level. Continue swinging the arm around up and over the head, and then around and down from the outside inward. Focus the strike as a bottom fist strike performed like a lower level outside block. Stop the fist when it is in front of the right leg again. The way this should be performed is debatable. In tournaments, trophies have been awarded by Nakayama’s students to performers who do this and the next two motions quickly. However, Nakayama’s Best Karate Volume 9 recommends that the techniques be performed with slow, increasing tension and deceleration.
- Lower Level Inside Sword Hand Block – Step back with the right foot into a new horse riding stance facing the left side while looking over the left shoulder. The pivot is accompanied by a shifting action where both feet move to he rear about six inches. You should still be facing the direction you were in the last technique. As you step back, raise the right and left hands to the left side with the elbows straight. Swing both arms, with open hands, around over the head from left to right, and then around and back to the left from the right on the lower side. When you finish, your open right hand is on your abdomen in a sword hand posture with the palm facing up as in any sword hand block. The left hand is also palm up, though, and it is in a position to down block to the left side with the inside of the left wrist. Some people like to put their draw hand lower on their abdomen, sometimes much lower, when they are performing low level sword hand blocks. There is nothing wrong with pointing both hands at the same point in space if you prefer to do this.
- Lower Level Inside Sword Hand Block – Look to the right. Shift to the left with both feet about six inches as you repeat the large, circular, lower level sword hand block that you just performed to the right side.
- Double Handed Inside Block – Look straight ahead. Shift to the left again about six inches. As you shift, fold the arms for the double inside block by putting the right arm under the left and then unfolding them. Focus the block at the end of the shifting action.
- Double Handed Down Block – Step the right foot up to the left knee, as in Gankaku, and hook it behind the leg. As you bring the foot up, reach with both arms, hands in fists, to the sides, then up, and then over the top of the head. Cross them in front of the chest, and then bring them downward and out to the sides in downblocks to the sides. This movement is fast and strong. The timing for the last three techniques is 1-2-3.
- One Knuckle Fist Strike – Step forward with the right foot into a new front stance. Draw the left arm back, turn the hips to the side facing position, and swing the right arm, elbow straight, back, around, over the head, and then down to chest height in a one-knuckle fist (middle knuckle).
- One Knuckle Fist Again – Rotate the hips forward in place as you bring the left hand out, back, over the top, and then down on top of the right hand in a one knuckle fist.
- Inside Block – Fold the right arm under the left, turn the hips to the side, and inside block in place with the right arm. The weird hand part here is that your index and middle fingers are extended.
- Two Finger Punch – Step forward with the left foot and execute an upward rising high level two finger stab to the eyes with the index and middle fingers extended.
- Two Finger Inside Block – Turn 180° to the rear by pivoting counterclockwise on the right (rear) foot and assume a left leg front stance. Inside block with the two finger hand again.
- Two Finger Punch – Step forward and punch as before with the upward rising action and the two fingers.
- Palm Heel Strike – Pivot to the left 90° on rear/left foot. Step across to the left into a new right foot forward unmovable stance with the right foot. From the outside inward in a wide strike from the side strike with the palm heel to the middle level.
- Palm Heels Together – Bring the left hand around the same way and strike with a palm heel into the other hand. When you finish, both hands will be palm heel together in front and in the centerline of your body. Best Karate indicates that you should be in an unmovable stance, but the performer, Oishi, is clearly in a front stance. Do the front stance. The print is a typo.
- Scissor punch to the rear – From the previous position, bring both hands behind you while bending forward a bit to allow them to reach back in fists and double round punch to the rear quickly.
- Scissors Punch – While the fists are extended behind you, quickly pivot to the rear on the right foot into a new unmovable stance. The left foot should move over to the left about 2.5 feet as you turn counter-clockwise. Bring both arms up and out from the body, and then punch inward with two round punches at chest level.
- Vertical Sword Hand Block – Step forward into a new unmovable stance with the right foot forward and execute a vertical sword hand block again.
- Vertical Punch – Punch with the left fist vertically into the open palm of the right hand. Rotate to front and stand in a front stance. Perform the block and punch as a pair again.
- Vertical Sword Hand Block – Step forward into a new unmovable stance with the left foot forward and execute a vertical sword hand block again.
- Vertical Punch – Punch with the right fist vertically into the open palm of the left hand. Rotate to front and stand in a front stance. Perform the block and punch as a pair again. Kiai on this technique.
- Hop Backwards – To finish, draw the right foot back to the left in the closed feet stance, and perform the hand over fist posture with the right hand in the left fist in front of the chin. Now, hop backwards 3 times about 4 inches at a time. 1- 2-3. Then you are finished.