Heian Shodan Bunkai/Oyo Following on from my thoughts on applications from the Shotokan (Kanazawa Ryu) version of Chinte today I will look at the first kata in the Shotokan system, Heian Shodan. Though the so called Higher Kata incorporate many very good techniques I think we can all learn a great deal from the basics. This article does not present a definitive list of applications. It is easy to show alternatives for any of the applications presented here. The important thing in any confrontation is to act on the threat to you. If you have not been grabbed then create distance between yourself and the attacker. This will give you some defensive options if it comes to a violent encounter. If you are grabbed then defend immediately. Do not stand there and wait to see what will happen next. Every second is vital, you want/need surprise on your side, if you react at the time you are grabbed then you may be able to simply control the attacker and not damage him/her. If you wait, then the attacker s position will become entrenched and you will have no alternative other then to damage him/her. I know from personal experience that once you are grabbed by someone intent on violence the longer you stand there talking to them wishing they would go away the more your resolve disappears and the more confident the attacker becomes. I was 13 years old at the time but I remember the incident very clearly. It was a good lesson for me and I have never forgotten what I learnt that day. If you are grabbed hold of, try not to freeze. Definitely do not engage the attacker in conversation. Defend yourself as best you can. The more relaxed you are the better you will be able to move and deal with the changing circumstances. I will be taking the part of Uke (the defender) and my student Michael Beak will be Tori (the aggressor). 1
Tori moves in close from Uke s left and reaches out to grab or punch Uke in his abdominal area. Uke simultaneously blocks gedan barai while punching ura tsuki. Uke then slides his right hand up behind Tori s head and traps Tori s right arm with Uke s own left hand. Uke now turns to his right and throws Tori face first at the floor. Tori punches at Uke s stomach from close range with Tori s left hand. Uke blocks nagashi uke and strikes jodan tettsui uchi. Uke then uses his right hand to push Tori backwards or to the side hopefully breaking Tori s balance and steps in and punches Tori. 2
Tori grabs Uke s right lapel and threatens to punch. Uke puts his hands up in appeasement (guard). Uke strikes down gedan barai with his left hand (hard) just in front of Tori s left elbow. As Tori s head comes forward Uke punches ura tsuki to Tori s temple or mastoid process. You could deal with the three age uke blocks as an initial defence followed by a number of counter attacks. I have chosen to deal with these as three separate attacks on this occasion. Tori grabs Uke by the right lapel with his left hand and prepares to punch. Uke puts his hands up in appeasement (guard). Note Uke s right hand is above Tori s left hand. Tori punches jodan, Uke blocks age uke fashion with his left arm and strikes Tori with teisho. Of course Uke can move on from here with a suitable follow up attack. 3
Tori throws a right swing punch at Uke s head. Uke blocks with his reach out/reaction hand and then steps in and strikes age uke uchi jodan with his right elbow. Tori throws a right swing punch at Uke s head. Uke steps back age uke gyaku tsuki. 4
Tori grabs Uke s left wrist with his own left hand (opposite side wrist grab). Uke must act immediately here if the counter is to just happen. Uke steps to his left in this case and performs an overhand wrist reversal. Tori is now blindsided and vulnerable. Depending on the situation this might be enough, or Uke can step in and punch to Tori s floating ribs or kidneys. Tori puts his right hand flat on Uke s chest either to push or just to intimidate. Uke takes one of Tori s fingers with his right hand and steps and mimics migi gedan barai. This puts Tori in a very painful finger lock. Done quickly Uke will break Tori s finger on the way. Either way Uke can now apply an arm bar or counter attack as required. 5
Now for the gedan barai before the three punches. I taught this move the other night. The funny thing was that the next night I watched the move The Mummy This move was performed by the male lead in the fight scene on the boat with the magi. Tori grabs Uke by both lapels. Tori s arms are relatively straight, or he could simply have long arms and we cannot strike him with a different defence. Uke spits in Tori s face. As Tori is reacting mentally to being spat on, Uke strikes gedan barai with both hands just in front of Tori s elbows. This brings Tori s head forward. Uke head butts Tori. Tori threatens with a raised fists. Uke puts his hands up in appeasement (guard) and feigns uncertainty/helplessness. Tori grows in arrogance and moves closer to intimidate further before he/she attacks. (Big mistake). Now that the distance is just right Uke attacks preemptively kizami tsuki and follows with a series of punches or suitable strikes. 6
Tori throws a left swinging punch at Uke s head. Uke fends the punch with his left hand as he draws it back for shuto. At the same time he strikes spear hand into Tori s throat with his right reach out/ reaction hand. Uke now completes the shuto action pulling Tori into the strike with his reaction hand finishing Tori. Tori grabs Uke by the right hand with his own right hand, (same side grab). As if performing shuto, (or kake), Uke initially points the fingers of his right hand at the floor then brings them up to point at the ceiling with his palm facing himself. At this point his reaction hand covers Tori. Uke completes the shuto move to either simply break away or Uke can strike Tori with his escaping hand if required. Only two shutos left. 7
Tori punches with his right hand. Uke blocks shuto and quickly steps in striking shuto. Most instructors demonstrate applications as I have done here, from a standing, confrontational situation. But it must be emphasized that many applications can be performed just as effectively in the following situations: Eg. No.1: Seated, you are approached while having a meal. Gedan barai uchi into the attackers groin and go from there. Eg. No. 2: You are on the ground and the attacker basically has you in a double lapel grab roughing you up on his way to getting more serious. Think of the first move when performing a basic gedan barai, i.e. the fist of the blocking hand onto your shoulder. This can be seen as a slap to the attacker s ear or mawashi tsuki. As I said in my earlier article on Chinte I encourage all my students to think about what they are doing during their performance of kata, and visualize the Te. This way kata does not just become a mindless callisthenic but rather it is a rich source of practical self defence applications as well as being good for you from an exercise perspective. John Hackett Chief Instructor Authentic Shotokan Karate Australia www.authenticshotokan.com 8