The Complete Guide to GKR Karate

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Seiunchin (Pictured below)

• Start the kata with a bow - Remember a bow should be slow and respectful. Keep your hands and elbows against your side. Bend from the waist between 30-45 degrees, pause very briefly as your eyes fix on the ground about 3m in front of you, and then return to the upright position. Bring both hands to in front of your groin, left on right, and then step out into heiko-dachi as your fists close.

1. Step forwards into migi shiko-dachi hands move from the groin to the knees in yoi position - step forwards with purpose but do not fall into the stance. Move the hands slowly and smoothly.

2. Bring the hands in and up to eye-level, then down and back out closing the fists - hold the stance and move the hands slowly but now with strength.

3. Block migi kake-uke and strike hidari nukite - hold the stance while blocking sharply and striking slowly but strongly.

4. Step forwards into hidari shiko-dachi hands move from the groin to the knees in yoi position

5. Bring the hands in and up to eye-level, then down and back out closing the fists

6. Block hidari kake-uke and strike migi nukite

7. Step forwards into migi shiko-dachi hands move from the groin to the knees in yoi position

8. Bring the hands in and up to eye-level, then down and back out closing the fists

9. Block migi kake-uke and strike hidari nukite

10. Step back striking migi uraken into your left hand while kicking migi age kakato geri - all sharp strong movements. Keep your post leg bent.

11. Step forward into migi hanzenkutsu-dachi striking chudan-tsuki - your left hand rolls around your right to act as a support. It finishes on a 45 degree angle.

12. Step back into hidari hanzenkutsu-dachi striking with your elbow to the rear - another sharp strong movement.

13. Gyaku Hijiate - immediately a sharp strong movement. Your right elbow strikes your left hand.

14. Prepare both hands on the left hip, migi uchi-uke turning 45 degrees into migi sanchin-dachi - prepare quickly and turn the head. The block and step are then done slowly with strength. Use proper hip movement to enhance the strength of this movement.

15. Step forward into hidari shiko-dachi and strike hidari gedan tetsui - this movement is fast and strong but must remain balanced. The emphasis of movement must be forwards rather than down.

16. Step back into migi shiko-dachi and block gedan-barai - this movement is fast difficult to master. Stay low through the movement, use the hips to generate speed and power.

17. Prepare both hands on the right hip, hidari uchi-uke turning 45 degrees into hidari sanchin-dachi

18. Step forward into migi shiko-dachi and strike migi gedan tetsui

19. Step back into hidari shiko-dachi and block gedan-barai

20. Turn 45 degrees to the front and step back into migi shiko-dachi, age-uke, gedan teisho-uchi - this move is done slowly and smoothly.

21. Step back into hidari shiko-dachi, age-uke, gedan teisho-uchi

22. Step forwards into migi hanzenkutsu-dachi, hijiate - lunge forwards. Your right elbow strikes your left hand.

23. Step forwards staying in migi hanzenkutsu-dachi, migi uraken-uchi - this move follows immediately after the elbow strike. The movements should be powerful but flow well together.

24. Step across and turn 135 degrees into hidari sanchin-dachi, hidari chuge-uke - be as subtle as possible with the step. The block is strong, but not sharp and snappy.

25. Grab with your left hand, step forwards into migi shiko-dachi, migi ura-tsuki - make this move as aggressive as possible. The emphasis of movement must be forwards rather than down.

26. Migi uraken-uchi and gedan tetsui - both movements are fast and strong. The backfist should explode from the uppercut position and then the groin strike should move in a circular motion down past the centreline of the body.

27. Step back into hidari shiko-dachi and block gedan-barai - as before, strength, speed and balance are important.

28. Turn 135 back to the front, bring the left arm around to prepare, step back into migi nekoashi-dachi, elbow strike to the rear, migi mawashi-empi - the initial movement is slow and artistic and thus there is a rise and fall into stance, the elbow strike backwards is fast and strong.

29. Step back into hidari nekoashi-dachi, preparing the arm and striking with the elbow to the rear, hidari mawashi-empi

30. Step across and turn 135 degrees into migi sanchin-dachi, migi chuge-uke

31. Grab with your right hand, step forwards into hidari shiko-dachi, hidari ura-tsuki

32. Hidari uraken-uchi and gedan tetsui

33. Step back into migi shiko-dachi and block gedan-barai

34. Turn 135 back to the front, bring the right arm around to prepare, step back into hidari nekoashi-dachi, elbow strike to the rear, hidari mawashi-empi

35. Step back into migi nekoashi-dachi, preparing the arm and striking with the elbow to the rear, migi mawashi-empi

36. Bring your left hand up and strike taisho-uke down past your right elbow, lunge forwards into gyaku nekoashi-dachi and strike uraken-uchi - the first movement is slow, but builds speed. The backfist is fast and strong.

37. Extend both hands forward at eye level, switching to migi nekoashi-dachi, before raising them up, stepping back into hidari nekoashi-dachi and striking down with the elbows, push forwards with shuto-uchi - the first movement is faster, but the movement slows with grace and style.

• Finish the kata with a bow