The Complete Guide to GKR Karate

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Empi (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. Bring both feet together into heisoku-dachi while placing your right fist in the palm of your left hand - This is similar to the first move of saifa.

2. Step your left foot out into a perpendicular short stance, migi tetsui-uchi, step back into heiko-dachi, right fist on the chambered left - Make sure you step back slightly into the stance, so you keep balance. The strike is about 30 degrees forward of sideways. Don't rush the strike, make it strong, but step back to heiko-dachi quickly.

3. Snap your head to the right and step your right foot out into zenkutsu-dachi, gedan-barai - This move needs to be sharp and strong. Use the snap of your hips to generate power for the block.

4. Face the front again and bring your right foot up into kiba-dachi, hidari kake-tsuki - This move is also snappy. Keep your centre of gravity low while moving through the stances.

5. Step your left foot forwards into zenkutsu-dachi, gedan-barai

6. Migi gyaku-tsuki

7. Grab with your right hand, hiza age ate, step forward into migi kosa-dachi, hidari gedan-tsuki - The right hand finishes with the palm by the left ear. This whole sequence is sharp and strong. Do not straighten the post leg while performing the knee strike; keep your centre of gravity low. Make the motion of the groin-level punch be forward; don't drop too low into stance. Your kosa-dachi should be the same height as your zenkutsu-dachi.

8. Step back into gyaku zenkutsu-dachi, migi gedan-barai, turn around to the left, step across into hidari zenkutsu-dachi, gedan-barai - Make both of these blocks fast and strong.

9. Migi gyaku-tsuki

10. Grab with your right hand, hiza age ate, step forward into migi kosa-dachi, hidari gedan-tsuki

11. Step back into gyaku zenkutsu-dachi, migi gedan-barai, turn around to the left, step across into hidari zenkutsu-dachi, gedan-barai

12. Lift your left hand and left foot and sweep to the left, step down into kiba-dachi - Your elbow and knee should be bent at 90 degrees. This motion is slow and smooth.

13. Facing at 45 degrees to the left, step up into gankaku-dachi, bring your forearms together sharply, KIAI! - Your elbows should be together with your right fist in your left palm. Make this a strong powerful move.

14. Step back into kiba-dachi, hidari mawashi shuto-uke - The left hand prepares under the right elbow, and then blocks out and around on a horizontal plane, finishing in front of your left shoulder. This is a slow and smooth move.

15. Migi chudan-tskui, hidari chudan-tsuki - Focus on speed with these two punches. Keep your stance solid as you punch.

16. Turn to the left, step across into hidari zenkutsu-dachi, gedan-barai - Use a snappy head turn.

17. Migi gyaku-tsuki

18. Step forward into migi kokutsu-dachi, shuto-uke - Make sure the block prepares with the elbow against the sternum.

19. Step back then forward, changing into hidari kokutsu-dachi, shuto-uke - Change feet on the spot, stepping back to do so.

20. Migi gyaku-tskui - Do not rotate the hips. Keep the stance solid and the back knee pushed out.

21. Step forward into migi kokutsu-dachi, shuto-uke

22. Step the back foot across and turn into hidari zenkutsu-dachi, gedan-barai

23. Migi gyaku-tsuki

24. Grab with your right hand, hiza age ate, step forward into migi kosa-dachi, hidari gedan-tsuki

25. Step back into gyaku zenkutsu-dachi, migi gedan-barai, turn around to the left, step across into hidari zenkutsu-dachi, gedan-barai

26. Migi teisho age uke - This is a slow and smooth move. The block finishes at sternum level.

27. Sharp head turn to the front (right), shuffle into migi zenkutsu-dachi, simultaneous hidari teisho-otoshi-uke and migi teisho-age-uke - Slow and smooth. Use the hips in generating power, but don't rotate the body too much.

28. Step forwards into hidari zenkutsu-dachi, simultaneous migi teisho-otoshi-uke, hidari teisho-age-uke

29. Step forwards into migi zenkutsu-dachi, simultaneous hidari teisho-otoshi-uke, migi teisho-age-uke

30. Shuffle forwards into migi kokutsu-dachi, migi gedan-barai - This move is sharp and strong.

31. Shuffle forwards into migi kokutsu-dachi, grabbing high and low - Your left hand should be inverted (fingers pointing down) at mouth height and your right should be inverted at groin level. Both hands need to prepare at the sides while shuffling forwards.

32. Spin to the left and jump backwards, land in migi kokutsu-dachi facing the front, shuto-uke - Focus on jumping high, rather than long. Prepare the block and pull your kness up to your chest when jumping.

33. Step back into hidari kokutsu-dachi, shuto-uke - Make this technique strong!

34. Step back into heisoku-dachi, right fist in left palm on the left side - Keep this smooth and slow.

• Finish the kata with a bow