The Complete Guide to GKR Karate

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Hangetsu (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 forward into hidari hangetsu-dachi, hidari uchi-uke - This move is slow and smooth. Focus on strong breathing and strong movement.

2. Gyaku-tsuki - Rotate the hips into a forward position. These punches are slow and smooth.

3. Step forward into migi hangetsu-dachi, migi uchi-uke

4. Gyaku-tsuki

5. Step forward into hidari hangetsu-dachi, hidari uchi-uke

6. Gyaku-tsuki

7. Hidari choku-tsuki - As you punch with your left, move your right to a few inches from centre. This punch is also smooth and strong.

8. Morote ippon-ken - The preparation is slow and smooth, but the strike is fast and snappy.

9. Morote haiwan-uke, morote shuto gedan-barai - Both moves are performed sharply, the second set of blocks immediately after the first. Keep your core stationary and balanced throughout.

10. Step forward and across, turning into hidari hangetsu-dachi, simultaneous migi haito-uke and hidari shuto gedan-barai, KIAI!, migi tsukami-uke - Step across sharply and perform the double block strongly. The right grab is strong but not sharp.

11. Step forward into migi hangetsu-dachi, simultaneous migi haito-uke and hidari shuto gedan-barai, migi tsukami-uke - Again the double block is strong and sharp with the grab smoother.

12. Step forward into hidari hangetsu-dachi, simultaneous hidari haito-uke and migi shuto gedan-barai, hidari tsukami-uke

13. Lift the right leg, turn to the right and step into migi hangetsu-dachi, uchi-uke - The preparation for this move is important. Your right knee should be at waist level and your right foot by the left knee. Your left hand prepares across your right. The left hand is open, the right is closed. The block and step are performed strongly and sharply.

14. Hidari chudan-tsuki, migi chudan-tsuki - These two punches are performed quickly and sharply.

15. Lift the left leg, turn to the left and step into hidari hangetsu-dachi, uchi-uke

16. Migi chudan-tsuki, hidari chudan-tsuki

17. Lift the right leg, turn to the back and step into migi hangetsu-dachi, uchi uke

18. Hidari chudan-tsuki, migi chudan-tsuki

19. Lift the left leg, turn to the front and step into hidari kokutsu-dachi, otoshi uraken - The whole move is slow and smooth. The dropping backfist finishes at a low chudan level.

20. Step up, hidari mae-geri, step down into hidari hangetsu-dachi, gedan-barai - All moves are strong and sharp.

21. Gyaku-tsuki, hidari jodan age-uke - Both moves follow immediately and are sharp and strong.

22. Lift the right leg, turn to the back and step into migi kokutsu-dachi, otoshi uraken

23. Step up, migi mae-geri, step down into migi hangetsu-dachi, gedan-barai

24. Gyaku-tsuki, migi jodan age-uke

25. Lift the left leg, turn to the front and step into hidari kokutsu-dachi, otoshi uraken

26. Lift the left hand up to shoulder height and open the fist - This move is slow and smooth.

27. Migi mikazuki-geri into the left palm, step back into hidari hangetsu-dachi, migi gedan-tsuki, KIAI!

28. Shuffle back into hidari nekoashi-dachi, gedan teisho awase-uke - This move is slow and strong with emphasis on the breathing.

• Finish the kata with a bow