Closing Seisan Kata 7-7-2001

A recent discussion on one of the Isshinryu discussion groups provided the basis for todays Bunkai Work.

 

Closing Seisan Kata, as I was taught it, you step back with the right foot into a left “T” stance (only the toes touching on the left foot).  Both hand (open) palm  push out to the sides, then collapse the arms placing the open hands (fingers down) facing the front along side each hip.  The left heel is then brought down to the floor and the left palm (fingers down) presses out toward the centerline as the right palm (fingers up) presses out across the left wrist.  


The discussion was hinging on some individuals feeling sliding the left foot over into Sanchin stance made for a stronger stance for the final arm cross application.  This was not how Shimabuku Tatsuo taught it, but a personal change of several instructors.  It is easy to understand why a change such as this can be made. One of my instructors is of the believe you should never change the original kata, but in the application any variation needed is reasonable and correct.  Always something to consider.

 

The standard beginning application of this closing movement of Seisan Kata is that this is being done to twist a foot during a side kick attack. The left palm presses the opponents side kick toes downward, while the right palm presses into and raises  the opponents attacking side kick heel. The end result is that this is to twist the opponents leg over and drop them.


Frankly I find this fine in theory, but very difficult to sell against a committed kicker (Bill Wallace Superfoot comes to mind).

Another application I was taught in the beginning is that the preceding punch into the opponents stomach causes them to bend over. Then I grab the side of the opponents head/hair/ears?, pull them forward and then rapidly turn their neck over either as a takedown or a neck break.

             

I find this somewhat more agreeable, except I’m normally not into neck breaking as an application.


So today I took a look at this from the perspective of somebody is quickly reaching out to grab your shoulders or neck, in this case with their right foot forward.


The right foot quickly steps back into the left “T” stance as both hand come up and press outward deflecting the attack to the sides.


Then draw the hands back to the hips and you press off of the back foot to step outside and behind their lead right foot. As you place your left foot down, the toes are turned in (similar to Sanchin) hooking your foot behind their lead foot ankle.


Simultaneously your left hand reaches behind their right kidney while your right palm presses into their neck (from front towards the back) at the carotid sinus on the neck.


With very little pressure your left hand presses into their kidney while your right hand presses into and behind their neck.  You will find that you have supplanted their centerline with your inward presses and rotate them to the ground with ease.


Always a caution. Do not use excessive force in practice with a partner against the Carotid Sinus. This ties into the previous work I’ve written about using the neck.  Only a gentle pressure will displace them, and you run very little risk of injuring them as you learn to execute the technique.  


I’m currently working on the issue of neck control and pressure attacks there in greater detail, with the assistance of Dr. Harper.  Eventually I believe I will have something interesting to post on this.


Now this same application can be found several other places in the standard Isshirnyu kata.  If you refer to Norbert Donnally’s  site for the following kata sections, you should be able to work out how I can use these movements for the same application I’ve described above. I can no longer find this site.


For Seisan        Movements 69 and 70

For Wansu        Movements 13 and 14

For Kusanku Kata    Movement 69


Of course in my version of Kusanku Kata instead of stepping out with the right on movement 69, you step out with the left, but the hands are in the same position of right on top and left on the bottom.


For Sanchin kata    Movements 54 and 55


Finally, in my search to keep this list alive and everyone working hard, I found an interesting application from the work of Mr. Joe Swift. I’m offering it as the Bunkai Research Quiz for July 2001.


Joe Swift writes about Mizuho Mutsu, author of Karate Kempo in 1933, in the Shotokan Research Journal SRSI Volume 2.01     No longer available  the article is “Wisdom from the Past IV”. Plug here: The older issues are currently available free, although future issues require subscription. This is a journal which has great promise.


The technique he picks from Mutsu’s book can be found as an application of Chinto Kata, reference
Norbert Donnally  Chinto Kata    Movements 50 to 53.


See if you can work out how they are parallel movements.


Well it’s been a slow day so far…….. Hope you find this interesting.


Victor


Postscript:


I had originally written this to 2001 for my new discussion group Pleasant Isshinryu. This article came from my 1988 research into the uses of Seisan kata technique.


When I originally was taught Isshinryu under Tom Lewis' and Charles Murray's tutelege, the use of kata techniaue was rarely mentioned.

 
Then when I was on my own in 1979 onward and then had the experience with 17 instructors in many, many systems.  I discovered many of them were taught their systems without the study of kata technique usage. Only Tristan Sutrisno shared how he taught kata "bunkai (uniquely defined by him which no one else knew)". And those applications had very little to do with the actual kata technique (a very different paradigm of what 'bunkai' was to be known as.


Later beginning in 1987 I began to work out my own answers as to what kata technique might be used for. Seisan was my first kata technique applications study. These notes came from those studies.


Again later I first met Sherman Harrill and for the next decade learned ever so much about what kata technique could be used for. But Sherman was alive at that time (2001) and I was not sharing what he  was doing. Hence my use of that which I developed, after all it worked too.

Finally going back go my original Sherman Harrill notes on the usage of Seisan kata's ending.

   Seisan Kata – Ending “X” Block

 Attacker RFF Right Punch
Shifting from outside left, inner palm parry, then right inner palm strike to the abdomen

This ‘X’ block can also be executed against a kick.. various variations.

Mr. Harrill also talks about there being a hidden ‘X’ block (performed extremely fast by Master Shimabuku) in the ending section.  [Victor Smith analysis, I believe that this may be where both hands rise to press out this could be seen as a hidden ‘X’ block.]