Tuesday, May 16, 2023

Seisan Kata Toolkit

 

The fourtth in a series of posts on ths topic

 



 

I am quite sure there are innumerable ways in which he study and practice our Isshinryu.

 

One tool I find useful is to break a kata down into drills for the different sections. This can be useful in several different ways. (1) If a student is having difficulty learning a section of the kata, a drill on that section may help them bind it in their memory. (2)If a student has a weakness in kata performance the drills can be used to strengthen the weak section of the kata.  (3)If one is working the application potential the most important goal is to be able to execute that section correctly.

 

In my experience, just kata performance alone doesn’t necessarily make the best use of the tools in the kata. So I’ve tried to list some of the drills I use from time to time in my own training and with our students.  As the manner in which I break the sections of Seisan Kata down, there is no one ‘right’ way to do so. These are the ones that I more frequently use.

 

Victor

 

 

Seisan

 

 

Technique

Drill

Technique description

 

 

 

2

1.1

Release Knees and cross hands right on top

 

 

Release Knees and cross hands left on top

 

 

 

 

1.2

LFF and cross hands right on top

 

 

return

 

 

RFF and cross hands left on top

 

 

 

3

2.1

LFF cross hands right on top

 

 

       left side block while right chambers

 

 

       right reverse punch while left chambers

 

 

return

 

 

RFF cross hands left on top

 

 

      right side block while left chambers

 

 

      left reverse punch while right chambers

 

 

 

 

2.2

LFF cross hands right on top

 

 

       left side block while right chambers

 

 

       right reverse punch while left chambers

 

 

return

 

 

RFF cross hands left on top

 

 

      right side block while left chambers

 

 

      left reverse punch while right chambers

 

 

return

 

 

RFB cross hands right on top

 

 

       left side block while right chambers

 

 

       right reverse punch while left chambers

 

 

return

 

 

LFB cross hands left on top

 

 

      right side block while left chambers

 

 

      left reverse punch while right chambers

 

 

 

    3-4

3.1

LFF cross hands right on top

 

 

       left side block while right chambers

 

 

       right reverse punch while left chambers

 

 

       RFF

 

 

return

 

 

RFF cross hands right on top

 

 

       right side block while left chambers

 

 

       left reverse punch while right chambers

 

 

       LFF

 

 

 

 

3.2

LFF cross hands right on top

 

 

       left side block while right chambers

 

 

       right reverse punch while left chambers

 

 

       RFF

 

 

       left reverse punch while right chambers

 

 

return

 

 

RFF cross hands right on top

 

 

       right side block while left chambers

 

 

       left reverse punch while right chambers

 

 

       LFF

 

 

       right reverse punch while left chambers

 

 

 

   4-5

4.1

RFF Left reverse punch

 

 

       LFF right reverse punch

 

 

return

 

 

LFF right reverse punch

 

 

       RFF Left reverse punch

 

 

 

6

5.1

LFF skip up

 

 

       double rising blocks

 

 

return

 

 

RFF skip up

 

 

       double rising blocks

 

 

 

   6-10

6.1

LFF skip up

 

 

       double rising blocks

 

 

       Turn to the left (pivoting on the left)

 

 

       while LFS cross hands high (left on top)

 

 

       double side low strikes

 

 

RFF skip up

 

 

       double rising blocks

 

 

       Turn to the right (pivoting on the right)

 

 

       cross hands high (right on top)

 

 

       double side low strikes

 

 

 * repeat *

 

 

 

   9-10

7.1

LFF with double high cross hands

 

 

       double side low strikes

 

 

return

 

 

RFF  with double high cross hands

 

 

       double side low strikes

 

 

 

11

8.1

RFF (hands cross in front left on top)

 

 

       right middle bent ridge hand block

 

 

       while the left does an open low side block

 

 

return

 

 

LFF (hands cross in front right on top)

 

 

       left middle bent ridge hand block

 

 

       while the right does an open low side block

 

 

 

 

8.2

RFF (hands cross in front left on top)

 

 

       right middle bent ridge hand block

 

 

       while the left does an open low side block

 

 

       turn the right hand over, grab and pull back

 

 

return

 

 

LFF (hands cross in front right on top)

 

 

       left middle bent ridge hand block

 

 

       while the right does an open low side block

 

 

       turn the left hand over, grab and pull back

 

 

 

 

8.3

RFF (hands cross in front left on top)

 

 

       right middle bent ridge hand block

 

 

       while the left does an open low side block

 

 

       turn the right hand over, grab and pull back

 

 

LFF (hands cross in front right on top)

 

 

       left middle bent ridge hand block

 

 

       while the right does an open low side block

 

 

       turn the left hand over, grab and pull back

 

 

return

 

 

LFF (hands cross in front right on top)

 

 

       left middle bent ridge hand block

 

 

       while the right does an open low side block

 

 

       turn the left hand over, grab and pull back

 

 

RFF (hands cross in front left on top)

 

 

       right middle bent ridge hand block

 

 

       while the left does an open low side block

 

 

       turn the right hand over, grab and pull back

 

 

 

19

9.1

RFF turn head to left

 

 

       double stack hands on right side

 

 

return

 

 

LFF turn head to right

 

 

       double stack hans on left side

 

 

 

20-21

10.1

Step RFF turn head to left, both hands chamber right

 

 

       turn 90 degrees to the left into LFS

 

 

       left side block

 

 

       right then left punch

 

 

       right front kick

 

 

       right punch

 

 

return

 

 

Step LFF turn head to right, both hands chamber left

 

 

       turn 90 degrees to the right into RFS

 

 

       right side block

 

 

       left then right punch

 

 

       left front kick

 

 

       left punch

 

 

 

 

10.3

Step RFF turn head to left, both hands chamber right

 

 

       turn 90 degrees to the left into LFS

 

 

       left side block

 

 

       right then left punch

 

 

       right front kick

 

 

       right punch

 

 

Turn head to rear, both hand chamber left side

 

 

       turn 180 degrees to the right into RFS

 

 

       right side block

 

 

       left then right punch

 

 

       left front kick

 

 

       left punch

 

 

Turn head to left, both hands chamber right side

 

 

       turn 90 degrees to the left into LFS

 

 

       left side block

 

 

       right then left punch

 

 

       right front kick

 

 

       right punch

 

 

Turn head to rear, both hand chamber left side

 

 

       turn 180 degrees to the right into RFS

 

 

       right side block

 

 

       left then right punch

 

 

       left front kick

 

 

       left punch

 

 

 

 

10.2

Step RFF turn head to left, both hands chamber right

 

 

       turn 90 degrees to the left into LFS

 

 

       left side block

 

 

       right then left punch

 

 

       right front kick

 

 

       right punch

 

 

Turn head to right, both hand chamber left side

 

 

Turn 90 degres into RFS

 

 

Turn head to right

 

 

       turn 90 degrees to the right into RFS

 

 

       right side block

 

 

       left then right punch

 

 

       left front kick

 

 

       left punch

 

 

Turn head to left, both hands chamber right side

 

 

       turn 90 degrees to the left into LFS

 

 

       left side block

 

 

       right then left punch

 

 

       right front kick

 

 

       right punch

 

 

Turn head to right, both hand chamber left side

 

 

Turn 90 degres into RFS

 

 

Turn head to right

 

 

       turn 90 degrees to the right into RFS

 

 

       right side block

 

 

       left then right punch

 

 

       left front kick

 

 

       left punch

 

 

 

27

11.1

LFF Right punch

 

 

      roll right hand clockwise and grab

 

 

      pull back into horse stance  

 

 

      left side block and chamber the right hand

 

 

return

 

 

RFF Left punch

 

 

     roll left hand counter-clockwise and grab

 

 

     pull back into horse stance

 

 

     right side block and chamber the left hand

 

 

 

28

12.1

LFF and left side block

 

 

     turn your head to the rear (clockwise)

 

 

     left foot steps across and you turn clockwise

 

 

     right foot shifts back into right cat stance

 

 

     chamber both hands on the left side of your body

 

 

RFF and right side block

 

 

    turn your head to the rear (counter-clockwise)

 

 

    right foot steps across and you turn counter-clockwise

 

 

    left foot shifts back into left cat stance

 

 

    chamber both hands on the right side of your body

 

 

 

29

*.1

RFF right cat stance

 

 

    step forward with your right foot

 

 

    slide the left foot up behind the right foot

 

 

    right high side strike

 

 

    right backfist to the front

 

 

return

 

 

LFF left cat stance

 

 

    step forward with your left foot

 

 

    slide the right foot up behind the left foot

 

 

    left high side strike

 

 

   left backfist to the front

 

 

 

29 - 30

14.1

RFF right cat stance

 

 

    step forward with your right foot

 

 

    slide the left foot up behind the right foot

 

 

    right high side strike

 

 

    right backfist to the front

 

 

    step back with the left foot

 

 

    draw the right foot back and drop your right elbow

 

 

return

 

 

LFF left cat stance

 

 

    step forward with your left foot

 

 

    slide the right foot up behind the left foot

 

 

    left high side strike

 

 

    left backfist to the front

 

 

    step back with the right foot

 

 

    draw the left foot back and drop your elbow

 

 

 

31

15.1

RFF right cat stance (right hand in front elbow drop)

 

 

    left foot step across (left cross stance)

 

 

    right front kick

 

 

return

 

 

LFF left cat stance (left hand in front elbow drop)

 

 

    right foot step across (right cross stance)

 

 

   left front kick

 

 

return

 

 

 

32

16.1

RFF Right low block

 

 

       left strike

 

 

       right side block

 

 

return

 

 

LFF Left low block

 

 

      right strike

 

 

      left side block

 

 

 

39 - 40

17.1

RFF into right angled front stance

 

 

     right high side strike

 

 

     right backfist to the front

 

 

RF over into RF stance

 

 

    right low block

 

 

    left strike

 

 

    right side block

 

 

return

 

 

LFF into angled front stance

 

 

    left high side strike

 

 

    right backfist ot the front

 

 

LF over into LF stance

 

 

    left low block

 

 

    right strike

 

 

    left side block

 

 

 

41

18.1

RFB into left cat stance

 

 

    left open side parry

 

 

return

 

 

LFB into right cat stance

 

 

   right open side parry

 

 

 

41 - 42

18.2

RFB into left cat stance

 

 

    left open side parry

 

 

    right front kick

 

 

return

 

 

LFB into right cat stance

 

 

   right open side parry

 

 

   left front kick

 

 

 

 

18.3

RFB into left cat stance

 

 

    left open side parry

 

 

    right front kick

 

 

    right fornt strike

 

 

return

 

 

LFB into right cat stance

 

 

   right open side parry

 

 

   left front kick

 

 

   left front strike

 

 

 

43

19.1

RFB into left cat stance

 

 

   both hands circle up and out

 

 

   then return to hip chamber

 

 

return

 

 

LFB into right cat stance

 

 

   both hands circle up and out

 

 

   then return to hip chamber

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seisan Kata Reference

 

1.     Rei

2.     Cross hands (right on top)

3.     LFF Left side block

a.     Right Reverse Punch

4.     RFF Left Reverse Punch

5.     LFF Right Reverse Punch

6.     Skip up double rising blocks

7.     Turn to the left (pivoting on the left)

8.     End in LFF with a double low block

9.     Cross Hands (left on top)

10.                        Double side low strikes

11.                        RFF Right middle bent ridge hand block

a.     Left open low side block

12.                        Turn right hand over, grab, pull back

13.                        Cross Hands (right on top)

14.                        LFF Left middle bent ridge hand block

a.     Right open low side block

15.                        Turn left hand over, grab, pull back

16.                        Cross Hands (left on top)

17.                        RFF Right middle bent ridge hand block

a.     Left open low side block

18.                        Turn right hand over, grab, pull back

19.                        Turn head 90 degrees to left

a.     Chamber both hands on right side

20.                        Turn 90 degrees to the left (LFF)

a.     Left side strike

21.                        Right then left punch

a.     Right front kick, then return

b.    Right punch

22.                        Turn head 90 degrees to the right (RFF)

a.     Chamber both hands on the left

b.    Turn 90 degrees to the right

c.      Turn head 90 degrees to the right (RFF)

d.    Turn 90 degrees to the right

                                                             i.      Right side block

1.     Left then right punch

2.     Left front kick, then return

3.     Left punch

 

Alt 21. Turn head right towards the rear

          Chamber both hands on the left

                   Turn 180 degrees (pivoting on your left) to the right (RFF)

                   Right side block

                             Left then right punch

                             Left front kick, then return

                             Left punch

 

23.                        Turn head 90 degrees to left

a.     Chamber both hands on right side

24.                        Turn 90 degrees to the left (LFF)

a.     Left side strike

25.                        Right then left punch

a.     Right front kick, then return

26.                        Right punch

 

27.                        Turn the right foot back (pivoting on the heel), drop into horse stance

a.     Grab with the right hand, then pull it back to chamber as you

b.    Left side block

 

28.                        Turn your head to the rear

a.     Step over to the right with your left foot

b.    Pivot into right cat stance chambering both hands to the left side

29.                         Step forward with the right foot (then slide the left foot up behind it)

a.     Right high side strike

b.    Right backfist to the front

30.                         Step back with the left foot (then pull the right foot back into cat stance)

a.     Drop the right elbow

31.                        Step across with the left foot (into kake dachi)

a.     Right front kick

32.                         Step down into RFF

a.     Right low block

b.    Left strike

c.      Right side block

 

33.                         Turn your head to the rear

a.     Step over to the left with your right foot

b.    Pivot into left cat stance chambering both hands to the right side

34.                         Step forward with the left foot (then slide the right foot up behind it)

a.     Left high side strike

b.    Left backfist to the front

35.                         Step back with the right foot (then pull the left foot back into cat stance)

a.     Drop the left elbow

36.                        Step across with the right foot (into kake dachi)

a.     Left front kick

37.                         Step down into LFF

a.     Left low block

b.    Right strike

c.      Left side block

 

38.                         Turn your head to the rear

a.     Step over to the right with your left foot

b.    Pivot into right cat stance chambering both hands to the left side

39.                         Step forward with the right angled front stance (feet to 11 o’clock)

a.     Right high side strike

b.    Right backfist to the front

40.                         Step over into RFF

a.     Right low block

b.    Left strike

c.      Right side block

 

41.                        Step back with the left foot into Left Cat stance

a.     Left open side parry (either high or low entry)

42.                         Drop left heel

a.     Right front kick and return to LFF

b.    Right low strike

43.                         Right foot kicks back (BNT terminology perhaps) into LFF Cat

a.     Both hands circle out then chamber (open hand)

44.                         Drop left heel

a.     both hands cross (right on top)

45.                          Close and Rei

 

 

No comments: