Ananku, Annanku

 

Nicky Threat

 

Anaku (アナク) is a kata derived from Ananku . It is translated as Expression Pivoting Form or Pivoting Swallow Form. This kata is typically taught to Go Kyu (Green Belt Kata).[1]

Anaku is used to teach two principles: shifting from Kiba Dachi to Zenkutsu Dachi to Kiba Dachi, and T'ung Gee Hsing's principle of pounding, which is hitting the same spot multiple times.

Chotoku Kyan is credited with recomposing this kata for Karate in 1895.

Bunkai

* • Hsing-Yi's principle is used four times in the kata. The first time it is two tate zukis (vertical punch). The second time it is used with two tate zuki's, a mae geri, and another tate zuki. The name comes from Xingyiquan five element principles, and T'ung Gee Hsing, a known practitioner of Xingyiquan who taught Robert Trias some Xing Yi Quan

* There is a third principle that is no longer really taught, though it is used in universal bunkai. The principle is called a Mae Choi Yaku, which is used instead of stepping back, the uke jumps in place while punching with a vertical punch.

* At the end of the kata, one can do a hidden spiritual movement called Shin Shin Taisha. A Shin Shin Taisha or 'dead breath' is done by exhaling for fifteen seconds straight. At the end of the Shin Shin Taisha the body should vibrate from stored tension. This technique used since the body is hard during the 7–13 second range and can take lots of damage (such as getting hit with Bo's

 

I learned this at Carl Long’s dojo in Fourty Fort, PA.

It came from his Shimabuku Ezio Shorin Ryu.

Originally it was done with both vertical and twisting punches.

 

Perhaps Ezio taught that to his students as a tribute of Tatsuo’s Isshinryu

 And the turning strikes to the Kyan tradition.

 

It seemed a reasonable choice for youth study as a precursor to Seisan.

It also built skills that would help in Chinto later.

I also liked the students learing advanced turning in the form.

I made one change, I turned all of the striking into vertical strikes,

Because that made more sense for the beginning students in my program.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C_hRkiw_NU

 

 

On filming kata. I never intended to film the best versions of kata we practiced. Most of those I filmed were for future reference, showing where the individual was at a point in time. More for the average performance I expected at that level of training. For the most part not a perfect performance, but a step I expected everyone to go through and exceed. For I don't personally see perfect performances, rather working for better and better performance for everyone.