The use of Kata Technique – Section 5

With this section I look at shifting away from the line of attack

Opening Seisan Kata 103.01 – The Crossing Arms

Attacker drives forward with their right foot and strikes toward you with their right fist

Seisan Response - Technique 1. to 1.3

1. The defender moves the left foot to the center alongside right foot as that happens you release your left knee and weight that foot on it’s ball. Next your right foot shifts out to the right, pivoting on the ball of your left foot to form Seisan Stance with your center line crossing their line of attack at 20 degrees.

2. As you’re doing this the arms cross before your centerline. As they cross open the right hand as a potential palm parry against the strike if the attacker is coming faster than expected.

a. The right crossing hand can also be done as a cross vertical ridge of knuckles strike into the attacking arm.

3. The arms uncross the left arm blocks to the middle side as a parry as the right hand slices across their

a. a.) ribs or

b. b.) the side of their face and then chambers.

4. The defender then strikes into the opponents solar plexus with a right reverse punch vertical ridge of knuckles as their left hand chambers.

5. Add On

a. Isshinryu right rising tumb strike underneath the jaw

b. Right backfist into their face

c. First a. and then b.

This Seisan application works the interior line of Defense.

Breathing Continuous Exhalation.

Principles

1. Crossing hands

2. Using Replacement Stepping to create the 20 degree shift across the attacker’s centerline

3. Chambering Slicing Hand

4. Outside Block as Parry

5. Fractal Analysis – the use of a part of a technique as a technique, in this case the chambering hand.

6. Multiple techniques from change of applications. A quick analysis shows at least 10 separate applications just by varying the multiple sections of this description. Depending there are probably more than 10, but the purpose of each variation remains the same, to drop the attacker.

Force multipliers to consider

a. Replacement stepping

b. Knee Release

c. Technique additions

d. Striking Areas

e. Body Alignment Mechanics

Opening Seisan Kata 103.02 – Take the Next Step

Attacker drives forward with their right foot and strikes toward you with their right fist

Seisan Response - Technique 1. to 2

1. The defender moves the left foot to the center alongside right foot as that happens you release your left knee and weight that foot on it’s ball. Next your right foot shifts out to the right, pivoting on the ball of your left foot to form Seisan Stance with your center line crossing their line of attack at 20 degrees.

2. As you’re doing this the arms cross before your centerline. As they cross open the right hand as a potential palm parry against the strike if the attacker is coming faster than expected.

3. The arms uncross the left arm blocks to the middle side as a parry as the right hand chambers

4. The defender then strikes into the opponents solar plexus with a right reverse punch vertical ridge of knuckles as their left hand chambers.

5. Immediately Crescent Step forward with the right foot around the opponents leading leg. The leg bounces behind the attacker’s calf as the right hand pushes into the solar plexus. This drops the opponent.

6. Add on – As the opponent drops your right hand keeps hold of their elbow. Then immediately take a left step as you pull back on their arm to strike into their elbow.

This Seisan application works the interior line of Defense.

Breathing Continuous Exhalation.

Principles

1. Crossing hands

2. Using Replacement Stepping to create the 20 degree shift across the attacker’s centerline

3. Outside Block as Parry

4. Take the next step. Use of the next step of a kata section to down the attacker.

Force multipliers to consider

a. Replacement stepping

b. Knee Release

c. Take the next step

c. Technique additions

Opening Seisan Kata 103.03 – The next step to destroy the opponent’s base

Attacker drives forward with their right foot and strikes toward you with their right fist

Seisan Response - Technique 1. to 2

1. The defender moves the left foot to the center alongside right foot as that happens you release your left knee and weight that foot on it’s ball. Next your right foot shifts out to the right, pivoting on the ball of your left foot to form Seisan Stance with your center line crossing their line of attack at 20 degrees.

2. As you’re doing this the arms cross before your centerline. As they cross open the right hand as a potential palm parry against the strike if the attacker is coming faster than expected.

3. The arms uncross the left arm blocks to the middle side as a parry as the right hand chambers

4. The defender then strikes into the opponents solar plexus with a right reverse punch vertical ridge of knuckles as their left hand chambers.

5. Immediately Crescent Step forward stomping into the opponent’s lead foot/ankle/lower leg as you press forward with your right hand into their solar plexus. The opponent goes down.

This Seisan application works the interior line of Defense.

Breathing Continuous Exhalation.

Principles

1. Crossing hands

2. Using Replacement Stepping to create the 20 degree shift across the attacker’s centerline

3. Outside Block as Parry

4. Take the next step as a Kick to the opponent’s base .

Force multipliers to consider

a. Replacement stepping

b. Knee Release

c. Take the next step

Opening Seisan Kata 103.04 – The Crossing Arms outside

Attacker drives forward with their left foot and strikes toward you with their left fist

Seisan Response - Technique 1. to 1.3

1. The defender moves the left foot to the center alongside right foot as that happens you release your left knee and weight that foot on it’s ball. Next your right foot shifts out to the right, pivoting on the ball of your left foot to form Seisan Stance with your center line crossing their line of attack at 20 degrees.

2. As you’re doing this the arms cross before your centerline. As they cross open the right hand as a potential palm parry against the strike if the attacker is coming faster than expected.

a. The right crossing hand can also be done as a cross vertical ridge of knuckles strike into the attacking arm.

3. The arms uncross the left arm blocks to the middle side as a parry as the right hand slices across their

a. ribs

4. The defender then strikes into the opponents ribs with a right reverse punch vertical ridge of knuckles as their left hand chambers.

This Seisan application works the exterior line of Defense.

Breathing Continuous Exhalation.

Principles

1. Crossing hands

2. Using Replacement Stepping to create the 20 degree shift across the attacker’s centerline

3. Chambering Slicing Hand

4. Outside Block as Parry

5. Fractal Analysis – the use of a part of a technique as a technique, in this case the chambering hand.

Force multipliers to consider

a. Replacement stepping

b. Knee Release

c. Technique additions

d. Striking Areas

e. Body Alignment Mechanics

Opening Seisan Kata 103.05 – The Seisan Armbar

Attacker drives forward with their left foot and strikes toward you with their left fist

Seisan Response - Technique 1. to 2.1

1. The defender moves the left foot to the center alongside right foot as that happens you release your left knee and weight that foot on it’s ball. Next your right foot shifts out to the right, pivoting on the ball of your left foot to form Seisan Stance with your center line crossing their line of attack at 20 degrees.

2. As you’re doing this the arms cross before your centerline. As they cross open the right hand as a potential palm parry against the strike if the attacker is coming faster than expected.

a. The right crossing hand can also be done as a cross vertical ridge of knuckles strike into the attacking arm.

3. The arms uncross the left arm blocks to the middle side as a parry as the right hand slices across their ribs. The left hand slides down to grab their wrist.

4. The defender then punches across the top of the attacker’s arm, as their left hand chambers. This rolls their arm over because your using the bottom of the striking arm to rotate them into an armbar.

This Seisan application works the exterior line of Defense.

Breathing Continuous Exhalation.

Principles

1. Crossing hands

2. Using Replacement Stepping to create the 20 degree shift across the attacker’s centerline

3. Chambering Slicing Hand

4. Outside Block as Parry

Force multipliers to consider

a. Replacement stepping

b. Knee Release

c. The strike used as an armbar

Opening Seisan Kata 103.06 – When you can’t step

Attacker drives forward with their left foot and strikes toward you with their left fist

Seisan Response - Technique 1. to 2.1

1. The defender uses their knee release with the Annaku pivot. The pivot (from our kata Annaku opening) has both feet pivoting on the ball of the foot to a 45 degree angle to the left. Drive a sucking side block into the attacker’s arm pulling them toward you.

2. Almost immediately the right punch strikes into the opponents solar plexus.

3. To begin the chamber the right arm rolls under and over the attacker’s striking arm, the right arm is circling in a clockwise manner. This rolls the attackers punch from the defender’s left to their right and becomes a sucking block. As you do this use the Annaku pivot to the right

4. The right hand rolls down the attackers arm to grab their wrist and the left hand punches across the top of the attackers arm. This causes their arm to roll clockwise into an arm bar as you continue to chamber your right hand.

5. Immediately force their face into the ground.

This Seisan application works the exterior line of Defense.

Breathing Continuous Exhalation.

Principles

1. Use of the Annaku pivot.

3. Outside Block as Sucking block.

Force multipliers to consider

a. Knee Release

c. The strike used as an armbar

The use of Kata Technique – Section 4

Opening Seisan Kata 102.01 – The Crossing Arms

Note in our Seisan kata performance we first cross the arms (right on top) before the opening left side block. Ostensibly to increase the power of the block. Fortunately it can do a little more than that.

The Attacker – you have somebody on top of you, say shouting in a crowded place and you read their eyes, and reddening face and realize they're ready to grab or strike you. Your hands are relatively down at your sides, and your back is against the wall, bar or people behind you so you can't move forwards or backwards.

Seisan response – Technique 1 to 1.1

You release you knees, allowing your center to drop and your two fists strike up, forming the `X', with the right fist on top.

You strike with the vertical ridge of knuckles into the solar plexus. In fact as your weight drops from the knee release, your fist strikes up, slamming into their solar plexus with great power gives you an opening for Plan B, C and/or D.

The Seisan application strikes to the centerline.

Breathing - inhalation

Principles involved:

Force multipliers –

a. Knee Release The knees are released allowing the bodies weight to drop into a technique. Doing so allows that dropping weight to be released in other power, such as a strike.

You can prove this readily. Take a partner (perhaps one you don't feel to friendly towards on that day) and try the rising crossed hands strike into their solar plexus without releasing your knees. Then do the same with the knee release and see which gives you a bigger bounce, and which causes their eyes to bulge out more. Then form your own conclusions, not my word.

b. Principle of Alignment Theory – Here's another difficult one to explain. It's easy to show in person and it can be done with different description maps (words) to explain the same idea.

In this technique it's pretty simple. When you cross the hands your power increases (you an also prove this to yourself). You aren't slamming the lower left hand their tight, just rising, not necessarily supporting the right. But as long as the left rises and touches the right it's more powerful.

The simple reason for this is because when the wrists touch, the other side of the body is drawn forward, keeping it in better alignment for more power.

If the human body is not aligned correctly for technique (which can vary depending on how the technique is being used for energy release) it is less powerful.

If you are perfect, you can make the rising right hit the solar plexus correctly and still get the bang for your buck, but when your hands touch you won't make a mistake, your entire body is engaged properly.

Addendum -

Cheng Man-Ch'ing's - Advanced Tai Chi Form Instructions.

As a practitioner of Yang Long Fist Tai Chi Chaun, at the forms end there is a section called `Step up and Form Seven Stars' that employs an identical hand formation, and the two hands rise up to face height but passes the solar plexus along the way.

From Cheng Man-Ch'ing's book Page 95, "The two wrists intersect and support each other as they attack the opponents solar plexus. This blow is extremely devastating. Its victims re unlikely to escape serious danger. Those who use it should not do so lightly."

Opening Seisan Kata 102.02 – Crossing Arms Interior line of defense

Attacker drives forward with their right foot and strikes toward you with their right fist

Seisan Response - Technique 1. to 1.3

1. The defender moves the left foot to the center alongside right foot as that happens the arms cross before your centerline. As they cross open the right hand as a potential palm parry against the strike if the attacker is coming faster than expected.

a. The right crossing hand can also be done as a cross vertical ridge of knuckles strike into the attacking arm.

2. The defender then drives that foot outward into the left front stance. The arms uncross the left arm blocks to the middle side as a parry as the right hand slices across their

a. a.) ribs or

b. b.) the side of their face and then chambers.

3. The defender then strikes into the opponents solar plexus with a right reverse punch as their left hand chambers.

4. Add On

a. Isshinryu right rising tumb strike underneath the jaw

b. Right backfist into their face

c. First a. and then b.

This Seisan application works the interior line of Defense.

Breathing Continuous Exhalation following the principle exhale during a technique series and inhale moving between technique series’.

Principles

1. Crossing hands

2. Chambering Slicing Hand

3. Outside Block as Parry or Suck

4. Fractal Analysis – the use of a part of a technique as a technique, in this case the chambering hand.

5. Multiple techniques from change of applications. A quick analysis shows at least 10 separate applications just by varying the multiple sections of this description. Depending there are probably more than 10, but the purpose of each variation remains the same, to drop the attacker.

Force multipliers to consider

a. Crescent stepping

b. Knee Release

c. Technique additions

d. Striking Areas

e. Body Alignment Mechanics

Opening Seisan Kata 102.03 – Crossing Arms Exterior Line of Defense

Attacker drives forward with their leftt foot and strikes toward you with their left fist

Seisan Response - Technique 1. to 1.3

1. The defender moves the left foot to the center alongside right foot as that happens the arms cross before your centerline. As they cross open the right hand as a potential palm parry against the strike if the attacker is coming faster than expected.

a. The right crossing hand can also be done as a cross vertical ridge of knuckles strike into the attacking arm.

2. The defender then drives that foot outward into the left front stance. The arms uncross the left arm blocks to the middle side as a parry/suck to redirect their center to your left as the right hand slices down across their ribs as it chambers

3. The defender left hand slides down the attackers are and grabs their wrist to pull to chamber. Then they strike into the opponents ribs with a right reverse.
1. Alternately strike into their left thigh.
4. Add On
1. Right backfist into the side of their face

This Seisan application works the interior line of Defense.

Breathing Continuous Exhalation following the principle exhale during a technique series and inhale moving between technique series’.

Principles

1. Crossing hands

2. Chambering Slicing Hand

3. Outside Block as Parry or Suck

4. Fractal Analysis – the use of a part of a technique as a technique, in this case the chambering hand.

5. Multiple techniques from change of applications. A quick analysis shows at least 10 separate applications just by varying the multiple sections of this description. Depending there are probably more than 10, but the purpose of each variation remains the same, to drop the attacker.

Force multipliers to consider

a. Crescent stepping

b. Knee Release

c. Technique additions

d. Striking Areas

e. Body Alignment Mechanics

The use of Kata Technique – Section 3

Initial study of kata technique application potential involves using a standardized attack to learn how to execute the application in a given space of attack. While useful for a starting point it gives rise to the belief that this is self defense.

What happens in actual attacks, there is committed technique based on the nature of the attack.

Each individual is in the center of a sphere of control If an attack enters the opponents sphere of control with the correct angle of insertion it works. If the defender shifts either themselves or the opponent’s attack so that angle disappears it either forces the opponent to launch the next sequence of attack or presents a new angle of opportunity to counter attack.

This is where your work effort pays off. Moving from fixed attack to more fluid attack to random attack is a different skill acquisition on top of the initial application in order to accomplish the realization of the technique usage.

The following study of some of Seisan Kata’s openings is just the first step using fixed attacks as a research/development tool. I am exploring what I believe is the most common use of the opening section and basic potential in the side block.

Opening Seisan Kata 101.01 – The Old Standard

Attacker drives forward with their right foot and strikes toward you with their right fist.

Seisan Response - Technique 1. to 1.3

1. The defender moves the left foot to the center alongside right foot as that happens the arms cross before your centerline.

2. The defender then drives that foot outward into the left front stance. The arms uncross the left arm blocks to the middle side as a parry as the right hand chambers.

3. The defender then strikes into the opponents solar plexus with a right reverse punch as their left hand chambers.

This Seisan application works the interior line of Defense.

Breathing

1. Partial Exhale – Partial Exhale

2. Continuous Exhale

Force multipliers to consider

a. Makiwara long term study to develop a strike to drop the opponent every time

b. Crescent stepping to compress and then explode the movement dynamics to make the resulting block/parry stronger.

c. Perfect timing of blocking/chambering and striking/chambering to allow the body alignment to strengthen the technique.

d. Striking with the hard fist or the soft compression fist.

Where to strike presents an entire range of different applications for this technique.

Interior Line of Defense against a Right Strike
Opponents Solar Plexus
Opponents Face
Opponents Left External Oblique

The Interior Line of Defense against a Right Strike, offers another possibility to strike into their Left External Oblique and have the vertical hand canted to about 11 o'clock. This strike causes the opponent to bend forward. In fact if you combine this with the sucking block, the block draws them forward, the strike to the left external oblique canted to 11 o'clock, causes them to draw forward further, and then you can pop them with your left.

There are certainly other areas to strike, but I think this is a good sampling for this time

Opening Seisan kata 101.02 – Blocking that Sucks

Attacker drives forward with their right foot and grabs toward you with their right hand.

Seisan Response - Technique 1. to 1.3

1. The defender moves the left foot to the center alongside right foot as that happens the arms cross before your centerline.

2. The defender then drives that foot outward into the left front stance. The arms uncross the left arm blocks, to a point about 8” from the body which the attackers arm passes through, with a left side block that then slides back to their side as the right hand chambers. As the attacker is moving forward this motion draws them further forward than they intended with a sucking motion. This draws them closer to the defender.

3. The defender then strikes into the opponents jaw with a right reverse punch as their left hand chambers.

This Seisan application works the interior line of Defense.

Breathing – one continuous inhalation

Force multipliers to consider

a. Striking area is the jaw. While kata uses a standardized strike anyplace the striking hand can reach is a actualized striking area.

b. The uppercut works with the angle of striking from 1 o’clock to 3 o’clock.

c. Makiwara long term study to develop a strike to drop the opponent every time

d. Crescent stepping to compress and then explode the movement dynamics to make the resulting block/parry stronger.

e. Perfect timing of blocking/chambering and striking/chambering to allow the body alignment to strengthen the technique.

The sucking block is also used in our Bando short stick studies with the same principle and result, drawing the opponent closer for a following strike.

Opening Seisan kata 101.03 – Blocking that Presses

Attacker drives forward with their right foot and strikes toward you with their left fist.

Seisan Response - Technique 1. to 1.2

1. The defender moves the left foot to the center alongside right foot as that happens the arms cross before your centerline.

2. The defender then drives that foot outward into the left front stance. The arms uncross the left arm blocks, to a point about 8” from the body which the attackers amr passes through, with a left side block

3. As the block connects the defender uses the knee release to shift their body 20 % across the initial line of attack. As that happens they strike down with their blocking arm driving the moving opponent down.

4. ** note the following punch is a safety backup if the initial press does not succeed.

This Seisan application works the interior line of Defense.

Breathing – One Continuous Exhalation

Force multipliers to consider

a. The attacker is in motion. The defender using the knee release does not just block but blocks, redirects and downward presses in a fluid rolling manner. This redirects the attacker’s motion down.

b. The side-block press strikes down, with the bottom of the arm using the ulna as the driving focus, into the upper forearm about 1” before the inside elbow .

c. Crescent stepping to compress and then explode the movement dynamics to make the resulting block/press stronger.

d. Perfect timing of blocking/chambering to allow the body alignment to strengthen the technique.

This use of the block for press (osae) was inspired by reading Pat Nakata’s description of osae training with Chosen Chibana.