AOKK Sunokaki-No-Kun Kata – AOKK Karate/Jujitsu/Weapons

Sunokaki-No-kun

AOKK First Bo Kata:

This is not a traditional Isshin-ryu Bo kata, but it is a good training tool for students. Weapons training builds upper body muscle, and that can improve empty hand kata. In the AOKK we do not begin training in Isshin-ryu weapons until the student reaches brown and black belt. This form is a preparatory kata that can be taught to all students. It contains most of the rudimentary elements found in all Bo kata. The text below is not to teach you this form. It is merely a reference, so that you may be able to practice this form after receiving instruction from a qualified instructor.

Step-0 Bow

Begin in musuba-dachi with the bo behind your right arm. (Fig.1)

Note: The cradling the weapon in this position is non-threatening.

Move up on your toes and raise the bo parallel with the ground. Place your left hand under the Bo with the palm facing downwards. (Fig.2)
Rotate the Bo over and grasp the top of the Bo with your left hand and set your feet down flat on the floor.
Pivot 90° CCW and step out with your right foot and execute a low block. (Fig.4)
Pivot back to the starting position 90° staying in a right foot forwards Seisan-dachi and strike downwards with the tip of the bo. (Fig.5)
Stay in the right foot forwards Seisan-dachi and strike upwards with the bottom of the Bo.
Rotate the Bo around and place the left hand on your hip in a guarding position. (Fig.7) Keep the Bo eye level.

Step-1

Step forward with your left foot into Seisan-Dachi stance and push the bottom of the Bo forwards while pulling the top of the Bo to your right biceps muscle.

Step-2

Step forward with right foot into Seisan-Dachi, and strike with the top of the Bo while pulling the bottom of the Bo to your left hip.

Note: The top tip of the Bo should rest at eye level. Doing this, the opponent cannot see the length of your Bo. Moving the hands up and down on the Bo changes the striking distance of the rear tip of the weapon. Keeping the Bo tip at eye level prohibits the opponent from seeing the length of the Bo held behind your body.

Step-3

Step forwards into a horse riding stance. Bring your feet parallel and strike with the bottom of the Bo.

Note: This is an attack by two opponents. They’re on either side of you. The first one tries to take out your knee with a low strike to the joint. You block this blow with the lower tip of the Bo.

Step-4

While in the horse riding stance, execute a Bo strip by rotating the Bo tip CCW.

Note: This is a trap and attack of the 2^nd attacker.

Note: The Bo should be pulled close to your chest. The palm of your hand should press the Bo into your chest.

Note: This places your Bo tip between the opponent’s weapon and his/her wrist. It sets

Step-5

Step into Crane Stance and thrust strike. The tip of the Bo must strike under the attacker’s chin.

Note: The 1^st attacker swings his/her Bo in the opposite direction to the back of your knee to take you off your feet. Lifting the leg avoids the sweep and driving the Bo forwards into the 2^nd attacker’s chin takes him/her out of action.

Step-6

Step down out of crane stance stomping a 1st attacker’s lead foot, and drive the tip of the Bo into their back foot, ankle, or bladder.

Note: This immobilizes or slows the 2^nd attacker. Some instructors believe that the next move is against a 3^rd attacker entering the fray while others see it as the ending technique against the 2^nd opponent.

Note: The real purpose of this series of techniques not to teach you what to do when engaging multiple attackers. Its’ real purpose is to teach the individual techniques. You must understand blocks, sweeps, traps, strips, thrusts, and vertical strikes, and how they can be interlocked to formulate a counterattack.

Step-7

Step forward with right foot into Seisan-Dachi, and strike down on top of the opponent’s head or collarbone with the tip of the Bo.

Note: This is a finishing technique. It is a blow to the collarbone or the top of the skull. It is as important to know where to strike as well as how to strike.

Step-8

Place the forward tip of the Bo on the ground.

Step-9

Pivot 180° into left foot forward Cat-stance, and pitch dirt with the tip of the Bo.

Note: Most weapons kata have a signature move. Sunōkaki-Nō-Kun’s signature move is the practice of pitching dirt in an opponent’s face to temporarily blind them.

Step-10

Stomp down out of the cat-stance with the lead foot, and thrust strike low and behind.

Note: Both of these are diversionary tactics once the opponent is blinded. Stomping the foot tells the attacker your close. Striking behind your position makes the adversary believe you’ve moved backwards. Thinking your moving backwards, will cause him/her to move forwards and into your finishing techniques.

Step-11

Step forward and front kick with right rear leg, and step down into right foot forward Seisan-Dachi.

Note: Once the opponent moves forward if he/she takes the bait from the last series, these are ending techniques. The opponent runs into the front kick.

Note: One of the interesting aspects of this form is the blending of empty hand technique with weapons. Most weapons forms do not blend these two different arts, yet a skilled warrior would have blended both.

Note: This is for fighting an adversary in front of you, but in more advanced kata the weapon will be used to attack forwards and backwards while you remain in one fixed position.

Step-12

Thrust strike middle to the solar plexus and karate yell “Kiai”

Step-13

Step forward with your left foot into Seisan-Dachi stance and push the bottom of the Bo forwards while pulling the top of the Bo to your right biceps muscle.

Step-14

Step forward with right foot into Seisan-Dachi, and strike with the top of the Bo while pulling the bottom of the Bo to your left hip

Step-15

Step forwards into a horse-riding stance. Bring your feet parallel and strike with the bottom of the Bo.

Step-16

While in the horse-riding stance, execute a Bo strip by rotating the Bo tip CCW.

Step-17

Step into Crane Stance and thrust strike. The tip of the Bo must strike under the attacker’s chin.

Step-18

Step down out of crane stance stomping a 1st attacker’s lead foot, and drive the tip of the Bo into their back foot, ankle, or bladder.

Step-19

Step forward with right foot into Seisan-Dachi. Strike downwards to the assailant’s head or collarbone.

Step-20

Place the tip of the Bo on the ground. This sets up the pitching dirt technique.

Step-21

Pivot 180 degrees into left a Cat-stance, and pitch dirt with the tip of the Bo.

Step-22

Stomp the foot downward in the cat-stance and thrust the Bo backwards low behind your back.

Step-23

Step forward and front kick with right rear leg, and step down into right foot forward Seisan-Dachi.

Step-24

Thrust strike middle to the opponent’s solar plexus and “Kiai” (Karate Yell)

Step-25

Overhead circle block CW right [Helicopter Strike]

Note: This overhead circular block develops striking with both ends of the weapon. The first strike is with the bottom of the Bo as it is pulled into position for the clockwise rotation. The second blow is made with the top of the Bo as it completes its’ rotation.

Step-26

Swing the Bo CCW & return it to your hip in a guarding position.

Step-27

Pull back slowly into a cat stance, and execute a vertical block.

Step-28

Strike downwards with the part of the Bo pointing upwards in the vertical block.

Step-29

Step out and strike, head high, with tip of your weapon. This is the end that is resting behind your back. Pull the tip that is in front of you to your hip.

Note: What you’re doing is inserting the forward part of the Bo behind the opponent’s lead hand. As you strike down on the adversary’s head their hand will be removed from the weapon.

Note: Don’t focus on removing the attacker’s hand. Focus on striking the top of their head. The opponent will resist releasing their weapon, so you must give them something else to think about, and a crack to noggin causes a shift in their focus.

Step-30

Strike downwards with the part of the Bo pointing behind you.

Note: The Bo comes to rest against your biceps muscle.

Note: Again, what you’re doing is inserting the forward part of the Bo behind the opponent’s lead hand. As you strike down on the adversary’s head their hand will be removed from the weapon.

Step-31

Roll the Bo behind your back and bow

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