AOKK Seisan Kata (Video)

Tatsuo Shimabuku starts Seisan kata with a twin forearm wedge block like Suansu kata, and then moves to a traditional karate middle block not the Isshin-ryu version of the middle block. The twin forearm block is also used in the Goju-ryu’s version of Seisan. In the way I was taught this kata, there is no wedge block, but it began with a middle forearm block and incorporated a parry block in the initial movement. This was followed by a vertical snap punch. Don Nagle sensei started the kata with a high lock and punch like upper- body nine (Chart-1). Allen Wheeler sensei starts the kata with a middle block and vertical snap punch. Angi Uezu sensei starts this kata from a middle block and vertical snap punch as well. My linage is through Don Nagle, but I was originally taught the middle block version. Master Harold Mitchum also starts the Seisan kata with a middle block and vertical punch but snaps the vertical punch back to the middle block position. All schools incorporate a draw back of the punch of the punch approximately one to two inches, but sensei Mitchum pulls the block to the extreme.

The vertical punch snaps forward and is pulled back about one inch after contact would have been made with an opponent. This punch is directed to the adversary’s xiphoid process, so it should come to rest in line with your solar plexus. Remember during visualization the attacker is your height. The elbow of the punching arm points towards the floor and protects the ribs. This also prevents the arm from being trapped and a standing elbow lock applied. This type of snap punch has a two-fold action. It pushes forward in an elastic collision transmitting energy into the target but stops abruptly and retreats allowing a redirection of energy backwards. One martial artist described this as a hammer and chain strike. The hammer inflicts damage moving forward and once the target snaps back into position it is like getting struck a second time with a chain whip.

The Isshin-ryu fist is taught to be perfectly vertical in most traditional schools, but in the AOKK the fist is turned on a forty-five-degree angle. This was more like the fist position used by Chotoku Kyan in his Shorin-ryu karate system. Kyan sensei was one of Tatsuo’s three instructors, and possibly his most influential. I believe it was Master Harold Mitchum where I first herd the origin of the vertical fist. Supposedly, it was changed after Master Shimabuku watched his students spar. He noted that they did not use the full rotation of the fist as he taught it originally. This vertical motion was faster. I’m not sure this is wholly the reason for the change because if you watch the kata of the Seibukan, you’ll see the forty-five-degree angled fist in their forms. The Seibukan has made an effort to keep the kata, without change, the way it was performed by Kyan sensei. This is how Shimabukuro, the student, was trained. Thus, changing from the fully rotated horizontal fist to a partially rotated fist was not a great leap for him. Interestingly enough, Ralph Buschbacher, M.D., and seventh-degree black belt in Ryukyu kempo, did studies on cadavers at the university of Indiana Medical Center and discovered that the anatomy of the forearm is specifically designed to better handle stress in the exact manner of the three-quarter-twist punch. Horizontal rotation placed the forearm in a compromising position, so the structure cannot support as much force. I was introduced the idea that there was a slight rotation to Isshin-ryu punch back in the mid-eighties. I was attending a seminar in Phoenix Arizona when Sensei Nick Adler spoke about the fist and noted the slight rotation. Discussing this with other instructors I discovered another reason for the slight rotation. It places the fist on the same angle as the rib cage, making a strike of the Xiphoid process more efficient. Every student from white-belt to black-belt is taught to punch to this centerline target of the body. Itosu sensei is credited by many karateka as the one the introduced the fully rotated horizontal punch. It is a safer punch to teach children because it cannot impact the solar-plexus with the full force of the middle punch. Itosu sensei was also the one that championed teaching karate in the public school system. Lastly, the striking part of the fist is knuckle of the index finger and pointer finger. The fist is angled down slightly and locked into place by the thumb. Keep the back of the fist in a straight line with the forearm. This maintains a solid structure from the knuckles to the elbow. In the AOKK the thumb is pressed against the index finger. Many schools place it on top of the index finger. Shimabuku can be seen using either thumb position. In a traditional horizontal punch, the thumb presses against the index an pointer finger below the first knuckle, but in the Isshin-ryu fist the thumb is higher and only presses against the index finger above the first knuckle or rests on top of the index finger. Both thumb positions are acceptable in the AOKK, and both lock the wrist in place.

There are other points to be aware of in the performance of this kata. The shoulders and hips should be square. Always correct the position of the feet, hips, and shoulders. Feet must be straight with the heels slightly pushed out while the toes grip the floor. The heel must not lift off the floor. Your front leg is bent, and the back leg is bent also but only slightly. This is a balanced stance, so the student’s weight is evenly distributed over the legs. Your back is straight with the chin up. Eyes look in the direction the kata is moving. Before turning, the head must lead the movement. You must see where you’re going before you go there. When the punch or kick is delivered the stance stops, hip rotation stops, and all motion stops as the power is transmitted into the fist or foot. Weight is transferred from the back leg to the front leg. Each blow must be delivered with perfection.

Proper stance and timing is important to insure the karateka remains in balance. Knowing all the moves of a kata is not the same thing as knowing the kata. Kata must contain zanshin, power, focus, or kime. Until all these points mesh and the bunkai is understood you do not know the kata.

The hips and not the arms generate power; so perfect timing has hip rotation complete as the punch stops. We know this is not possible in a real fight. Most of the time the step is made to avoid getting hit, and the punch either leads or follows the hips. Chotoku Kyan would purposely splay his rear foot and then abruptly square his hips push off that foot as it straightened to increase the power within his punch. Kyan sensei altered traditional stances to generate more power. Kata is not real combat, so the theory of perfect power can be demonstrated. Remember to stop your block or punch, as the hip rotation is complete.

The Seisan-dachi (stance) is a balanced fighting stance, so both knees are bent slightly. Bent knees allow for quicker movement, and by being bent it makes it more difficult for an attacker to hyper extend your joint. Also being in a balanced stance your weight is equal on both legs, so if the front knee is attacked with a roundhouse shin kick the stance will not fold. In Zenkutsu dachi most of the karateka’s weight is on the front leg making it susceptible to attack.  To check your stance simply bend the rear leg and place the knee on the floor. Your rear knee should line up with the heel of the front foot. When looking down you should just barely see the toes of the front foot.  Many systems incorporate the long Zenkutsu dachi (forward walking stance) in kata, but this stance is for beginners. Zenkutsu dachi is a difficult stance to fight from but is an excellent means of building leg strength. It also is a good stance to finish a series of techniques with because the dropping of your centerline extends your reach and increases power. There is no quick movement from Zenkutsu dachi, but Seisan-dachi is balanced and allows the karateka to move on angles quickly. The stance is the foundation. If the foundation is weak, the house will crumble.

Your feet should be pointing forward. Check your feet to ensure the heels are slightly pushed outward. One mistake many students make in this kata is to have a lazy back foot. This means the rear foot is on a tangent to hips. When the foot is splayed it must be turned forward to step properly or to punch with power. In a fight a lazy foot slows your movement because the foot must be properly aligned before moving.  Try pointing your feet on forty-five-degree angles while running. The feet should be pressed firmly against the floor to increase surface tension.  

The remainder of things to remember is simple. Keep your chin up. Yes, we tuck our chin when we fight, but this is not fighting it is kata. Keep your back straight and step in half-moon steps.