Kihon Sono Ni

Yoi, come to ready, hands to cross in front of body, right hand inside, coming up to as though to grab your ears. As your hands come down, make a fists using pinky and thumb tight, bend the knees, lower your center of gravity in unison. You will come to heiko dachi stance (parallel stance), hands come down with strength movement to middle area of body. After attaining opening position take 80% off your dynamic tension, relax but do not relax. Now eyes look straight ahead, and gaze on one point in front of you. Listen for commands from your Sensei. Repeat after your Sensei Kihon (basic) Sono Ni (so you understand which form you are asked to do). Sensei will say either ippon count (one move at a time) or no count, make sure you understand with a loud Osu!

Ichi: Turn head and look first as to where your going (imagine opponent attacking you). Slide (okuriashi) foot out at a 45 degree angle to your left, right hand hiikite (ready hand) underneath and striking hand on top of your forearm (middle area), you will be in a saving (Tamae) energy, ready to unleash the uraken strike to the face using the two knuckles, wrist bent (set-up) and follow up with a reverse punch to the middle area (connect, finish) with a powerful kia. When you execute your reverse punch push left knee deep into impact slightly forward while in Zen stance, turning the hips fully with power. Be sure to pull right hand back to hikite (ready) after hitting with uraken.

Note: Your first move should be impeccable, flawless, smooth, powerfully performed, one millisecond after foot slides into position execution of first move should be explosive, instantaneous. This will set the tone of intensity, and the passion is up to you. Hold position if this is an ippon count. Make sure stance is wide and not narrow.

Ni: Now while holding position, look over right shoulder, (imagine attacker coming from behind) slide right foot past left foot as though you were turning into a mawate, preparing to attack, once again keep stance low, do not pop up, body will assume a half 45 angle with right hand on top this time, left hand on bottom (middle area) setting up for a right Zenkutsu dachi. Strike the face, with uraken, wrist bent, hitting with the two knuckles, with speed. While turn your hips sharply, execute another powerful reverse punch, kia strong. You are doing the same move as above except to the right side.

Note: The reverse punch (as with all punches seiken) focused, rotate, fist tight, wrist straight, hitting with the two knuckles. Aim middle area solar plexus high.

San: Now look to your left, come up into a fighting stance, (kumite no tachi, kumite no kamae) posture, body 45 angle, right hand held solar plexus high, weight 50/50 on stance, right foot on ball of foot. Left hand chin high covering center line. You need to remember when assuming your fighting stance it is your fighting stance, (for kata this stance is traditional, right hand held at solar plexus high). Now you may do a spirit kia (which I like to do), setting up the next three moves that will be kicks. While gazing ahead and body in proper form we are now ready to perform a mae geri's (front kick with the ball of the foot) Three consecutive kicks.

Shi: (now you will execute three kicks again, front kick, round kick, back kick) While maintaining your fighting stance you will now execute a right front mae geri kick by bringing your hands up to your on guard, you need to chamber the knee to your waist level or higher. Bend base leg, lean the body 5 degrees forward, (do not I repeat do not lean back, period) kick to middle area, straight, with speed, you will need to turn your hips facilitating the smoothness of your movement, (do not leave the hips behind, turn the hips into the kick, period). Keep your ankle tight, flex the foot so you strike with the ball of the foot. Once you execute your mae geri, "re-chamber" then place your foot down preparing for your next kick which is the mawashi geri (roundhouse kick).

Go: (bar of difficulty raised) Now executing a left mawashi geri (roundhouse kick) (study your Kyoten text book #2 page 67) this kick follows the mae geri (normally the Sensei will count allowing a smooth flow of all three kicks combined). Now the degree of difficulty is raised, the mawashi geri needs to be learned as depicted in your Kyoten textbook # 2. One teaching method I have used for over a quarter of century is having me and my students practice kicking over back of chairs assuring you chamber, knee pointing at target, clearing the chair and not dropping your leg, re-chambering and placing your kicking leg in position not to far behind base leg, if you drop your leg (lazy, sloppy) you hit the back of the chair on the re-chambering. This chair waza really opens up flaws of this roundhouse kicks, because many students do a shallow roundhouse thinking they are doing a classic roundhouse and clip the chair many times.

Note: Sensei's need to point out that there are two types of execution for the mawashi kick flowing into the back kick (ushiro geri). I find that the upper body being relaxed and arms and hands being held in proper form to facilitate your balance and torque are a necessity.

Roku: (back kick, ushiro geri, here's where it gets tough) Now up to this point you have executed the front kick, round kick and now need to execute the back kick flowing (front kick, round kick back kick). No easy thing, this is a very difficult kick to perform, I advocate doing many spinning techniques to ease in on perfecting your back kick, basics just basics. See blog.

http://lehner.blog-city.com/console/admin/entry/entryedit.cfm?BID=1500136

Shichi: Now look to your left, come up into a fighting stance, (kumite no tachi, kumite no kamae) posture, body 45 angle, right hand held solar plexus high, weight 50/50 on stance, right foot on ball of foot. Left hand chin high covering center line. You need to remember when assuming your fighting stance it is your fighting stance, (for kata this stance is traditional, right hand held at solar plexus high). Now you may do a spirit kia (which I like to do), setting up the next three moves that will be kicks. While gazing ahead and body in proper form we are now ready to perform a mae geri's (front kick with the ball of the foot).

Hachi: While maintaining your fighting stance you will now execute a right front mae geri kick by bringing your hands up to your on guard, you need to chamber the knee to your waist level or higher. Bend base leg, lean the body 5 degrees forward, (do not I repeat do not lean back, period) kick to middle area, straight, with speed, you will need to turn your hips facilitating the smoothness of your movement, (do not leave the hips behind, turn the hips into the kick, period). Keep your ankle tight, flex the foot so you strike with the ball of the foot. Once you execute your mae geri, "re-chamber" then place your foot down preparing for your next kick which is the mawashi geri (roundhouse kick).

Ku: Now executing a left mawashi geri (roundhouse kick) (study your Kyoten text book # 2 page 67) this kick follows the mae geri (normally the Sensei will count allowing a smooth flow of all three kicks combined). Now the degree of difficulty is raised, the mawashi geri needs to be learned as depicted in your Kyoten textbook # 2. One teaching method I have used for over a quarter of century is having me and my students practice kicking over back of chairs assuring you chamber, knee pointing at target, clearing the chair and not dropping your leg, re-chambering and placing your kicking leg in position not to far behind base leg, if you drop your leg (lazy, sloppy) you hit the back of the chair on the re-chambering. This chair waza really opens up flaws of this roundhouse kicks, because many students do a shallow roundhouse thinking they are doing a classic roundhouse and clip the chair many times.

Ju: Now up to this point you have executed the front kick (mae geri), round kick (mawashi geri) and now need to execute the back kick (ushiro geri) flowing (front kick, round kick, back kick). No easy thing, this is a very difficult kick to perform, I advocate doing many spinning techniques to ease in on perfecting your back kick, basics just basics. See Blog:

http://lehner.blog-city.com/console/admin/entry/entryedit.cfm?BID=1500136

Ichi: Last move, while in right Zen stance, reverse punch, look over left shoulder, come up to fighting stance, sliding (okuriashi) with a spirit kia, put energy into this last move, (I like to slide forward with explosiveness).

Note: Make the First move and last move very powerful in your forms. set the tone, energy, passion, keep that explosiveness in mind. Do not do your kata too fast, when doing (no count) stay together, watch your timing, move smoothly, your kata can look beautiful and powerful, up to you to practice.

Yamae: Sensei says come back to ready. Do we relax? No! You move your front foot back to parallel stance (yoi dachi) as explained above "Yoi" ready movement , nothing changes, smooth, controlled, and maintain "Zanshin". You say "What is Zanshin"? When you come back to ready, in plain English, keep the motor running, knees bent, 50/50 weight distribution, gaze set, and maintaining Zanshin.

Example: Kyudo (archery) the final position of the archer, after the release of the arrow. The archer should remain in the final position of having released the arrow at least until it has reached the target, without moving and without watching its flight.