One
of the 3 major Katas brought back from
I think this quote from George
Matson’s book Uechi Ryu Karate-Do best defines this kata. It embodies the movements
of the animals of the system - the dragon, tiger and crane. The dragon in this
kata is breathing and the flowing movements. The soft part of Pangai Noon. The
tiger is shown in power and strength. The hard of Pangai Noon. Remember the use
of tiger hands and tiger toes throughout the kata. The crane is shown as control
grace, speed, the one leg block, and the crane’s beak, the finishing move, of
sanseirui.
So to proceed:
sanseiryu kata:
1.Rei (bow)
2. Open to ready stance
hirate kamae
3. Step into left sanchi stance with open with a left palm heel right-handed circular block with right-handed left to right wrist blocks and at the finish left hand will perform a watari uke (a crossing block).
4
Left sanchin stance slide (#2 8 form) and
right hand palm heel left hand circular block followed by a right hand one
knuckle punch. Left slide back (#3 8 form) with both hand shokens knuckle to
knuckle, elbows in sanchin.
5. Keeping hands in position turn 180° hands in ready position. Right hand palm heel with left circular block with right front vertical elbow strike. Slide back into right sanchin stance with right palm heel left hand boshiken strike to the chin or bridge of nose, right palm heel, left circular block and right piercing hand strike.
6. Turn 180 °. Left sanchin stance with right palm heel left circular block with left front kick. Left sanchin stance slide (#2 8 form) Right palm heel left circular block right one knuckle punch and left slide back (#3 8 form) into both hands shokens knuckle to knuckle, elbows in sanchin.
7.
Pivot
45 ° to right into right
sanchin stance. And double 4-knuckle
strike to throat, or bridge of nose.
8.
Pivot
90° Left sanchin
stance. Right hand scoop which would catch an opponents front leg kick and grip
would occur at the Achilles’ tendon and left hand scoop which goes beyond left
knee to catch an opponents front kick, and left leg block.
9.
Pivot
45°
left sanchin stance with hands in sanchin.
10.
Left
leg cross over right leg at 45°
angle into a right horse stance 50/50-weight load on heels. With left hand over
right hand positioned just inside right knee, right low block, then right hand
in low block position drops right in front of right knee scoops in a direct
upward position as to catch a kick and then throws directly in front.
11. Look over left shoulder step up into left stance with right one knuckle punch. Left stance slide (#2 8 form) and simultaneously do a one knuckle punch, then for third and final left slide (#2 8 form) and simultaneously do a one knuckle punch. Then right hand in low block position drops right in front of right knee scoops in a direct upward position as to catch a kick and then throws directly in front.
12. Look over left shoulder, hands at kamae, left foot stutter, and right foot full step into right low stance 50/50 weight on heels, left circular block, right frontal elbow strike, straighten hips to center, back fist, and one knuckle strike.
13. Look over left shoulder, 180° turn, hands a kamae, left stutter step right full step into right front leaning stance with 60% weight on front foot and looking over right knee; 40% weight on back leg and back leg is straight. Simultaneously right palm heel left circular block and right vertical elbow strike. Weight is now redistributed to 50/50 as right hand in low block position drops right in front of right knee scoops in a direct upward position as to catch a kick and then throws directly in front.
11. Turn 225° into turn into left sanchin stance and hand positioning and right sanchin strike.
12. Pull left leg back turn pivot – 45°-left sanchin stance at ready. Left knee lift shin block at the same time left circular block right dividing block, when leg raise is finished at the same time the hands are finished rear leg lowers body to a both hands on guard stance after leg block left hand in higher position than right hand. Left leg lowered into a left cat stance (weight distribution is 10% on left foot 90% on right foot .)Then left foot flat to floor.
14. Pivot 45°, Right palm heel, left circular block showing control of opponent. Step into right sanchin stance, perform kakushiken (crane beak strike – right hand come up over right ear to strike opponent on pressure point at junction of left side of opponents neck at collar bone, hand is at a 90° angle on wrist – use hip for power, then pull right hand back using an upside down u movement to have both hands at the ready, then bring back into left knee lift shin block then left foot lands in an left cat stance (10% weight on left foot 90% weight on back leg. Feet flat on floor neutral position hands at ready position.
15. Fudo dachi (hands at
side feet together)
16. Rei
1. An Introduction
to the Okinawan Traditional Karate –
Aspects of Karate as Martial Arts (BLUE BOOK) by Shigeru Takamiyagi, Toshio Higa,
Katsiyoshi Higa. Published by the Okinawan Karate Federation, 1999.
2. “Material Learned in Uechi-Ryu” by Steve Banchick. Printed by Okinawan Karate Club. 1994
3.
The
Original Martial Arts Encyclopedia by John Corcoran and Emil Farkas.
Published
by ProAction Publishing, 1993.
4.
Secrets
of Uechi Ryu Karate and Mysteries of
(PURPLE
BOOK) Published by Cherokee Publishing, 1996.
5.
Uechi Ryu Karate-Do by George Matson. (RED BOOK) Published by