Shitō-Ryū Kata:  Heian Shodan (平安初段)

 

Heian Shodan (平安初段) is an Itosu-kei kata, created between 1902 and 1905 by Itosu Ankō for training by students at Shuri Junjō Chūgakkō (Shuri Standard Middle School).   According to tradition, Heian Shodan, like the other four Heian kata, was derived from an ancient and more complex kata called Channan.  Its purpose was to provide middle school aged children with a kata containing self-defence techniques appropriate for their age in a format that was easier to learn than most other traditional kata.  It was originally taught first in the sequence of the five Heian kata, but proved more difficult to learn than Heian Nidan, which is now taught first in many Shuri-te based styles.  The video presented below was filmed at the Jikishin-Kai hombu dōjō in San Diego, featuring Kako Lee, who was several times a regional and national tournament kata champion in the 1990s and is now dōjō-chō (chief instructor) of the Mazurukai Dōjō in San Diego.

Heian Shodan Description

After bowing and announcing the name of the kata ("Heian Shodan") ...

Yōi (cross open hands at groin level in musubi dachi) and kiyomeri kokyū (purification breaths)
Kamaete (shift right foot into nami heikō dachi while closing hands into fists at knee width)

  1 Turn 90 degrees left into hidari neko-ashi dachi with awase(*) hidari yoko uke migi jōdan hikite (with right fist at ear level, palm outward), immediately followed with awase(*) migi gedan kentsui uchi hidari uchi nagashi uke (left fist nearly touching right shoulder)
  2 Step forward into hidari yoko heikō dachi with hidari yoko kentsui uchi jōdan
  3 Turn 180 degrees right into migi neko-ashi dachi with awase(*) migi yoko uke hidari jōdan hikite (with left fist at ear level, palm outward), immediately followed with awase(*) hidari gedan kentsui uchi migi uchi nagashi uke (left fist nearly touching right shoulder)
  4 Step forward into migi yoko heikō dachi with migi yoko kentsui uchi jōdan
  5 Turn 90 degrees right into migi neko-ashi dachi with migi yoko uke
  6 Right foot chūdan chokugeri, turning 180 degrees left and landing in hidari neko-ashi dachi with hidari shutō uke
  7 Step forward into migi neko-ashi dachi with migi shutō uke
  8 Step forward into hidari neko-ashi dachi with hidari shutō uke
  9 Hidari osae uke, then step forward into migi han-zenkutsu dachi with migi nukite zuki and kiai
  10 Turn 225 degrees left  into hidari neko-ashi dachi with hidari shutō uke
11 Immediatly step forward into migi neko-ashi dachi with migi shutō uke
  12 Turn 90 degrees right into migi neko-ashi dachi with migi shutō uke
  13 Immediately step forward into hidari neko-ashi dachi with hidari shutō uke
  14 Turn 45 degrees left into hidari zenkutsu dachi with gyaku yoko uke
  15 Right foot chūdan choku geri, landing forward in migi zenkutsu dachi with gyaku zuki and immediate gyaku nagashi uke
  16 Left foot chūdan choku geri, landing forward in hidari zenkutsu dachi with gyaku zuki
  17 Step forward into migi zenkutsu dachi with migi soete uke
  18 Turn 225 degrees left into hidari zenkutsu dachi with gedan barai
  19 Step forward into migi zenkutsu dachi with migi wanto uchi
  20 Turn 90 degrees right into migi zenkutsu dachi with gedan barai
  21 Step forward into hidari zenkutsu dachi with hidari wantō uchi

Zanshin yame (withdrawing left foot, turn 45 degrees left and return to kamaete)
Naotte (perform tekagami movement while sliding right foot into musubi dachi)
Rei (bow)

(*) IMPORTANT: awase means simultaneous

Key Training Aspects of Heian Shodan

 
The Key

Heian Shodan is typically the third kata taught to students of Shimabukuro-Ha Shitō-Ryū karate-dō.   It presents the student with new variations in technique that many find challenging initially.  As with other beginner-level kata, its emphasis is on matching stances to the purpose and effectiveness of the techniques being employed, as well as the need to develop increased speed, power, stability, and focus in its performance.

Heian Shodan begins with a series of movements that have several possible interpretations and practical applications.   The primary interpretation (considered shoden [see additional information below] ōyō) is of blocking a left-handed punch with kosa uke, sliding the left fist above the opponent's elbow while sliding the right hand along the forearm to grasp it at the wrist, then dislocating the elbow with the downward sweep of the right hand that follows.  The movement should be performed with this motion, timing, speed, and power.  The lateral hammerfist strike that follows this is powered in part by the back muscles, so the shoulder blades should be nearly touching in the centre of the back at its completion.

By this time, students should be accustomed to shifting smoothly and with good balance and posture between stances, even when moving quickly.  The timing of each movement in Heian Shodan is, of course, dictated by its purpose and the actions of the imaginary opponent, so it varies between steady and rapid flurries.  The key timing issue in Heian Shodan occurs during the four shutō uke that follow the nukite zuki.  These should be performed in pairs:  the first two (left-right) in rapid succession, a pause before turning to the right, then the second two (right-left) in rapid succession.  These should be practiced repeatedly until they can be performed with speed, balance, erect posture, correct stance, and striking power.

As was the case with the wantō uchi in Heian Nidan, the two wantō uch at the end of Heian Shodan should be performed with sufficient speed, power, focus, and intensity to clearly identify them as wantō uchi, rather than age uke.

Additional Information

MakimonoAs with every new kata, it is important to remind oneself of the adage: "Manabu no tame ni hyakkkai, jukuren no tame ni senkai, satori no tame ni manga okonau" (学ぶのために百回、熟練のために千回、悟りのために万回行う.).  A hundred times to learn, a thousand times for proficiency, ten thousand repetitions for complete understanding.   A related Okinawan saying is "ichi kata san nen" (一型三年):  one kata three years.  Think of it this way:  it takes about 40 seconds to perform Heian Nidan.  So in just ten minutes per day for only ten days (or twenty minutes a day for just five days), you can learn the correct sequences of movements in Heian Nidan.   But to become truly proficient-to be able to perform it correctly, and with the speed, power, timing, and bushi damashii (samurai spirit) necessary to make its techniques effective in a real self-defence situation will take a thousand repetitions, which equates to 100 days at ten repetitions a day.   And to fully understand and apply all of its principles, nuances, and variations will take 1,000 days (three years) at ten repetitions per day.

Once again, the importance of bunkai (分解) —"disassembly and analysis"—is every bit as important in training as performing the movements of the kata correctly.  Once the sequence of movements has been memorised, each technique should be considered in minute detail, as if frozen in time, to ascertain its potential uses and the factors that make it most effective.

Ōyō (応用)—meaning "effective use" or "practical use"—serves as the inspiration for bunkai.  Once you have analysed every movement of the kata and determined both its intended use and the principles that make it effective, you will be able to apply each of the techniques in the kata against the types of attack for which it is best suited.  As you gain experience in bunkai, you will find that ōyō l has three distinct layers, referred to as shoden ("beginning expression"), chūden ("intermediate expression"), and okuden ("deep expression").  Thus bunkai, too, has these same three facets, which are also frequently described as omote ("surface") or kaishu waza ("obvious technique"), ura-waza ("posterior techniques") or henka waza ("variations"), and kakushide ("concealed hands").

Omote (surface) bunkai and ōyō are the obvious uses of a given technique.  In other words, if it looks like a strike it is used as a strike.  If it looks like a block it is used as a block.     All omote waza are considered shoden (beginning expression).  Ura-waza (posterior techniques) are actions that are not obvious, but are suggested or can be inferred from what is readily observable in a technique.  The word ura refers to the backside of an object, like the back of a sheet of paper or the reverse of a coin.  It can't be seen from the front, but some of its properties can be surmised from what is visible.  Ura-waza therefore include henka waza (variations of obvious techniques), as well as actions that are implied, such as performing a front-foot kick from neko-ashi dachi, even if the kick itself isn't performed as part of the kata.  Ura-waza are generally considered chūden (intermediate) expression.  Kakushide waza (hidden techniques) are actions that are neither apparent, nor implied by what is visible.  Examples of this include actions that look like blocks or strikes used as throws, strangles, or grappling techniques and many pressure-point techniques that can only be understood after detailed study of the human nervous system.  Most kakushide waza are considered okuden (deep expression).

The ultimate purpose of analysing and perfecting kata is to develop a methodology and a habit of analysing and perfecting every important aspect of one's life:  knowledge, skills, capabilities, behaviour, attitudes, ethics, motivation, ambitions, desires, ideals, beliefs, values, relationships, and character.