It’s quite common for many students once they have passed a grade, to never really feel the need to continue their study of the Heian Kata.It’s quite common for black belts to have completely forgotten their previous kata, being so caught up studying Bassai, Empi, Jion and Hangetsu.
However, continued attention and study of these Heian Kata should follow, and not just up to Black belt. Many very senior Dan grades devote most of the kata training time to the Heian kata’s, for these kata teach such important fundamentals, and need to be perfected for a lifetime.
Heian Yondan, the fourth in the series is a very popular kata. More than any of the earlier Heian Kata, Yondan introduces a new type of rhythm to kata training. It has interesting contrasts between very deep and slow to incredibly sharp movements. This contrast between slow and fast introduces rhythm to the beginning student, and helps them to develop the control to not just rush through the kata. It helps them develop their leg movements, and the ability to synchronize leg and arm movements.
This kata introduces juiji-uke, Shuto-uchi, kakewake-uke, and hiza-geri, and perfection of these new movements is imperative in your continued study of the rest of the Heian series.
Heian Godan
Heian Godan is a very visually exciting kata. Being the most athletic of the Heian series, this kata employs movements, techniques and concepts that stretch the skills of the beginning student.Here, not only must the karateka further develop the vital contrast between fast and slow, but must also effectively execute a jump with speed, balance and grace. Through effectively developing this kata, the karateka will be able to develop not only the skills introduced and fine-tuned in the previous kata, but incorporate such skills as stance transition.
Although appearing simple to an advanced student, to a beginner, the shift of weight and balance from zenkutsu-dachi to kokutsu-dachi can be very difficult. Through many repetitions of this within the kata, along with other transitions through stances, this kata is essential in the development of understanding how to generate power and how to use the body to its maximum potential.
This kata introduces many techniques such as manji-game-uke, and teisho (although many styles don’t necessarily use the technique in this manner) along with this kata using the first jump in the Shotokan Syllabus.
Tekki Shodan
The Tekki Series are some of the most complex kata in the Shotokan Style. It has been reported that Funakoshi spent several years singularly practicing these kata, and because he viewed them as such a vital training exercise they have been placed in very high importance in the Shotokan Syllabus.Master Funakoshi learned these kata from the great Master Itosu – who is renown for both developing and creating many of the shotokan kata we practice and study today. Funakoshi spent three years learning each of the Tekki kata, growing to understand that although short and economical on space, these kata were tremendously difficult to master.
Originally named Naihanchi, Funakoshi changed the name to Tekki. More significant is the way these kata have changed in performance. Originally being practiced from Naihanchi-dachi and hachi-ji-dachi, these kata are now practiced from kiba-dachi.
Tekki Shodan, originally a Shuri-te kata, places much emphasis on deep rooting. To maintain a strong kiba-dachi, with accurate posture and to avoid bobbing up-and-down requires much lower body strength, and this kata, as with all of the Tekki Kata are renown for their effective development of the ‘Hara’ (Located three fingertips below the naval). This kata promotes lower body strength, and the technique Nami-gaeshi (Returning wave) involves raising the sole of the foot in front of the body while being supported by just one foot, requiring great skill and balance. To perform this technique without significantly raising your body is very difficult, so when a beginner can perform this effectively, they will begin to fully appreciate the benefits of this kata.
Tekki Nidan
The most obvious observation, when watching these katas, is the fact they move in a straight line. The embusen for this kata has been much analysed by karateka and historians. Many believe this represents that the karateka is fighting on horseback; others believe that it represents the karateka fighting with his back against a wall. While others say the kata was developed for fighting on a boat.Debate aside, this kata is the intermediate of the Tekki Series, and like the others, it places much emphasis on rooting, power and stability. Unlike Tekki Shodan, originally a shuri-te kata, Nidan and Sandan were created by Master Itosu, but maintaining many of the concepts that made Shodan such a vital training aid.
Tekki Sandan
Tekki Sandan, the most advanced in the Tekki Series, is the most complex and difficult to master. However, once the fundamental elements have been perfected in the previous kata such as maintaining correct posture, and the development of a strong and rooted dachi, attention can be paid to the complicated hand and arm movements.This is in common regard, the most popular of the Tekki Series, because of its sharp and effective hand movements. Although very difficult to learn, great power can be generated. These kata are also very important in developing alternative methods of using the hips.
With many kata, such as Heian Shodan, and Heian Nidan, power is generated through both big technique and through big hip movements. As a beginner, this is an excellent way to develop power. As the karateka advances however, he aims to make this big power with as minimal movement as possible. This is where the Tekki kata help develop the karateka. Because of the dominance of kiba-dachi, and because of the lateral embusen, there is little opportunity to generate huge levels of power via the hips through big hip action. Therefore, the karateka is challenged to generate power through alternative means.
Many Instructors place huge emphasis on hip vibration in these kata, and this is one concept that is both vital and effective to the Shotokan karateka, and through the study of these kata, the karateka will improve greatly.