Seienchin means “calm within the storm”. Different styles perform Seienchin in slightly different ways. This kata helps you maintain a good kiba dachi using different angles and balance, which in turn strengthens your lower body. It also helps you build your spirit, after performing this kata a number of times your legs get tired, you have to push through the pain and keep going.
Here I show a short introduction clip of the Kanku bunkai. The Kanku is our club logo (Gothenburg’s karate Kai), it originates from the Kanku kata. The points of the Kanku represented by the fingers means the ultimate. The wide part of the Kanku represented by the wrists implies strength and power. The center represents infinity and depth, gazing through the center helps unify mind and body. The circle surrounding the Kanku represents continuity.
This clip is a short introduction to the five Pinan Katas. The Pinan kata originated in Okinawa Pinan can be translated as “Peaceful mind peaceful safety” and were created by Anko Itosu in 1905. When Gichin Funakoshi brought karate to Japan, he renamed the kata to Heian, which is translated as “peaceful and calm”. I like to think of them as “Peace and Harmony”.
In this clip I am showing some application ideas of the four basic blocks Jodan Uke, Soto Uke, Uchi Uke and Gedan Barai. These four blocks are always in my kihon lessons when I teach. I also let the students practise different levels of bunkai in groups and make them analyse different techniques so they can come up with their own ideas. This helps them to understand what they are doing.