Gekisai Katas
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Taikyoko

Jodan

Chudan

Gedan

Kihon

Gekisai

Ichi

Ni

San

Sanchin

Saifa

Seiunchin

Uke No

Tensho

Sanseiru

Shisochin

Seisan

Seipai

Suparrenpei (Petchurin)

Kururunfa

Legend

RF   right foot       North   face front from starting position
LF   left foot       East   face right from starting position
RH   right hand       South   face back from starting position
LH   left hand       West   face left from starting position

Gekisai Ichi

This kata shows the "go" or hard aspect of Goju-Ryu. It is composed of front and back moves with initial blocks and punches to both sides.

Gekisai kata includes the basic stances, punches, blocks, and kicks. This kata is often used to test technique at all belt levels. The themes include:

  • Good, consistent stances
  • Solid technique on punches, blocks, and kicks

The Kata:

  1. From the mu su bi dachi, RF slides forward then pivots left into left sanchin dachi facing W. LH age uke.
  2. RF steps forward into right sanchin dachi. RH seiken tsuki jodan.
  3. RF steps back into shiko dachi (body faces N, head faces W) and LH gedan uke.
  4. LF takes partial step into right sanchin dachi facing E.
    RH age uke.
  5. LF steps forward into left sanchin dachi facing E.
    LH seiken tsuke jodan.
  6. LF steps back into shiko dachi (body faces N, head faces E) and RH gedan uke.
  7. Turn head to face N, LF slides up into left sanchin dachi facing N. LH chudan uke (slow, fluid, and with power).
  8. RF steps forward into right sanchin dachi facing N. RH chudan uke (slow, fluid, and with power).
  9. LF mae geri (N), pull foot back into chamber, then land into left zenkutso dachi.
    As you land, left hiji uchi (elbow strike). [hips face N for all blocks/strikes in this step]
  10. Left riken to the face.
  11. Left haraiotoshi uke.
  12. Right chudan seiken tsuki.
  13. Turning S, sweep with RF then land RF into heiko dachi (body faces E, head looks S).
    RH shuto uchi neck level toward S.
  14. LF steps into a left sanchin stance facing S.
    LH chudan uke (slow, fluid, and with power).
  15. RF mae geri (S), pull foot back into chamber, then land in a right zen kutsu dachi facing S.
    At the same time, right hiji uchi (elbow strike).
    [hips face S for all blocks/strikes in this step]
  16. Right riken to face.
  17. Right haraiotoshi uke
  18. Left chudan seiken tsuki
  19. Looking N, sweep with LF then land LF into heiko dachi (body faces E, head looks N.
    LH shuto uchi neck level toward N.
  20. LF slides back into right front zen kutsu dachi facing N. Pull both hands to the side of the body with the left hand palm down and right hand palm up.
  21. Throw double punch (morote zuki) with left palm down at shoulder level, and right palm up above the right knee.
  22. LF slides forward even with RF, pull both hands to the side of the body with RH palm down and LH palm up, RF slides back into left zen kutsu dachi facing N.
  23. Throw Double Punch (morote zuki) with RH palm down and just above the right knee, and LH palm up at shoulder level.
  24. Don't hop when transitioning from RF to LF zen kutsu dachi.
  25. Both hands come together in front of the solar plexus, palms up, RH on top. Slide RF up to LF to stand in musubi dachi. Circle hands up to neck level then rotate down to groin level.
    Drop hands to sides.

Gekisai Ni

This kata also emphasizes the "go" aspect of Goju-Ryu. Similar to Gekisai Ichi, this kata is often used to test technique at all belt levels. It includes all basic stances, punches, and blocks. Critical new performance criteria include:

  • Mawashi uke
  • Neko achi dachi
  • Kake uke

The Kata:

  1. From the mu su bi dachi, RF slides forward then pivots left into left sanchin dachi facing W.
    LH age uke.
  2. RF steps forward into right sanchin dachi.
    RH seiken tsuki jodan.
  3. RF steps back into shiko dachi (body faces N, head faces W).
    LH gedan uke.
  4. LF takes partial step into right sanchin dachi facing E.
    RH age uke.
  5. LF steps forward into left sanchin dachi facing E.
    LH seiken tsuke jodan.
  6. LF steps back into shiko dachi (body faces N, head faces E).
    RH gedan uke.
  7. Turn head to face N, LF slides up into left sanchin dachi facing N.
    LH chudan uke (slow, fluid, and with power).
  8. RF steps forward into right sanchin dachi facing N.
    RH chudan uke (slow, fluid, and with power).
  9. LF mae geri (N), pull LF back into chamber, then land into left zenkutso dachi.
    As you land, left hiji uchi (elbow strike). [hips face N for all blocks/strikes in this step]
  10. Left riken to the face.
  11. Left haraiotoshi uke
  12. Right chudan seiken tsuki
  13. Turning S, sweep with RF then land RF into heiko dachi (body faces E, head looks S).
    RH shuto uchi neck level toward S.
  14. LF steps forward into left sanchin dachi facing S.
    LH kake uke (slow, fluid, and with power).
  15. RF steps forward into right sanchi dachi.
    RH kake uke (medium speed)
  16. Quickly, RF steps backward into left sanchi dachi.
    LH kake uke. (medium speed)
  17. RF mae geri (S), pull RF back into chamber, then land in a right zen kutsu dachi facing S.
    At the same time, right hiji uchi (elbow strike).
    [hips face S for all blocks/strikes in this step]
  18. Right riken to face
  19. Right haraiotoshi uke
  20. Left chudan seiken tsuki
  21. Looking N, sweep with LF then land LF into heiko dachi (body faces E, head looks N.
    LH shuto uchi neck level toward N.
  22. LF slides back at 45 degree angle into a right neko achi dachi stance facing NE (LF points N, RF points NE).
  23. RH mawashi uke (ending with LH fingers up, RH fingers down).
  24. Double palm heel strike (LH collar bone level, RH belt level).
  25. RF slides back at 45 degree angle into left neko achi dachi stance facing NW (RF points N, LF points NW).
  26. LH mawashi uke (ending with RH fingers up, LH fingers down).
  27. Double palm heel strike (RH collar bone level, LH belt level).
  28. Keeping body in the same relative position, pivot body to face N.
  29. Finish.
    Both hands come together in front of the solar plexus, palms up, RH on top. Slide LF back to RF to stand in musubi dachi. Circle hands up to neck level then rotate down to groin level.

Gekisai San

Gekisai San is a dojo-specific kata for the Ambler dojo. It is required for Ambler GKK students; not required by the GKK.

The Kata:

  1. RF steps forward into right sanchin dachi facing N, RH kake uke.
  2. Pivot 90 degrees to the left (pivoting on the flat of the foot) into left sanchin dachi facing W, LH open hand age uke.
  3. RF steps forward into right zenkutsu dachi, RH seikan tsuki jodan.
  4. RF steps back into shiko dachi (body faces N, head looks W). Grab opponent's lapel with right hand and pull toward body while performing left wrist strike to the ribs.
  5. Look E, LF takes partial step toward E into right sanchin dachi facing E.
    RH open-hand age uke.
  6. LF steps forward into left zenkutsu dachi, LH seikan tsuki jodan.
  7. LH steps back into shiko dachi (body faces N, head looks E). Grab opponent's lapel with left hand and pull toward body performing right wrist strike to the ribs.
  8. Look N, LF steps into left sanchin dachi facing N. LH kake uke.
  9. RF steps forward into right sanchin dachi, right kake uke.
  10. LF Mae Geri. Without dropping the LF from chamber, sliding step forward into left zenkutso dachi facing N, left hiji ate.
  11. Left Riken
  12. Left down elbow
  13. Left haraiotoshi uke.
  14. Right seiken zuki chudan.
  15. Look S, RF sweeps into crane stance, then sliding step forward into soto hachiji dachi (body faces E, head looks S).
    Right sto to the neck with kiai.
  16. LF steps forward into left sanchin dachi facing S, LH kake uke (slow, fluid, and with power).
  17. RF steps into right sanchin dachi, RH kake uke.
    Then, quickly, RF steps back into left sanchin dachi, LH kake uke.
  18. RF Mae Geri. Without dropping the RF from chamber, sliding step forward into right zenkutso dachi facing S, right hiji ate
  19. Right riken
  20. Right down elbow
  21. Right haraiotoshi uke
  22. Left seiken zuki chudan
  23. Look N, LF sweeps into crane stance, then sliding step forward into hachiji dachi (body faces E, head looks N).
    Left sto to the neck with kiai.
  24. LF slides back at 45 degree angle into a right neko achi dachi stance facing NE (LF points N, RF points NE).
  25. RH pulls back into chamber, nukite position, palm up.
    In a circular motion bring the left hand to the body just below the right.
    LH is open, palm down, parallel to floor.
  26. Quickly perform right spear hand (nukite) to the neck, then retract hand back into chamber.
  27. Left mawashi uke (LH fingers down, RH fingers up)
  28. Right hiji ate
  29. Double strike using right ridge hand (high) and left palm heel (low).
  30. RF slides back at 45 degree angle into left neko achi dachi stance facing NW (RF points N, LF points NW).
  31. LH pulls back into chamber, nukite position, palm up. In a circular motion bring the right hand to the body just below the left.
    RH is open, palm down, parallel to floor.
  32. Quickly perform left spear hand (nukite) to the neck, then retract hand back into chamber.
  33. right mawashi uke (RH finishes fingers down, LH fingers up)
  34. left hiji ate
  35. double strike using left ridge hand (high) and right palm heel (low).
  36. Keeping body in the same relative position, pivot body to face N.
  37. Finish.
    Both hands come together in front of the solar plexus, palms up, RH on top. Slide LF back to RF to stand in musubi dachi. Circle hands up to neck level then rotate down to groin level.<
    Drop hands to sides.

Copyright 2006 Amber Area YMCA Goju-Ryu Karate