Seisan Kata
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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

Seisan is one of the most popular katas, along with Sanchin and Sanseiru. Although the name Seisan means thirteen, the kata must not be defined as thirteen steps. The moves of this kata are crisp and quick but stances are smooth and deliberate. Avoid doing the whole kata too fast. Practice breathing (both inhale and exhale).
  1. Ready posture facing North. Kamaete.
  2. RF steps into right sanchin dachi facing N. Sanchin no kamae position (double yoko uke).
    • Slowly retract LH into chamber while inhaling.
    • Quick, strong LH punch (straight ahead in front of left nipple) with strong exhale.
      Immediately, snap LH back into sanchin no kamae.
  3. LF steps into left sanchin dachi facing N. Keep hands in sanchin no kamae.
    • Slowly retract RH into chamber while inhaling.
    • Quick, strong RH punch (straight ahead in front of right nipple) with strong exhale. Immediately, snap RH back into sanchin no kamae.
  4. RF steps into right sanchin dachi facing N. Keep hands in sanchin no kamae.
    • Slowly retract LH into chamber while inhaling.
    • Quick, strong LH punch (straight ahead in front of left nipple) with strong exhale. Immediately, snap LH back into sanchin no kamae.
  5. Without changing stance, LH opens and RH sharply strikes left hand with shuto (hands are in middle of body, above solar plexus).
    • Quickly, left jodan nukite, right hand in front of solar plexus with fingers pointing up.

      The left hand has three target areas: the thumb joint is stiking the center of the nose between the nostrils (nose won't stop bleeding if hit there); the fingers are striking eyes; and the palm heel is striking chin.

    • Quickly, right jodan nukite, left hand comes down in front of solar plexus with fingers pointing up.
    • Quickly, left jodan nukite, right hand comes down in front of solar plexus with fingers pointing up.
  6. Raise RF to rear, scoop both hands palm up to solar plexus (RH on top).
    • RF takes long sliding step forward into right sanchin dachi.
    • At the same time, both hands thrust nukite to solar plexus.
  7. Raise RF to rear, scoop both hands palm up to solar plexus (RH on top).
    • RF takes long sliding step forward into right sanchin dachi.
    • At the same time, both hands thrust nukite to solar plexus.
  8. Raise RF to rear, scoop both hands palm up to solar plexus (RH on top).
    • RF takes long sliding step forward into right sanchin dachi.
    • At the same time, both hands thrust nukite to solar plexus.
  9. Slowly pull both hands back into chamber while squeezing both hands shut.At the same time, lift RF into kicking chamber position.
    • Right kensetsu geri. Keep hands in chamber.
    • After the kick retracts, plant RF in front and across LF, pivot counterclockwise on LF into left sanchin dachi facing S. At the same time, left shotei ate (or left kake uke) and right shotei osae uke.
  10. RF steps forward into right sanchin dachi facing S while performing right sukui uke to groin level (Vic's note: finish stance and strike at the same time). At the same time, start moving LH down into left shotei osae uke.
    • Continue moving RH up into right kake uke while finishing moving LH down into left shotei osae uke.
  11. LF steps forward into left sanchin dachi facing S while performing left sukui uke to groin level (Vic's note: finish stance and strike at the same time). At the same time, start moving RH down into right shotei osae uke.
    • Continue moving LH up into left kake uke while finishing moving RH down into right shotei osae uke.
  12. Look to the right or W, RF takes long step to the right into right sanchin dachi facing W. At the same time, RH reaches out and makes small circle in front of right shoulder (as if grabbing the side of a neck).
    • Quickly, RH single knuckle fist jodan (first knuckle).
    • Quickly, RH kumade yubihasami ' finger scissors (as if ripping throat out) ' pull back until elbow is bent 90 degrees.
    • Quickly, LH chudan seiken zuki.
    • Quickly, RH chudan seiken zuki.
  13. Slightly retrack RH into body while slightly turning wrist. LH still in chamber.
    • Without changing hand position, slowly retract RF into kicking chamber position.
    • RF kensetsu geri.
    • After kick retracts, plant RF in front LF, pivot counterclockwise 180 degrees into LF zenkutsu dachi stance facing E.
    • At the same time, left jodan shotei oshi and right downward shotei oshi (application: strike groin of the attacker you just kicked).
  14. RF steps partially in front of LF and then LF steps into left 45 degree shiko dachi facing E (LF points E, RF points S).
    At the same time, LH kake uke.
    • RH seiken zuki jodan.
    • Quickly, LH seiken zuki gedan.
    • Quickly, RH seiken zuki chudan.
  15. Look right (S), slightly bend right elbow, raise RF into kicking chamber.
    • RF sokuto geri to South wall.
    • RF lands into shiko dachi with body facing E, head facing S, feet in N-S plane. At the same time, RH upper cut, left open hand blocks in front of solar plexus (fingers up). KIAI.
    • RH riken, quick.
    • RH downward elbow strike, quick.
    • RH bottom fist strike (ala gedan barai), LH pulls into chamber, quick.
    • LH cross body punch chudan level, RH pulls into chamber, quick.
  16. Without changing hand position, slowly draw RF into kicking chamber.
    • RF kensetsu geri.
    • After kick retracts, plant RF in front, pivot 90 degrees counterclockwise into left sanchin dachi stance facing N.
    • At the same time perform quick LH kake uke. Then, without moving LH, perform RH kake uke.
  17. Move both hands closer together, slowly close fists and pull hands into chamber (as if grabbing and pulling in).
    • RF mae geri.
    • RF lands behind into left zenkutsu dachi facing N. At the same time, RH chudan seiken zuke with left palm striking down on upper right arm.
  18. Keeping RF in place, sink back into left neko ashi dachi and perform mawashi uke (RH up, LH down).
    • Perform shotei uchi or teisho ate (RH up, LH down).
  19. Osame.

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