Seiyo Kai International

It has been said that "karate is kata & kata is karate". They are the same. Kata provides a living encyclopedia of applications (bunkai), training methods, ki and focus. Without proper training in karate, one cannot progress efficiently, thus kata must be done while keeping all bunkai in mind and full focus must be used. Seiyo Shorin-Ryu practices many kata and all movements in kata are learned as ippon kumite.

 Shoshin Nagamine (1907-1997), Grandmaster of Matsubayashi Shorin-Ryu karate wrote in Tales of Okinawa's Great Masters, "if there is no kata, there is no karate, just kicking & punching"

KATA (Te Forms)

Kihon (Basic Kata). The Kihon kata of Seiyo Shorin-Ryu include two katas unique only to Seiyo that are designed to teach the karateka proper hip rotation in strikes (tsuki or zuki) and and proper kicks.

• Taikyoku Shodan
• Taikyoku Nidan
• Taikyoku Sandan (kata developed by Soke Hausel that emphasizes development of gyaku zuki, hip rotation & focus)
• Taikyoku Yondan (kata developed by Soke Hausel that emphasized correct use of basic kicks.

Pinan Kata. Pinan (Ping-an & Heian), translates as ‘peaceful mind’. According to 'Martial Arts - A Layman's Guide' and ‘The Overlook Martial Arts Dictionary’ the Pinan kata were developed by Yasutsune Itosu in 1903 to 1906 & incorporated into the public school system in Okinawa Perfecture. These were originally derived and simplified from the Chiang Nan Chinese kata by Itosu and renamed Pinan (Mark Bishop, 1989, Okinawan Karate, A & C Black, publisher, London). Still referred to as Heian kata in mainland Japan. 

We preserved these basic five kata, but with modifications unique to Seiyo Shorin-Ryu. Each kata incorporates realistic bunkai (applications): a set of waza for each technique in the kata. The applications include defenses against unarmed & armed assailants, a variety of street fighters, and incorporates strikes, kicks, pressure points, throws & restraints. Notable are simultaneous block-strike combinations (common in the Juko Ryu system) as well as powerful strikes followed by throws (nage waza) (photo on right shows Shihan Kevin Vance working with Sensei Jeff Schroeder using bunkai from Pinan Nidan (forearm strike followed by kubi nage- neck throw).

• Pinan Shodan
• Pinan Nidan
• Pinan Sandan
• Pinan Yodan
• Pinan Godan

Naihanchi Kata. These include 3 kata that are often referred to as the 'horse-riding' forms performed in a linear pattern in kiba dachi and referred to as Tekki by many Japanese karate groups. The thought is that this kata was developed for a person to fight others with their back against a wall, from a horse, or on a rice paddy dike. However, in Seiyo Shorin-Ryu, we break down each individual technique into ippon kumite so that none of the above are valid.

• Naihanchi Shodan
• Naihanchi Nidan
• Naihanchi Sandan

Passai Kata. These are known as Bassai in Japanese and include 2 kata that translate as "to Penetrate a Fortress".