The fourth level in the Heian series, Heian Yondan has 27 movements and the embusen is almost I-shaped.
This Kata has many similarities to Heian Nidan. The Kata's primary stance is kokutsu-dachi (back stance), but students first learning this Kata must also contend with the new kosa-dachi, a cross stance that is quite awkward for most Karateka. Heian Yondan introduces the student to many new techniques such as kosa-uke, shuto-uchi, kakiwake-uke, mae-empi, and hiza-tsuchi.
HEIAN YONDAN
Peaceful Mind - forth level
HEIAN YONDAN
Peaceful Mind - forth level
Kata performed by Kurihara Kazuaki
Some of the Key Moves:
- Kokutsu-dachi (back stance)
- Kosa-dachi (cross-legged stance)
- Kakiwake uke (double wedge block)
- Juji uke (x-block)
- Morote-uke (augmented block)
- Mae-empi (roundhouse elbow strike)
- Mae geri (front kick)
- Yoki geri keage (side-snap kick)
- Hiza-tsuchi (knee strike)
The word Heian is a combination of Heiwan that means "Peacefulness" and Antei that means "Calmness." For this reason the meaning of the Kata signifies a "Peaceful Mind." The name suggests that the student who has mastered the five Heian forms can be confident in his ability to defend himself, and hence would be able to adopt a state of "Peaceful Mind." The original versions of the Katas were named Pinan and were created by Master Itosu in the early 1900’s. Master Funakoshi, during the creation of the Shōtōkan style, changed the names of the Katas for reasons he explains in his book Karate-Do Kyohan:
The names of the kata have come down to us by word of mouth. Names in use in the past included Pinan, Seishan, Naifanchi, Wanshu, Chinto, and the like, many of which had ambiguous meanings and have led to frequent mistakes in instruction. Since karate is a Japanese martial art, there is no apparent reason for retaining these unfamiliar and in some cases unclear names of Chinese origin simply because of earlier usage. I have therefore changed those names I considered to be unsuitable after considering the figurative nature of the old masters’ descriptions of the Kata and my own study of them.
As mentioned above, there are five Heian Katas in all; Shodan, Nidan, Sandan, Yondan, and Godan. Shodan being the simplest and Godan the most complex.
The Kata Heian Nidan was originally the first of the series but Master Funakoshi, realising that this Kata was much harder then Heian Shodan, changed the order in which they are taught "after consideration of their various points of difficulty and ease of teaching."
HEIAN YONDAN
the kata in practice
HEIAN YONDAN
the kata in practice
Greet slowly in musubi-dachi position .
Announce the kata: "Heian Yodan".
Yoi : In position hachiji-dachi , fists closed in front of the hips.
1 - Hidari haiwan jodan-uke sokumen / Migi jodan-kamae : Turn the head to the left and move the left foot to the left at 90 ° in a kokutsu-dachi position , raising the arms from the bottom up, to block back of the open left hand ( jodan tate-haishu-uke ). The open right hand is positioned on guard at the forehead ( jodan-kamae ), palm forward. The movement is very slow and expiring.
2 - Migi haiwan jodan-uke sokumen / Hidari jodan-kamae : Turn the head to the right and rotate 180 ° on the spot, on the 2 feet, to the right, in kokutsu-dachi position, raising the arms of bottom in top, to block the back of the open right hand ( jodan tate-haishu-uke). The open left hand is positioned on guard at the forehead ( jodan-kamae ), palm forward.The movement is very slow and expiring.
3 - Hidari gedan juji-uke : Advance the left foot in the axis of the kata in zenkutsu-dachi position, and park by folding arms down, fists ( gedan juji-uke ). The bust is in front, the position is low, the elbows are tight.
4 - Migi chudan morote-uke : Advance the right foot in the same axis in the kokutsu-dachi rear position, with a middle double blocking ( chudan-morote-uke ) from left to right. The right arm performs the parry, the left fist, knuckles upwards reinforces the inside of the right elbow. The left arm is stuck to the trunk.
5 - Hidari jodan uraken-uchi / hidari jodan yoko-geri-keage : Bundle left leg forward, raise left knee in heisoku-dachi position. The fists are positioned at the right hip, the right fist in hikite and the left fist placed vertically on it. Quickly chase a left lashed left kick (yoko-geri-keage ) along with a high sweep of the left ( uraken-uchi )left fist.
6 - Migi chudan mae-empi-uchi : Bring your left foot backwards very quickly, with your knee raised and then put it in the zenkutsu-dachi positionat 90 ° to the left of the kata axis. Strap a right elbow in the left hand ( empi-uchi ). The elbow arrives in the hand at the same time as the foot touches the ground.
7 - Migi jodan uraken-uchi / Migi jodan yoko-geri-keage : Group the right leg back, raise the right knee in heisoku-dachi position . The fists are positioned at the left hip, the left fist in hikit and the right fist placed vertically on it. Quickly chase a right right whip kick ( yoko-geri-keage ) along with a top sweep of the right ( uraken-uchi )right fist.
8 - Hidari chudan-mae-empi-uchi : Bring the right foot very quickly backwards, knee raised and put it in the zenkutsu-dachi positionat 90 ° to the right of the axis of the kata.Conduct a left elbow in the right hand ( empi-uchi ). The elbow arrives in the hand at the same time as the foot touches the ground.
9 - Hidari gedan shuto-barai / Migi jodan shuto-uke then Migi jodan shuto-uchi / Hidari jodan shuto-uke :
- Reste in the same position and pare a low attack with the open hand ( gedan shuto-barai ) while bringing the right hand open in front of the protection ( jodan shuto-age-uke ).
- Rotate 2 feet to the left with rotation of the hips, in zenkutsu-dachi position . At the same time, execute a blocking of the open left hand ( jodan shuto-uke ) and counter attack with a saber of the hand up in a horizontal plane at face height ( jodan shuto-uchi )
10 - Migi jodan mae-geri-keage : Without moving your arms, advance by striking your right foot with a whip ( mae-geri-keage ).Stay bent on the support leg, keeping the heel on the ground in kosa-dachi position .
11 - Migi chudan uraken-tate-uchi : At the same time, make a blow of the back of the fist in a vertical plane ( uraken-tate-uchi ).
KIAÏ !!!
12 - Hidari chudan kakiwake-uke : Move the left foot to the left back by swiveling 135 ° on the right foot to find yourself in kokutsu-dachi position . The hands intersect at the level of the face before making a double blocking away from the forearms medium level (kakiwake-uke ). The arms are brought slowly and at medium power level.
13 - Migi chudan mae-geri-keage : Advance by hitting a right whip kick ( mae-geri-keage). Bring back the foot before going into zenkutsu-dachi .
14 - Migi chudan oï-zuki : When the foot touches the ground, strike at the same time a direct punch right to the plexus ( oï-zuki ).
15 - Hidari chudan gyaku-zuki : On the spot, perform a direct left back middle levelpunch ( gyaku-zuki ), with a sharp rotation of the hips.
16 - Migi chudan kakiwake-uke : Turn the head to the right, slowly turn on the left foot at 90 ° to end up in kokutsu-dachi position . The hands intersect at the level of the face before making a double blocking away from the forearms medium level ( kakiwake-uke ). The arms are brought slowly and at medium power level.
17 - Hidari chudan mae-geri-keage : Advance by hitting a left whip kick ( mae-geri-keage). Bring back the foot before going into zenkutsu-dachi .
18 - Hidari chudan oï-zuki : When the foot touches the ground, strike at the same time a direct left punch to the plexus ( oï-zuki ).
19 - Migi chudan gyaku-zuki : On the spot, perform a direct right back middle level punch( gyaku-zuki ), with a sharp rotation of the hips.
20 - Hidari chudan morote-uchi-uke : Turn the head to the left, turn slowly on the right foot 45 ° to the left to end up in kokutsu-dachi position . Perform a reinforced blocking with 2 arms average level ( morote-uchi ) from right to left. The left arm performs the parry; the right fist, knuckles upwards, comes in reinforcement at the level of the interior of the left elbow. The right arm is stuck to the trunk.
21 - Migi chudan morote-uchi-uke : Move the right foot into thekokutsu-dachi positionand make a reinforced block with 2 middle-level arms ( morote-uchi ) from left to right. The right arm performs the parry; the left fist, knuckles upwards, reinforces the level of the inside of the right elbow. The left arm is stuck to the trunk.
22 - Hidari chudan morote-uchi-uke: Advance the left foot inkokutsu-dachi positionand realize a reinforced blocking with 2 arms average level ( morote-uchi ) from right to left. The left arm performs the parry; the right fist, knuckles upwards, comes in reinforcement at the level of the interior of the left elbow. The right arm is stuck to the trunk.
23 - Migi hiza-geri : On the spot, move to zenkutsu-dachi position, arms and hands stretched to the face of the opponent. Throw the right knee forward and up to hit the face ( hiza-geri ) by pulling the arms back and down.
KIAÏ !!!
24 - Hidari chudan shuto-uke : Pivot on the left foot at 180 ° and put the right leg in kokutsu-dachi position . At the same time, execute a myen level blocking of the saber of the left hand middle level ( shuto-uke ).
25 - Migi chudan shuto-uke : Advance the right leg in kokutsu-dachi positionby performing a medium level blocking of the saber of the right hand middle level ( shuto-uke ).
Yame , in position hachiji-dachi.
