Empi (formerly known as Wanshu, named after a Chinese diplomat) has 37 counts, making it the shortest of the Sentei kata.
Empi translates as "Flying Swallow" or "Flight of the Swallow." It is a very dynamic Kata, requiring speed and agility. It gets its name from the diving patterns of the swallow, a small bird known for its excellent swiftness and maneuverability. Hence, the Kata is characterised by quick changes in direction, as well as many sinking and rising motions that mimic the swallow's flight. Just as the swallow catches flying insects in mid-flight, the bunkai of Empifocus on catching the opponent in mid-attack, unbalancing him and making him unable to make further attacks.
Empi offers several new variations on previously learned techniques, usually by changing their angle. These techniques include gedan-zuki, age-zuki, tekubi-uchi (similar to soto-uke), teisho oshiage-uke and teisho-osae-uke.
Empi also allows for the practice of certain rare techniques that, although not unique, are not found in many other Kata. These movements include dropping to one knee (orishiki), the reverse lean (in hizakutsu), and kirikae-ashi, an advanced form of footwork whereby the Karateka switches the feet to counterattack.
Empi is probably most noted for the spinning jump (kaiten-tobi) occurring at the end of the Kata, making it attractive to younger Karateka.
EMPI
Flying Swallow
EMPI
Flying Swallow
Kata performed by Aragaki Misako
Some of the Key Moves:
- Zenkustsu dachi (front stance)
- Kosa dachi (Crossed stance)
- Hiza-dachi (one-knee stance)
- Gedan-barai (down block)
- Age-tsuki (rising punch)
- Tekubi-uchi (wrist strike)
- Teisho-oshiage/osae – uke (Palm heel rising/pressing block)
- Kaiten-tobi (spinning jump)
EMPI
the kata in practice
EMPI
the kata in practice
Greet in musubi-dachi position .
Advertise the " Empi " kata .
Yoi : In heisoku-dachi position. Place hands at left hip, left hand open, fingers extended forward, vertical right fist thumb up, applied against left palm.
1. Migi gedan barai : Swivel the pelvis to the left, shift the left foot to the left by about ½ step and lower the right fist in front of you. Lower the pelvis until coming to touch the ground with the left knee making a powerful blocking left down ( gedan-barai ).
2. Koshi-kamae : Stand up and align the right foot on the left foot in the hachiji-dachiposition, while arming the left palm fist up and the vertical right fist placed on the left hip (koshi-kamae ) .
3. Migi gedan-barai : Turn the head to the right, send the right foot to the right inzenkutsu-dachi position , while you execute a right downward block ( gedan-barai ).
4. Hidari kagi-zuki : Retreat the left foot to arrive in the kiba-dachi positionin the starting axis of the kata. In doing so, execute a left crooked punch ( kagi-zuki ).
5. Hidari gedan-barai : Advance the left foot in the kata axis to find yourself in thezenkutsu-dachi position , while you execute a deadlock going straight ahead ( gedan-barai ).
6. Migi jodan age-zuki : On the spot, always in zenkutsu-dachi position, launch the right fist so that it follows an ascending trajectory ( age-zuki ).
7. Kami-zukami / Migi fumikomi / Migi nagashi-uke / Hidari otoshi-zuki :
( 7A ) Without changing the position of the arm and always in zenkutsu-dachi position , open the hand and rotate it in the direction clockwise to describe a small circle with the end of the fingers for a hair grip ( kami-zukami ).
( 7B ) Raise your right knee in front of you by pushing the right hip forward. Execute aright( fumikomi ) kick and immediately move the left foot crossed behind the right foot to find yourself in the kosa-dachi position.
( 7C) Simultaneously, lower the basin by executing a punch left down ( otoshi-zuki ), cocking his fist over the left shoulder so as to perform a scanned block ( nagashi-uke ).
8. ushiro Migi Gedan-barai : Push the right leg and step back left foot to align the right to find yourself in position zenkutsu-Dachi long and narrow. In doing so, tilt the bust forward and execute a right downward lock behind you ( ushiro gedan-barai ). The head remains turned in the direction of the blockage, the left fist is in hikité with the left hip.
9. Hidari gedan-barai : Straighten the bust, turn your head to the left. Shift your left foot slightly to find yourself in the zenkutsu-dachi position, while you perform a left descending block ( gedan-barai ).
10. Migi jodan age-zuki : On the spot, always in zenkutsu-dachi position, execute a right upward ( age-zuki ) punch .
11. Kami-zukami / Migi fumikomi / Migi nagashi-uke / Hidari otoshi-zuki :
( 11A ) Pivot your hand on itself for a haired ( kami-zukami ) seizure .
( 11B ) Raise your right knee in front of you by pushing the right hip forward. Execute aright( fumikomi ) kick and immediately move the left foot crossed behind the right foot to find yourself in the kosa-dachi position.
( 11C ) Simultaneously, lower the pelvis by firing a left descending punch ( otoshi-zuki ) by arming the fist over the left shoulder to perform a swept blocking ( nagashi-uke ).
12. Migi ushiro gedan-barai : Push on the right leg and back off the left foot to align it on the right to find yourself in theelongated and narrow zenkutsu-dachi position. In doing so, tilt the bust forward and execute a right downward lock behind you ( ushiro gedan-barai ).The head remains turned in the direction of the blockage, the left fist is in hikité with the left hip.
13. Hidari gedan-barai : Straighten the bust, turn your head to the left. Shift your left foot slightly to find yourself in the zenkutsu-dachi position , while you perform a left descending block ( gedan-barai ).
14. Hidari jodan haishu-uke :
( 14A ) Bring the left foot to the right foot by opening the left hand and pulling it to the right hip.
(14B ) In a synchronous way, pull the left fist and knee toward the opposite side of the body and, in a very smooth motion, raise them in a semicircle.
( 14C ) Continue the movement by raising your arms and legs in front of you and then to the left. As soon as your left hand passes in front of your face, follow it with your eyes.
( 14D ) Rest the left foot on the floor in kiba-dachi position.At the same time, the left arm reaches its destination: forearm pointed towards the sky and left elbow at shoulder height, flexed at an angle of 45 °. The back of the left hand is turned out and the eyes look at the left wrist ( haishu-uke ).
15. Migi empi-uchi : Without changing the position of the left hand, wear a right elbow (empi-uchi ) against the left palm. Simultaneously, bring the right hook foot behind the left knee in kata-ashi-dachi position.
KIAI !!!
16. Hidari chudan tate shuto-uke : Rest the right foot at its previous location in the kiba-dachi position.Extend the left arm forwards to perform a vertical blocking of the edge of the middle level hand ( tate shuto-uke ).
17. Chudan-zuki / Hidari chudan-zuki migi : On the spot, always in kiba-dachi position ,send a middle level right punch ( chudan-zuki ), followed by a middle left punch ( chudan-zuki) ).
18. Hidari gedan-barai : Turn your head to the left, step back half a foot to find yourself in the zenkutsu-dachi position , while you perform a left descending block ( gedan-barai ).
19. Migi jodan age-zuki : On the spot, always in zenkutsu-dachi position , execute a right upward ( age-zuki ) punch .
20. Migi chudan shuto-uke : Advance the right foot in kokutsu-dachi position, while doing a blocking of the cutting edge of the right hand middle level ( shuto-uke ).
21. Hidari chudan shuto-uke : Bring the right foot against the left foot, then move the left foot to find yourself in the kokutsu-dachi position(in fact you reverse the position) while doing a blocking of the edge of the left hand level medium ( shuto-uke ).
22. Migi chudan gyaku-zuki : Still in kokutsu-dachi position , execute a right-hand inverted right-hand punch ( gyaku-zuki ).
23. Migi chudan shuto-uke : Advance the right foot into the kokutsu-dachi position , while performing a mid-level right hand shut-off ( shuto-uke ).
24. Hidari gedan-barai : Shift the left foot in your back 180 ° to the left, so that you find yourself in the zenkutsu-dachi position, in the opposite direction, while you execute a left descending block ( gedan-barai ) .
25. Migi jodan age-zuki : On the spot, always in zenkutsu-dachi position , execute a right upward ( age-zuki ) punch .
26. Kami-zukami / Migi fumikomi / Migi nagashi-uke / Hidari otoshi-zuki :
( 26A ) Swivel the right hand on itself for a hair grab ( kami-zukami ).
( 26B ) Raise your right knee in front of you by pushing the right hip forward. Execute aright( fumikomi ) kick and immediately move the left foot crossed behind the right foot to find yourself in the kosa-dachi position.
( 26C ) Simultaneously, lower the pelvis by firing a left descending punch ( otoshi-zuki ) by arming the fist above the left shoulder to perform a swept block ( nagashi-uke).).
27. Migi ushiro gedan-barai : Push on the right leg and back off the left foot to align it on the right to find yourself in theelongated and narrow zenkutsu-dachi position. In doing so, tilt the bust forward and execute a right downward lock behind you ( ushiro gedan-barai ).The head remains turned in the direction of the blockage, the left fist is in hikité with the left hip.
28. Hidari gedan-barai : Straighten the bust, turn your head to the left. Shift your left foot slightly to find yourself in the zenkutsu-dachi position , while you perform a left descending block ( gedan-barai ).
29. Migi teisho-uke : Always in zenkutsu-dachi position , turn the pelvis to the left, arm the left fist above the left hip and raise the right hand to lock the heel of the hand (teisho-uke ).
30. Teisho-morote-uke : Turn the head to the right, slide the right foot to the left foot, swivel the pelvis to the right, pointing the right palm down and raising the left palm in front of you. Advance the right foot to arrive in zenkutsu-dachi position , at the same time as you double-lock the heels of the hands ( teisho-morote-uke ). The right palm follows an ascending vertical trajectory and the left palm a descending vertical trajectory.
31. Teisho-morote-uke : Without changing the position of the hands, move the left foot (the hands do not move until the left foot has passed the right). Finish advancing your left foot to find yourself in the zenkutsu-dachi position , at the same time as you double-lock the heels of the hands ( teisho-morote-uke ). The right palm follows a descending vertical trajectory and the left palm an ascending vertical trajectory (inversion of the position of the 2 hands).
32. Teisho-morote-uke : Without changing the position of the hands, move the right foot (hands do not move until the right foot has passed the left). Finish advancing your right foot to find yourself in the zenkutsu-dachi position, at the same time as you double-lock the heels of the hands ( teisho-morote-uke ). The right palm follows an upward vertical trajectory and the left palm a vertical ascending trajectory (inversion of the position of the 2 hands).
33. Migi gedan-barai : Push on the left foot to send the right foot forward (yori-ashi) at the same time as you slide the left foot to the right (the 2 feet are on the same axis) for you find in kokutsu-dachi position , while you execute a right descending block ( gedan-barai).
34. Morote koko-kamae : Push again on the left foot and slide the 2 feet in the direction of the right passing in position kiba-dachi. Simultaneously, raise the right hand to waist height (palm to the sky) and throw the left hand forward and up, in front of the forehead (palm of the hand also to the sky) in the position of the seizure « in tiger mouth "( morote koko-kamae ).
35. Joho-kaiten-tobi / Migi chudan shuto-uke :
( 35A ) While pressing on the left foot, rotate the pelvis sharply to the left, raise the right hand towards the left shoulder and extend the left arm in front of you, in oblique to the right.
( 35B ) Continue the movement initiated previously by raising the right knee to increase the impulse of the upcoming jump.
( 35C ) Push on the left leg while raising the right knee for an upward jump ( joho-kaiten-tobi). To do this, bring the legs under the pelvis by bending the knees and rotate 360 ° to find yourself in the same direction as the departure. At the top of the jump, the right hand is above the left shoulder and the left arm is stretched in front of you, obliquely to the right.
( 35D ) The two feet return to the ground at the same time, in the kokutsu-dachi positionand by performing a right-hand level cut-off of the right hand ( shuto-uke ).
KIAI !!!
36. Hidari chudan shuto-uke : Move the right foot back to the kokutsu-dachi positionwhile blocking the edge of the left hand at the mid-level ( shuto-uke ).
Yame : Retreat the left foot against the right foot in the heisoku-dachi position .
Bring hands to left hip, left hand open, fingers extended forward, vertical right thumb up, applied against left palm.
