Legend has it that Gankaku was created by Sokon Matsumura, who was inspired by the teachings of a shipwrecked Chinese sailor skilled in the art of kung fu. Formerly known as Chinto(Battle East), Gankaku is one of the most graceful Shotokan kata. The kata is usually translated as "Crane on a Rock," referring to the crane stance (tsuru-dachi), when one must sink on one-leg as if a crane perched, ready to strike. The crane stance in Gankaku is performed in manji-kamae and is always followed by an uraken/yoko-keage (followed by a punch) combo. Even though the kata has many fast and sharp attacks, it also exhibits several slow postures as well, lending a certain calmness to the kata, especially given the slow double-counts in tsuru-dachi. The embusen of this kata is a straight line (perpendicular to Tekki), characteristic of fighting in narrow passages or alleys (or even stairways).
Gankaku has several challenging forward spinning turns, unlike most kata which have reverse turning motions. Simply put, forward turns begin with a stepping forward motion in order to change direction while reverse turns begin with a backward stepping motion to change direction. The only "normal" reverse turn of Gankaku occurs during the 3rd manji-uke (#17), and even that is performed linearly, making it more difficult to maintain one's balance. In addition to forward spinning and standing on one leg, the karateka must also be agile enough to execute a jumping double front kick. As can be seen, the practice of Gankaku helps to develop (and requires) excellent balance. The ability to pivot smoothly on one foot is also essential. Other aspects of the kata are fairly simple, consisting mostly of 3 repeated techniques: kosa-uke, kakiwake-uke, and manji-uke. The kata has a total count of 42.
Embusen of kata
the kata in practice
In position musubi-dachi.
Announce the kata " Gankaku ".
Yoi: In position hachiji-dachi . Fists closed in front of the hips.
1. Haishu awase-uke : Back up the right hip while pulling your hands open to the back.Retreat the right foot by sending the hands forward in a circular path without which the two backs meet (right arm above). Continue to move your right foot back to the kokutsu-dachi position . At the same time, perform a double blocking of high-level ( haishu awase-uke ) backhands by sweeping your hands from right to left.
2. Gyaku te-dori :
( 2A ) Without uncrossing the wrists, and always in the kokutsu-dachi position, lower the right hand towards the left side and turn the left hand on itself so as to turn the palm towards the sky
( 2B ) Swing the left hand towards the right hand and bring the right hand back on the same trajectory so as to exercise an inverted hand seizure ( gyaku te-dori )
3. Hidari chudan-zuki : Always in kokutsu-dachi position, as soon as the hands are at chest height, send a medium-level left punch ( chudan-zuki ), right fist in hikeness.
4. Migi chudan gyaku-zuki : Then carry a right-hand inverted right punch ( gyaku-zuki ).
5. Migi gedan-barai / Migi fumikomi-geri :
( 5A ) Launch the right leg up in front of you and to the left by pivoting on the left leg and raising the right fist far above the head, left fist in hikité.
( 5B ) Complete your 360 ° rotation with a right crushed kick ( fumikomi-geri ) to find yourself in the kiba-dachi position. At the same time, execute a right descending block (gedan-barai ).
6. Jodan haishu juji-uke : Swivel the pelvis 90 ° to the left and bring the legs slightly closer together by stepping back with your left foot and advancing your right foot so that you are in the motorcycle position. Dachi. Simultaneously, send your hands open in front of you to execute a cross-blocking of the hand- backs ( haishu juji-uke ), right hand above.
7. Chudan juji-uke : Without moving your legs, lower your elbows by bringing them back to the bust and closing your fists for a middle level ( juji-uke )lock.
8. Nidan-geri = Migi tobi mae-geri / Hidari tobi mae-geri : Without changing the upper half of the body, wear a double jumped foot cut ( nidan-geri ), Start by pushing on the left leg to carry a blow of right foot jumped right ( migi tobi mae-geri ) chained with a left jumped frontal kick ( hidari tobi mae-geri ).
9. Gedan juji-uke : Put the left foot in front of the right foot in the zenkutsu-dachi position, at the same time as you execute a descending cross-lock ( juji-uke ).
10. Gedan juji-uke : Rotate the right foot 180 ° to the right and advance the left foot to the zenkutsu-dachi position. Arm your fists at the right hip and perform a cross-descending blocking ( juji-uke ) in the opposite direction.
11. Morote gedan-uke : Turn your head to the right to look in the opposite direction. In doing so, shift the right foot in your back and turn 180 degrees towards you so that you turn around. Settle into the kasei-kokutsu-dachi position (the pelvis is lower than usual), at the same time as you are performing a descending 2-level low-level lock ( morote gedan-uke).
12. Morote gedan shuto-uke : Move your left foot to the kasei-kokutsu-dachi position .At the same time, arm the right hand on the left shoulder before performing a double descending blocking of the low level hands ( morote gedan shuto-uke ).
13. Chudan shuto kakiwake-uke : Advance the right foot by crossing the wrists in front of the chest (left wrist above, palms of hand facing the sky). Continue advancing the right foot to find yourself in zenkutsu-dachi position . At the same time, rotate your hands outwards to perform a separating block of the cutting edges of the medium level hands ( shuto kakiwake-uke ).
14. Chudan haito kakiwake-uke :
( 14A ) Rotate 90 ° to the left, slide the left foot into your back to align with the right foot and find yourself in the kiba-dachi position. At the same time, lower and cross your arms in front of you.
( 14B ) Raise the arms by pulling them apart and swinging their hands outwards in order to execute a separating block of the inner edges of the hands ( haito kakiwake-uke ).
15. Ryowan-gamae :
( 15A ) Extend the legs by bringing the feet towards each other in the position hachiji-dachi. In doing so, extend the arms straight to the sides, then up. Gather the arms, and lower them by crossing them in front of you at chest height, following an ample circular trajectory.
( 15B ) Open fists when they reach chest height. Complete the movement of the arms by extending them downwards, on either side of the body ( ryowan-gamae ).
16. Manji-uke :
( 16A ) Turn the head to the left, shift the left foot to the left by arming the left fist to the right shoulder and extending the right arm in front of you.
( 16B ) Switch to kokutsu-dachi position and perform a high / low lock ( manji-uke ): high right inside-outside blocking in your back ( migi jodan uchi-ude-uke ) and a low left down blocking in front of you ( Hidari Gedan-Barai )
17. Manji-uke (Hidari uchi-ude-uke jidan / Migi gedan-barai) : Move your right foot to find yourself in kokutsu-dachi position and execute a new up / down lock ( manji-uke ) in the same direction: blocking inside-outside left level high in your back ( hidari jodan uchi-ude-uke ) and a blocking descending straight low level in front of you ( migi gedan-barai ).
18. Manji-uke :
( 18A ) Turn the head to the left, bring the left foot to the right foot and turn the pelvis to the left
( 18B ) Continue to retreat your left foot by arming your left fist with your right shoulder and extending your right arm in front of you. Sit in the kokutsu-dachi position in the opposite direction. Perform a third up / down lock ( manji-uke ): right inside-outside block right high level in your back ( migi jodan uchi-ude-uke ) and a downward blocking left low level in front of you ( hidari gedan-barai ).
19. Gedan juji-uke : Bring the left foot and the right foot closer together before sliding it backwards, while flexing the left knee to lower the pelvis by raising both elbows backwards.Bring the right knee to the ground in katahiza-dachi position. Simultaneously, send them down in front of you to execute a descending cross tie ( juji-uke ).
20. Ryowan chudan uchi-ude-uke : When lifting the pelvis, shift the right foot to the right by extending the right arm to the left and the left arm to the right. Settle into the kiba-dachi position and perform a double middle-outer blocking middle level ( uchi-ude-uke ).
21. Ryowan-gamae :
( 21A ) Extend the legs by bringing their feet towards each other in the hachiji-dachi position . In doing so, extend the arms straight to the sides, then up. Gather the arms, and lower them by crossing them in front of you at chest height, following an ample circular trajectory.
( 21B ) Open fists when they reach chest height. Finish the movement of the arms by extending them downwards, on either side of the body in ryowan-gamae posture .
22. Ryoken koshi-gamae / Migi hiji-barai / Hidari hiji-barai :
( 22A ) Always in the position hachiji-dachi bring the 2 fists towards you by applying them on the flanks and spreading the elbows laterally in ryoken posture koshi-gamae .
( 22B ) Powerfully pivot the pelvis to the left to adopt a moto-dachi positionto the left.Doing this, execute a swept blocking of the right elbow ( migi hiji-barai ) for a stroke coming from the front.
(22C ) Powerfully pivot the pelvis to the right to adopt a moto-dachi position oriented to the right. Doing this, perform a swept blocking of the left elbow ( hidari hiji-barai ) for a blow coming from the front.
23. Morote chudan uchi-ude-uke : Swivel the pelvis to the right and, resting on the right foot, sit in the kosa-dachi position. Simultaneously, fold your arms in front of your chest, fists down, before performing a double inner-outer blocking medium level ( uchi-ude-uke ).
24. Migi jodan uchi-ude-uke / Hidari gedan-barai : Turn the head to the left, arm the left fist over the right shoulder, extending the right arm down to the left. Going up the pelvis, raise the left foot along the posterior side of the right leg. Bring the left hook foot behind the right knee in tsuru-ashi-dachi position . Simultaneously perform a high level inside-outside block in your back ( jodan uchi-ude-uke ) and a left downward block to your left side ( gedan-barai ). You are in gankaku-gamae posture .
25. Koshi-gamae : Invert the position of the fists, the left goes up on the left side above the head and the right goes down to the right hip. Bring the left fist on the right fist along a wide circular path in koshi-gamae posture .
26. Hidari yoko-geri keage / Hidari yoko-mawashi uraken-uchi : Perform a left luff side kick ( yoko-geri ) together with a left circular left side fist (mawashi uraken-uchi ).
27. Migi chudan oï-zuki :
( 27A ) Without bending the left arm, immediately bring back the left foot.
( 27B ) Rest the left foot in the direction of the kick and move the right foot in the same direction.
( 27C ) Sit in the zenkutsu-dachi position , while wearing a middle right elongated right punch ( oï-zuki ).
KIAI !!!
28. Hidari jodan uchi-ude-uke / Migi gedan-barai : With the right foot back to the left foot, arm the right fist over the left shoulder with the left arm down in front of you. While going up the pelvis, raise the right foot along the posterior face of the left leg. Bring the right hook foot behind the left knee in tsuru-ashi-dachi position . At the same time perform a high level inside-outside block in your back ( jodan uchi-ude-uke ) and a right downward block to your left side ( gedan-barai ). You are in gankaku-gamae posture .
29. Koshi-gamae : Invert the position of the fists, the right ascends on the right side above the head and the left descending to the left hip. Bring the right fist on the left fist along a wide circular path in koshi-gamae posture .
30. Migi yoko-geri keage / Migi yoko-mawashi uraken-uchi : Perform a right right whip kick ( yoko-geri ) together with a right circular right side backhand ( yoko uraken-uchi ).
31. Hidari sokumen-zuki : Rest the right foot in the direction of the kick and adopt akiba-dachi position , while carrying a side left side punch ( sokumen-zuki ).
32. Migi jodan uchi-ude-uke / Hidari gedan-barai : Turn the head to the left, arm the left fist over the right shoulder, extending the right arm down to the left. Going up the pelvis, raise the left foot along the posterior side of the right leg. Bring the left hook foot behind the right knee in tsuru-ashi-dachi position. Simultaneously perform a high level inside-outside block in your back ( jodan uchi-ude-uke ) and a left downward block to your left side ( gedan-barai ). You are in gankaku-gamae posture .
33. Koshi-gamae : Invert the position of the fists, the left goes up on the left side above the head and the right goes down to the right hip. Bring the left fist on the right fist along a wide circular path in koshi-gamae posture .
34. Hidari yoko-geri keage / Hidari yoko-mawashi uraken-uchi : Perform a left luff side kick ( yoko-geri ) along with a left circular left backhand ( yoko uraken-uchi ) stroke .
35. Migi sokumen-zuki : Rest the left foot in the direction of the kick and adopt a kiba-dachi position, while wearing a right side right punch ( sokument-zuki ).
36. Migi jodan shuto-uke : Still in the kiba-dachi position , turn your head to the right while performing a right-hand edge snap to the right ( shuto-uke ).
37. Tate empi-uchi : Slide the right foot to the back by swiveling the pelvis 90 ° to the right to find yourself in the zenkutsu-dachi position , while making a left-up elbow against the right palm open ( tate empi-uchi ).
38. Soete koshi-gamae : Lower your arms and let the left elbow go back down, along the left flank. In doing so, open your left hand and close the right fist. While turning the pelvis to the left, bring both hands over the left hip and just apply the face of the right fist against the left palm. You are in posture soete koshi-gamae.
39. Koshi-gamae :
( 39A ) Advance the left foot and raise the left knee by sending both arms up. In doing so, your hands stay in touch with each other.
( 39B ) By hooking the left foot behind the right knee into the tsuru-ashi-dachi position,pivot on the right foot by turning the pelvis to the right and raising your hands above the head
( 39C ). 270 ° pelvis, lower both hands over the right hip by closing the left fist and applying it on the right fist closed in koshi-gamae posture .
40. Hidari yoko-geri keage / Hidari yoko-mawashi uraken-uchi : Perform a left luff side kick ( yoko-geri ) along with a left circular left backhand ( yoko uraken-uchi ) stroke .
41. Migi chudan oï-zuki : Rest the left foot in front of you in the direction of the kick and advance the right foot in the same direction. Sit in the zenkutsu-dachi position , while wearing a middle right elongated right fist ( oï-zuki ).
KIAI !!!
Yame: When pressing on the right foot, rotate 180 ° to the left by aligning the left foot on the right foot in the heisoku-dachi position .Bring your fists to the hips.
