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Wastelander
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Step-Through to Horse Stance and Gedan-Barai

Here is this week's Waza Wednesday video, which covers an application for the gedan-barai that follows the sequence we looked at last week. The application is inspired by one for Tachimura no Naihanchi, and fits just about any kata that has a step-through (particularly a kosa-dachi step) to a horse stance of some kind, and gedan-barai. Off the top of my head, Passai, Chinto, and Seiyunchin come to mind.

Iain Abernethy
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Thanks for sharing these here. Good stuff as always!

Wastelander
Wastelander's picture

I'm happy to share! After posting it, I did get some comments about the left hand, which I figured I should address, since the video shows it doing nothing. When we recorded this, I actually ended up doing several takes where I used that hand, but it kept getting in the way of the throw on camera, which was the technique we wanted to highlight. If you play with it a bit, you will find a few ways you can use it in conjunction with the throw :)

Mr P
Mr P's picture

Great application. Thanks for sharing.

 

Spaniard
Spaniard's picture

I really appreciate the "moving in" aspect that could really rattle an attacker.

Regards-

Erik P.

karate10
karate10's picture

Excellent application Gedan Barai for Pinan Godan.

css1971
css1971's picture

It's a nice application. I looked through judo throws a while back looking for a short name for it, the closest I got was obi-otoshi. In the judo case they use the "free" hand to keep the uke close to you.

Anyone know why this particular kamae was dropped from heian shodan in favour of shuto-uke? Was Funakoshi shorter than average?

Wastelander
Wastelander's picture

css1971 wrote:

It's a nice application. I looked through judo throws a while back looking for a short name for it, the closest I got was obi-otoshi. In the judo case they use the "free" hand to keep the uke close to you.

Anyone know why this particular kamae was dropped from heian shodan in favour of shuto-uke? Was Funakoshi shorter than average?

Yes, it is similar to obi-otoshi, although that throw tends to be more hip-driven than this one. In actual practice, the line distinguishing between them is going to blur, so it's not that big of a deal. Another variation is to grab the leg as you do this, making it more like sukui-nage.

Which part of Heian Shodan are you referring to? This application was for Godan, so I just wanted to make sure we're on the same page. Thanks!

css1971
css1971's picture

Funakoshi switched the 4 shuto gedan barais in shiko dachi at the end of Pinan Nidan into shuto-ukes in kokutsu dachi. Actually I don't know if he was the one who made the change.

Wastelander
Wastelander's picture

css1971 wrote:

Funakoshi switched the 4 shuto gedan barais in shiko dachi at the end of Pinan Nidan into shuto-ukes in kokutsu dachi. Actually I don't know if he was the one who made the change.

Ah, well, we do that sequence in neko-ashi-dachi, so I can't really speak to the use of shiko-dachi for that sequence. The old kokutsu-dachi (before it got lowered and enlongated) was essentially a neko-ashi-dachi with the heel set on the floor. In fact, there are photos of old masters who are in neko-ashi-dachi, but the heel is only lifted off the ground by a hair, and it is nearly indistinguishable from kokutsu-dachi.

TheWoodenMan
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Fantastic video thanks! Great detail.

Have seen this movement in Heian Godan, Bassai Dai and maybe for the Tekki Gedan Barais!

css1971
css1971's picture

Ah, well, we do that sequence in neko-ashi-dachi,

Ah! That indicates it went the other way then in Shito-ryu and Wado-ryu. Gedan shuto or chudan? I'm going to guess chudan given you didn't pick up the application from that sequence. Just to confuse it further I had a look at an Okinawan Shorin-ryu version and they're also doing it in kokutsu-dachi but with gedan shuto.

Interesting variation in body mechanics there across styles for what I'd have thought would be the same application.

Wastelander
Wastelander's picture

css1971 wrote:

Ah, well, we do that sequence in neko-ashi-dachi,

Ah! That indicates it went the other way then in Shito-ryu and Wado-ryu. Gedan shuto or chudan? I'm going to guess chudan given you didn't pick up the application from that sequence. Just to confuse it further I had a look at an Okinawan Shorin-ryu version and they're also doing it in kokutsu-dachi but with gedan shuto.

Interesting variation in body mechanics there across styles for what I'd have thought would be the same application.

We do gedan-shuto at the end of Pinan Nidan