The last blog was about Kata Heian Godan. This one is on Kata Tekki Shodan, which is the first of the Katas of the Tekki series and is an intermediate learner’s Kata. The word ‘Tekki’ translates as horse-riding or iron horse in Japanese. Accordingly, in this Kata, you will only move in a horse stance from side to side.

In this Kata, the Karateka uses the following movements:

• Forward stance and back stance movements
• Blocks and elbow strikes
• Sweeps and double hand punches

Let’s look at how to execute this Kata. From your starting position, join your legs, keeping your knees straight and your head pointing forward. Now open your palms towards you, and then close them downwards. Lift your left leg and cross it near the little toe of your right leg, both the little toes joining together.

Now cover your body with your right hand open and your left hand bunched in a fist. Lift up your knee and perform a fast breathing action, like a block to the right, with your head pointing to the right as you land. The next count is an elbow strike to the right followed by a pull down action – back hand down and front hand on top of it. Next is a short down block towards your left, along with a head turn. This is followed by a short right-angle punch towards the front.

Now you have to move towards your left. Turn your head first, cross your right leg over your left, with the little toes touching, lift your left knee, perform an inner forearm block on your right hand and switch to a horse stance. Place your left hand on the right, pull back towards your chest and down block. Next you perform a back fist strike with your left hand, immediately followed by a back fist strike forward.

Now sweep with your left leg and perform a side block towards your left, then sweep with your right leg and perform an outer forearm block. Bring your hands to your waist and execute a double hand punch to the left.

The second half of the Kata is the same set of movements repeated on the other side, starting with the breathing action and block to the left. The only difference here is that the breathing action and block should be slow instead of fast.

With the horse stance movements learnt in Kata Tekki Shodan, it’s time to practice, practice, and practice some more until you get them right. Our next blog will cover Kata Bassai Dai. Keep reading and training.