Kata

Kata are the formal sequences at the heart of Kyokushin. Every movement is set out below, step by step, with the photographs that go with it. Choose a kata from the list to begin.

Seipai

Required for 3rd Dan

Very advance kata. Origin is from the Na Ha Te schools. Strong kata requiring good balance and good kicking ability.

Approximate performance time
46 seconds minimum; 49 seconds maximum
Stances
Fudo Dachi Musubi Dachi Uchi-Hachi-Ji-Dachi Yoi Dachi Kiba Dachi Zenkutsu Dachi Sanchin Dachi Kokutsu Dachi Tsuru-Ashi-Dachi Kake Dachi Neko Ashi Dachi

Seipai

Start the kata in fudo dachi (fig. 1).

Seipai fig. 1
fig. 1

Move into musubi dachi and mokuso on the command “Mokuso” (fig. 2).

Seipai fig. 2
fig. 2

On the command “Seipai”, open eyes, move into the yoi position with ibuki (figs. 3 to 5).

Seipai fig. 3
fig. 3
Seipai fig. 4
fig. 4
Seipai fig. 5
fig. 5

Move forward with the right leg turning 90° into mae kiba dachi covering with left shotei and position the right arm for the strike (fig. 6). Execute a slow right jodan haishu, bring the left hand back closed to the ready punch position (fig. 7). From this position move the right leg across turning the body 90° into right zenkutsu dachi and block left osae uke (fig. 8).

Seipai fig. 6
fig. 6
Seipai fig. 7
fig. 7
Seipai fig. 8
fig. 8

Move forward into left zenkutsu dachi and punch left chudan oi tsuki with the open right hand placed on the left forearm (fig. 9).

Seipai fig. 9
fig. 9

Move forward with the right leg turning 90° into mae kiba dachi and strike right jodan hiji ate with the left hand placed over the right fist as illustrated (figs. 10 and 11). With the hands in this position bring the right leg back into tsuru ashi dachi and kick right jodan yoko geri (figs. 12 and 13). Return into tsuru ashi dachi (fig. 14) and turn 180° clockwise placing the right leg down into kiba dachi looking to the left and slowly block simultaneously with right shuto chudan uchi uke and left shuto gedan barai (fig. 15). With the hands in this position bring the left leg back into tsuru ashi dachi, kick left jodan yoko geri (figs. 16 to 18). Return into tsuru ashi dachi and down into mae kiba dachi, looking to the right and slowly block simultaneously with right shuto chudan uchi uke and left shoto gedan barai (fig. 19).

Seipai fig. 10
fig. 10
Seipai fig. 11
fig. 11
Seipai fig. 12
fig. 12
Seipai fig. 13
fig. 13
Seipai fig. 14
fig. 14
Seipai fig. 15
fig. 15
Seipai fig. 16
fig. 16
Seipai fig. 17
fig. 17
Seipai fig. 18
fig. 18
Seipai fig. 19
fig. 19

Move the left leg across covering with the right elbow and prepare to strike (fig. 20). Complete the turn into left zenkutsu dachi and strike right gyaku shuto yoko ganmen uchi, returning the left fist closed to the ready punch position (fig. 21). With the hands in this position kick left tobi mae geri (fig. 22). Land into mae kiba dachi having turned the body 90° clockwise and strike with left jodan hiji ate with the right hand placed over the left fist and KIAI (fig. 23).

Seipai fig. 20
fig. 20
Seipai fig. 21
fig. 21
Seipai fig. 22
fig. 22
Seipai fig. 23
fig. 23

Move the right leg across turning 90° into right zenkutsu dachi and block right morote chudan uchi uke (figs. 24 to 26) (n.b. the supporting left hand is open).

Seipai fig. 24
fig. 24
Seipai fig. 25
fig. 25
Seipai fig. 26
fig. 26

Move the right leg into right sanchin dachi turning the body 90° and cover with right chudan soto uke returning the left hand closed to the ready punch position (fig. 27). In this stance strike left chudan jun tsuki to the side (fig. 28).

Seipai fig. 27
fig. 27
Seipai fig. 28
fig. 28

Move the right leg forward into right neko ashi dachi turning the body 90°, simultaneously blocking left osae uke and striking right uraken ganmen oroshi uchi (figs. 29 and 30) (n.b. the right elbow should be positioned slightly above the left hand). Still retaining the same stance, and with the left hand also in the same position, execute a right kake uke (figs. 31 and 32). Return the right fist closed to the ready punch position and cover, as shown, with the left arm (fig. 33).

Seipai fig. 29
fig. 29
Seipai fig. 30
fig. 30
Seipai fig. 31
fig. 31
Seipai fig. 32
fig. 32
Seipai fig. 33
fig. 33

Move forward with the right leg into right zenkutsu dachi and strike right chudan oi tsuki returning the left fist to the ready punch position (fig. 34).

Seipai fig. 34
fig. 34

Slide the right leg back turning the body 90° into mae kiba dachi and strike right shuto hizo uchi (figs. 35 and 36). Bring the right leg up into tsuru ashi dachi and position both arms in front of the body with the hands open as illustrated (fig. 37). From this position kick right jodan yoko geri (figs. 38 and 39). Return to tsuru ashi dachi (fig. 40) and kick right jodan mae geri (fig. 41).

Seipai fig. 35
fig. 35
Seipai fig. 36
fig. 36
Seipai fig. 37
fig. 37
Seipai fig. 38
fig. 38
Seipai fig. 39
fig. 39
Seipai fig. 40
fig. 40
Seipai fig. 41
fig. 41

Return to tsuru ashi dachi, place the right foot down into mae kiba dachi and strike morote gedan tsuki (figs. 42 and 43).

Seipai fig. 42
fig. 42
Seipai fig. 43
fig. 43

Move the left leg anti-clockwise 180° into left tsuru ashi dachi and cover with both hands as previously described (fig. 44). From this position kick left jodan yoko geri (fig. 45) return to tsuru ashi dachi (fig. 46) and kick left jodan mae geri (fig. 47).

Seipai fig. 44
fig. 44
Seipai fig. 45
fig. 45
Seipai fig. 46
fig. 46
Seipai fig. 47
fig. 47

Return to tsuru ashi dachi, place the left foot down into mae kiba dachi and strike morote gedan tsuki (figs. 48 and 49).

Seipai fig. 48
fig. 48
Seipai fig. 49
fig. 49

Move the left leg across turning 90° into left zenkutsu dachi and block mae gedan barai (figs. 50 and 51).

Seipai fig. 50
fig. 50
Seipai fig. 51
fig. 51

Bring the left fist back to the ready punch position, lifting the right leg into tsuru ashi dachi turning the body 90° and look to the right (fig. 52).

Seipai fig. 52
fig. 52

Jump back into kake dachi and strike morote tsuki (left jodan right chudan) and KIAI (fig. 53).

Seipai fig. 53
fig. 53

Move the left foot forward turning into left kokutsu dachi and slowly execute a half shuto mawashi uke (figs. 54 to 56).

Seipai fig. 54
fig. 54
Seipai fig. 55
fig. 55
Seipai fig. 56
fig. 56

Still in the same stance block left mae gedan barai without the groin cover (figs. 57 and 58) and immediately block left chudan uchi uke slowly (figs. 59 and 60).

Seipai fig. 57
fig. 57
Seipai fig. 58
fig. 58
Seipai fig. 59
fig. 59
Seipai fig. 60
fig. 60

Still in the same stance block right chudan uchi uke and left gedan barai (fig. 61).

Seipai fig. 61
fig. 61

Repeat the block left chudan uchi uke and right gedan barai (fig. 62).

Seipai fig. 62
fig. 62

With the hands in this position kick right jodan mae geri (fig. 63), place the foot down into right zenkutsu dachi and block right chudan uchi uke (fig. 64).

Seipai fig. 63
fig. 63
Seipai fig. 64
fig. 64

In one movement pivot on the right foot 270° anti-clockwise taking the left leg past the right leg at 45° and draw the right foot back into neko ashi dachi, simultaneously positioning the right arm out with the hand open as illustrated and the left hand open in the ready strike position; at the completion of the stance the right hand is slowly pulled in as shown and the left hand slowly strikes chudan yonhon nukite (figs. 65 to 67).

Seipai fig. 65
fig. 65
Seipai fig. 66
fig. 66
Seipai fig. 67
fig. 67

Still in the same stance execute a shuto mawashi uke without the shotei strike (figs. 68 to 71).

Seipai fig. 68
fig. 68
Seipai fig. 69
fig. 69
Seipai fig. 70
fig. 70
Seipai fig. 71
fig. 71

Move back with the right foot into left neko ashi dachi simultaneously thrusting both hands upwards (fig. 72). Swing both hands out and down quickly in a circular motion at 45°, closing the right fist and striking right tettsui into the open left hand (fig. 73).

Seipai fig. 72
fig. 72
Seipai fig. 73
fig. 73

Move the left foot back into right neko ashi dachi pulling both fists back closed to the ready punch position (fig. 74).

Seipai fig. 74
fig. 74

Strike right gedan tsuki with the left hand open, placed on the right forearm muscle and KIAI (fig. 75).

Seipai fig. 75
fig. 75

The kata is completed by moving the right foot back into musubi dachi (fig. 76) and the mokuso position (fig. 77) is retained until the command “Naore” when the fudo dachi position is taken (fig. 78).

Seipai fig. 76
fig. 76
Seipai fig. 77
fig. 77
Seipai fig. 78
fig. 78

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