Kata - has grappling and throws

Iain Abernethy - karate grappling

"In karate hitting, thrusting and kicking are not the only methods, throwing and pressure against joints are included. All these technqiues should be studied referring to basic kata." Gichin Funakoshi

There are many crude grappling methods in shotokan kata, eg. arm bars, neck wrenches, wrist locks, chokes and strangles, take downs and throws.

Unfortunately at the moment grappling and throws are not part of normal training in most shotokan clubs, even though these techniques are in the kata no one is taking them out and practicing them like gyaka zuki, mai geri etc.

Some pioneers around the world (Iain Abernethy etc.) have started to incorporate the grappling methods and throws that are found within the shotokan kata into their everyday training regime. Lets hope more and more catch on to this.

Iain Abernethy - karate grappling

Iain Abernethy web site

http://www.iainabernethy.com/news_page.asp

Charles C Goodin on karate and Okinawan sumo
http://www.seinenkai.com/art-sumo.html

As an example lets look at some of the throws in heian godan, as far as i know there are two koshi garumas, one seoi nage or tsurikomi goshi, and two kibisu-gaeshi or they could be kuchiki-taoshi.

First lets look at the kata as performed individually.

Kanazawa sensei perfoming heian godan

At the start where he (Kanazawa sensei) executes an uchi uke then gyaka and then stands up peforming what looks like and kage zuki and the hikite (withdrawal of the other arm to the hip) while pulling the legs together for the hip toss, this is the koshi garuma (movement 3 and 6 of heian godan), then performed on the other side.

Kibisu-gaeshi or kuchiki-taoshi is towards the end (movement 21 and 23) where it looks like he's reaching for the groin and ripping the testicles out, usually explained that way, but could also just as easily be a Kibisu-gaeshi or kuchiki-taoshi.

For seoi nage or tsurikomi goshi just before he jumps, he hooks the arm or lapel and the jump itself is the execution of the throw.

While most techniques in kata have more than one application I believe that this particular one (movement 18 and 19 of heian godan)  has only one and that is it's either a seoi nage or a  tsurikomi goshi, as found in the art of judo, some will disagree but thats what i think it is.

Heian Godan bunkai: Tsurikomi goshi = Heian Godan kata - movement 18 and 19

seoi nage = Heian Godan kata - movement 18 and 19



tsurikomi goshi = Heian Godan kata - movement 18 and 19



Koshi Guruma = Heian Godan kata - movement 3 and 6



Kibisu-gaeshi = Heian Godan kata -  movement 21 and 23



OR

 kuchiki-taoshi= Heian Godan kata - movement 21 and 23