Beginning Level
HEIAN SHODAN – “Peaceful Mind Number One“
- This is the first of the katas taught in the Heian series, which is a series consisting of five different katas. This series of katas was originally created by the great Okinawan karate teacher, Master Itosu Anko (1831 – 1915) and this series of katas was originally known by it’s Okinawan name Pinan. Master Itosu created the katas in order to teach the art of karate to children in the Okinawan school system and it is believed that he derived many of the movements and material was from more advanced kata such as the much older root katas Channan was Kanku Sho. When the Founder of Shotokan Karate, Gichin Funakoshi Sensei first introduced karate to Japan he changed the name of the first five katas from the Okinawan pronunciation of Pinan to Heian or“Peaceful Mind” perhaps in order to have these katas more readily accepted by Japanese society. It is interesting to note that this kata was originally the second kata taught in this series and Heian Nidan was taught first, however Gichin Funakoshi Sensei reversed the order as he felt it was more appropriate as he felt that Pinan Shodan was less complex than Pinan Nidan and should therefore be taught as the second kata. This kata introduces the student for the first time to several new hand techniques, such as rising block jodan-tetsui-zuki, (upper level hammer fist strike), jodan-age-uke (upper levelblock), andshuto-zuki, (sword hand strike), as well as the concept of tai-sabaki (body shifting).There are two kiai points found in top of the Heian Shodan, the first one occurs on the last jodan-age-uke (upper level rising block) at the at the punch) ” I ” of the embusen (line of attack), and the second one occurs on the last chudan-oi-zuki (middle level lunge bottom of the approximately the student 40 ” I ” of the embusen (line of attack). This kata contains 21 movements and should take seconds to complete withdrawing your left foot, stand up right foot in place and . To finish the kata from the last movement, leave your and face forward in a towards your right foot, and your right foot your left foot half way in hachiji-dachi (natural stance), now bring half way in towards your left foot, and at the same time bring your hands to your sides, standing in heisoku-dachi (attention stance), reileft foot, then your right foot and stand once again in hachiji-dachi (natural stance).
21 movements
Two Kia Movement 9 movement 16