Today is the Belt test at kl:16.30 | No normal training today/ Tomorrow at 16:30 everyone will recieve new belt & certificate

SOCHIN-KATA

SOCHIN

Introduction of the name of origin: Sochin kata gets its name for the extensive use of the stance ‘Sochin Dachi’. This Sochin dachi’s original name is ‘Fudo’ dachi, when it is used in this kata, it renamed by ‘Sochin’.

According to the history in the late 1930’s Master Funakoshi’s son Master Yoshitaka Funakoshi has developed this Shotokan version Sochin- which we are training now. Once Master Funakoshi has renamed this kata by ‘Hakko’, but this name did not take place. (ref. book name- Two karate master’s by Henning Wittwer)

Master Yoshitaka modified this kata from Shito-ryu Sochin to Shotokan Sochin. (ref. Two karate Master’s by Henning Wittwer)

Beauty of this Kata:  In this kata the very first technique or the posture is called ‘Muso-gamme’ (incomparable posture), this posture is simply beautiful.

The starting of this kata we go slightly down on our body from knee and hips and together left leg forward to create a forty-five-degree angles in our limbs and upper body. If we see from apart it will look like a shape of a bonsai tree in a human body at 90- & 45-degree angles.

Repeated technique: This ‘Muso-game’ is repeated four times in this kata. This technique can be used for breaking opponents’ hands and take him down.

The other repeated technique in this kata is ‘Manji-game’- contains with kokutso dachi (back stance in English).

The other repeated technique in this kata is ‘manji-game’- contains with ‘kokutso-dachi (back stance in English). In this stance we arise one arm in the upper level inside block to the rear, other is lowered in the lower-level block to the front.

We know that this kata exists only in Shotokan and Shito-ryu styles. In Shito-ryu style it begins with cat stance (niko-ashi dachi). In Shito-ryu style Sochin has a few components similar from Shotokan Sochin, Shito-ryu they do not use ‘muso-game at all.

Sochin Kata from Sensei Shahnawaz Jinnah.

To perform the kata:

  1. Muso-game: This kata mostly goes to the back. So, to start this kata we have to choose the starting position front side of the kata area.  Beginning of this kata we should bend both knees in place before stepping forward. Move our body down, right foot forward with gradually bring our weight to bear on front leg as our right foot planted. At the same time right hand goes up from the shoulder then towards the down and left hand goes up from down and we cross both hand in the middle point and lastly when right legs planted on the final position the right hand in ‘gadan barrai’ position buth slightly banded, left hand will looks like jodan-age-uke. The stance is called ‘Fudo dachi’ the unmoving stance. It is modified by the rear leg- it is bent, knee will be pushed out as far as possible. Finally, the whole stance will be wide with one foot. From start to the end of this technique should require 5 seconds to complete before beginning the next. At the last second we called as a ‘moment of emptiness’- do nothing for a moment before proceeding.

b) Reverse vertical sword hand block: Begging of the next step-half of this motion(movement) will be performed very quickly and the second half should will be performing with increasing tension and slowness in both the hand technique and the stepping action. Open right hand immediately reaches back to left armpit and start to take it forward with left leg simultaneously, remember left hand will remain fist. At the end right hand will be look like open sword hand block. The torso must turn at the waist.

c) Two punches in the middle level: Two punches will be performed simultaneously- remember the both punches will be on the same exhalation. Both punches should be performed as one technique. These two punches will be really powerful and meaning the first punch is fast and the second punch will be strong-heavy (like you penetrate something). To make it more clear explanation the first punch is a snapping punch and the other immediate one is a thrusting punch. Should remember after both punches elbow stays behind the body not hanging out.

d) Manji-uke:  After both punches finished it has to be extremely fast movement to the left side with left manji-uke, left hand fist will be downwards and the right-hand fist will come back in a horizontally position from inside to upper uchi-uke, and right-hand fist will be straight with left hand line. I have to mention that JKA they are doing outside manji-uke, their right hand goes outside of the left hand, whereas we SKIF doing it inside right hand. And now we have to remember that starting in this ‘manji-uke’ we must close our both hands, whereas JKA are doing it by both hands open.

Before starting the next technique, we pause for a single moment.

e) Muso-game:  Step forward with the right foot into Muso-game quickly and strongly. We have to remember not to stop a lot. Good point to remember is that we have to keep the right hand upwards behind head when right foot come forward at the same time right hand come forward. At the end the whole position will stop like a stone statue. Pause a wile before the next technique.

f) Vertical sword hand block and two punches at the same time:  It will be totally repeated like the 1st time, after that it will be quickly move to the next position.

g) Manji-uke with turning 180 degree to the left. Then it will be repeated like before the same ‘muso-game’ as, then perform the vertical sword hand block and two punches again. Here we do four sets of techniques is exactly as performed in the previous four techniques.

h) 180-degree side snap kick (yoko-geri keage): After the two punches we have to pick up the left foot directly to the knee, we have to remember that we should not pull the foot across the floor to the other and then lift. When we pull up the left foot, spin to our left and perform a side snap kick simultaneously with a back fist (uraken). Knee, buttocks and left shoulder should be in a straight line on impact.  We should remember that do not bend forward at the waist. After the side kick it has be very snap back.

i) Elbow smash (empi uchi): After the snap side kick we use our elbow to attack the enemy- it has to be step down into a ‘sochin-dachi’. After elbow strike, we turn our waist and then again snap side kick with back fist and the same elbow smash (empi uchi). Elbow should touch the end of the palm towards the fingers on impact. The hand where we hit our elbow it should be totally flat, not wrapped around the elbow with the fingers separated. Here we have to must remember that after left leg kick, it will not be a dramatic turn for right leg, just perform another snap kick. It is totally identical and mirroring the one above.

j) Sword hand block (shuto-uke): After second snap kick we turn our body just like reverse in direction from some Heian kata and kan-ku dai. That means after the left-hand elbow strike finish, we turn our right 180-degee and perform a sword hand block with right hand. The whole set- four (4) sword hand block will be performing like 1-2, 3-4. Perform with even by rhythm. In this time 2nd and 4th block will be exactly 45-degree directions.

K) Two more sword hand blocks: After the four set of sword hand blocks there will be two more shuto-uke, number 4 shuto uke, someone does very quick those two very quickly and someone does it separately, both are ok.

l) Spear (Nukite) hand attack: After two sword hand blocks left hand will be down from the block position, right hand will be like spear (nukite) stabbing, palm up with all fingers flat position. attacking target will be oppositions throat. When we perform this spear/nukite technique we move forward like 6 to 8 inches, we called this movement ‘Suri-ashi’.

m) Snap front leg kick (mae-ashi maegeri): Aftre nukite/spear attack immediately it will be midt-section(chudan) front leg maegeri, with keeping the same stance, we have to remember that in this time we will not lean forward and keep the hand position in the same level.

n) Front kick (mae-geri) with stepping and back fist (uraken) with both hands: After snap front kick from the first leg immediately another front kick from back leg will be perform and at the same time uraken(back-fist) attack will be perform from the underneath left hand, targeting area for the opponent will be nose or chin. Simultaneously right hand goes back from spear/nukite position to besides the face like it covering face. As soon as back leg maegeri foot touches down on the floor, we reverse our hands and strike with the right hand uraken when right hand touching the target left hand will come back besides face and stay there like it is guarding the face.

To perform it correctly, after the last sword (shuto uke) hand block and both maegeri, then until the back fist from right hand will be rapid attack, like 1-2-3-4-5

o) Mika-zuki-geri together with muso-game:  After the right hand uraken we give a very little break(pause) and starting attack with our right leg, turning our whole body with 180 degree and do a jodan (upper) mika-zuki-geri and when leg touches on the floor, muso-gamae will be perform. We have to remember that during the turning time our shoulder will move but the right-hand position will be remaining in the same position. Mika-zuki-geri will be on the left palm. We hold a bit pause after this action.

p) Uchi-uke (inside to outside block) and Oizuki : After muso-game it will be 45 degree direction with stepping uchi-uke and after that the same direction one oizuki wil be perform, then shift 90 degree to right side, then step forward with uchi-uke block and step forward with oizuki again. Total four sequence here, remember it will be separate, strong movements follow the rhythm: 1-2-3-4. We have to remember that these 4 sequences should not be pair them up, example: block-punch, block-punch.

q) A Bassai-dai kata block:  After the four sequence, turn to the left from the 45-degree angle, face to the front perform a uchi-uke block and at the same time do a reverse uchi-uke block, as like the kata Bassai-dai, the differences between the Bassai-dai and Sochin is the stance. In Bassai dai we do zen-kut-su dachi and in Sochin we do Sochin-dachi(fudo dachi).

r) Mae-geri kick and Yumi-zuki:  After the reverse uchi-uke we do a snap mae-geri from right leg and when the leg is touching the ground, we do a yumi-zuki like the Kata Jion, remember that this time right hand fist will be in front of the Brest nipple.  Now we are almost finishing this kata, after yumi-zuki it will be very strong snap reverse punch and quickly ren-zuki the last punch, kiai will be here at the last punch. Give a small break here and pull the front left leg, and stand up with the beginning position. 

This is the end of this kata.

Tags :
Share This :

3 Responses

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *