FOUR DIRECTIONS KATA

3rd Purple Belt Kata

 

Command - “Kitski” (Attention)

 

Hands at sides along seam of pants, fingers together

Heels together, feet at 45 degree angle, knees slightly bend, shoulders relaxed (“Musubi dachi”)

 

Command - “Mukso” (Meditate)

 

Close your eyes, breathe in through your nose, out through your mouth

Visualize the Kata

 

Command - “Mukso Yame” (Stop Meditation)

 

Open your eyes

 

Command - “Yoi” (Ready)

 

Hands slide up your side to high chamber, palms facing upward, inhale deeply through nose

Feet remain heels together, toes facing out at 45 degrees

 

X block in front of body, fingers straight, palms facing outward

simultaneously, heels out, toes in

 

Hands strong back to high chamber fisted, palms facing up

feet remain heels out, toes in

 

Fists punch downward (dynamic tension), 1st two knuckles towards floor, palms facing each other shoulder width apart, exhale strongly throughout motion

Toes straighten so that you now should be standing with feet shoulder width apart

 

Command - “Hajime” (Begin)

 

Facing North

Left leg slides over to right into musubi dachi position

Left hand opens (fingers together pointed upward) and covers thumb side of fisted right hand

Both hands move slowly together into right chamber, right fist stays palm down

 

Right joint kick (“kansetsu”) using instep of right foot, fisted right hand comes out half way, still covered by left

Step into left side forward cat stance as hands extend, still together

Step back into musubi dachi, loop both hands in circular motion and bring back to chamber

 

Step forward into long left zenkutsu dachi, hands in non-traditional boxer’s position

Drop the right knee, open left hand, block or screen with open hand (“harai”)

Right reverse punch, body snaps back into zenkutsu dachi

Leave punch out in front, right leg sweeps towards left, then low side kick (“yoko geri”) to the right side (target of all yoko geri in this kata is the knee joint (also a “kansetsu” or joint kick)

Simultaneously right hand yanks opponent towards right (coinciding with sweep move), then punches to the left (coinciding with side kick)

Bring leg down in front in long right side forward zenkutsu dachi

Left reverse punch

 

Left leg steps behind right

Pivot 180 degrees (facing South) into left side forward hourglass stance (“sanchin dachi”)

As you turn, outside deflection block with right (trailing) arm

Reaching across with left hand, imagine grabbing opponents wrist, pull into left chamber with palm facing downward

With left hand holding opponents wrist in chamber, break opponent’s arm with your right forearm (another outside deflection block movement)

 

Right outside crescent kick, land in right side horse stance (“kiba dachi”)

Step behind with the left leg, protect left ribs with right hand

Pivot into long left side forward zenkutsu dachi, execute left back fist

Right reverse punch

 

Bringing right hand back into chamber, drop right knee

Pivot 90 degrees to your right (facing West), block (harai) across body with left hand

Right reverse punch to that same direction

 

Adjust body position into right side forward cat stance (facing West)

Right fan hook grabbing opponent

Right leg sweeps towards left, then low yoko geri to the right

Simultaneously right hand yanks opponent towards right (coinciding with sweep move), then punches to the left (coinciding with side kick)

Bring leg down in front in right side forward back cat stance

Left reverse punch

 

Pivot 180 degrees (facing East) on right leg

Left leg remains up loaded in chamber

Left hand blocks low, right hand blocks high

 

Step down into left side forward back cat stance

Double bar block to the right side of your body (left fisted arm up, right fisted arm down, elbows together)

Execute break by reversing arm position in counter circular movement

Right reverse punch

Leave punch out in front, right leg sweeps towards left, then low yoko geri to the right

Simultaneously right hand yanks opponent towards right (coinciding with sweep move), then punches to the left (coinciding with side kick)

Bring leg down in front in long right side forward zenkutsu dachi

Left reverse punch

 

Pivot 90 degrees to the left (facing North)

Block from the outside with the right forearm as you pivot

Finish in left side forward zenkutsu dachi

Left jab

Right reverse punch

Right front kick (“mae geri”), finish in right side forward zenkutsu dachi

Left roundhouse kick (“mawashi geri”), finish in right side back cat stance facing South

Looking over your right shoulder, slide into right back kick, pivot around and finish facing North in a right side forward zenkutsu dachi

 

Drop the left knee, open right hand, block or screen with open harai

Left reverse punch, body snaps back into zenkutsu dachi

Leave punch out in front, left leg sweeps towards right, then low yoko geri to the left

Simultaneously left hand yanks opponent towards left (coinciding with sweep move), then punches to the right (coinciding with side kick)

Bring leg down in front in long left side forward zenkutsu dachi

Right reverse punch

 

Right leg steps behind left

Pivot 180 degrees (facing South) into right side forward sanchin dachi

As you turn, outside deflection block with left (trailing) arm

Reaching across with right hand, imagine grabbing opponents wrist, pull into right chamber with palm facing downward

With right hand holding opponents wrist in chamber, break opponent’s arm with your left forearm (another outside deflection block movement)

 

Left outside crescent kick, land in left side kiba dachi

Step behind with the right leg, protect right ribs with left hand

Pivot into long right side forward zenkutsu dachi, execute right back fist

Left reverse punch

 

Bringing left hand back into chamber, drop left knee

Pivot 90 degrees to your left (facing East), block (harai) across body with right hand

Left reverse punch to that same direction

 

Adjust body position into left side forward cat stance (facing East)

Left fan hook grabbing opponent

Left leg sweeps towards right, then low yoko geri to the left

Simultaneously left hand yanks opponent towards left (coinciding with sweep move), then punches to the right (coinciding with side kick)

Bring leg down in front in left side forward back cat stance

Right reverse punch

 

Pivot 180 degrees (facing West) on left leg

Right leg remains up loaded in chamber

Right hand blocks low, left hand blocks high

 

Step down into right side forward back cat stance

Double bar block to the left side of your body (right fisted arm up, left fisted arm down, elbows together)

Execute break by reversing arm position in counter circular movement

Left reverse punch

Leave punch out in front, left leg sweeps towards right, then low yoko geri to the left

Simultaneously left hand yanks opponent towards left (coinciding with sweep move), then punches to the right (coinciding with side kick)

Bring leg down in front in long left side forward zenkutsu dachi

Right reverse punch

 

Pivot 90 degrees to the right (facing South) into right side forward zenkutsu dachi

Left jab

Right reverse punch

Slide left leg up to right, left mae geri, finish in left side forward zenkutsu dachi

Right mawashi geri, finish in left side back cat stance facing North

Looking over your left shoulder, slide into left back kick, pivot around and finish facing South in a left side forward zenkutsu dachi

 

Drop right knee into back cat stance

Both hands come together in the right chamber, palm heels together, right hand below left with right fingers down and left fingers up

Turning hands over move hands across body to left chamber

Pivot around 180 degrees (facing North) on left leg

Move right leg to finish in musubi dachi position

Finish with hands fisted in right chamber, left over right, left elbow high

 

Command - “Kata Yame”

 

Left leg comes forward to meet right in musubi dachi position

Arms cross at wrists, hands open in front of body, palms outward, fingers together

As hands spread apart, fists close (same fisted, knuckles-down position as at beginning (“Yoi”))

Simultaneously, left leg steps out , shoulder distance apart

Feet come back to musubi dachi position, hands come back to the sides, bow

 

Stances Used in 4 Directions Kata:

Formal Attention Stance or “Harmony” Stance (Musubi Dachi) - Hands at sides along seam of pants, fingers together, heels together, feet at 45 degree angle, knees slightly bend, shoulders relaxed

Horse Stance (Kiba Dachi) - feet parallel and facing forward with knees bent deeply, knees should be directly over your feet (12 o’clock/6 o’clock) with your thighs square to the floor and your back straight.

 

Hourglass Stance (Sanchin Dachi) - feet shoulder width apart, toes pointed slightly inward, toe of rear foot should be even with heel of front foot.

 

Long Stance (Zenkutsu Dachi) -  front knee is bent so that if you were to look down, you would not see your foot, rear leg is locked straight with heel of foot pressed into floor, stance is slightly wider than shoulder with apart, back is straight.

 

Cat Stance (Neko Ashi Dachi) - Rear supporting leg is slightly bent and holds 99% of your weight with the foot turned out at a 45 degree angle to your center.  Ball of front foot is just touching floor with both the heel and toes off the ground.  Toes and heel of lead foot are facing directly in front of you towards center with knee bent.  Back is straight.