14.18 Seienchin
The word Seienchin can be translated as
"control", "pull" or "fight". Its possible that
this is a hint toward the various grappling and grabbing techniques contained
within the Seienchin Kata.
Seienchin is a long Kata with a lot of slow movements
which are executed in Kiba Dachi. The hook blocks within the Kata hint at its
Chinese origin and some of the blocks appear very much like their Taijiquan
counterparts. In the Goju Ryu, Seienchin belongs to the Ju-Kata (soft Kata) and
(together with Suparinpei) is considered the highest level of Kata.
Steps
Begin the Kata in Fudo Dachi.
Move into Musubi Dachi and Mokuso on the command
"Mokuso".
On the second command "Seienchin", open
eyes, move into the Yoi position with Ibuki.
On the command "Hajime" move the right leg
forward to the right in a circular movement into Kiba Dachi at 45° and
simultaneously bring both fists back to the ready punch position.
Quickly block Morote Shotei Gedan Uke with the hands
crossed to finish levelwith and in front of the groin so that the fingers of
the left hand are on top of the right.
From this position slowly bring both hands up level
with your chin, thumbs facing out (this movement begins by twisting your hands
towards your body so that the backs of the hands are touching).
Close both hands and, as if gripping bring both fists
down vertically to chin level then slowly bring the fists in a downward
twisting and outward direction as in the photograph.
Still in the same stance cover with a fast left Shotei
and execute a right Haito Uchi Uke returning the left hand open to the ready
punch position.
Now from the same hand position execute a right Tensho
Uke and pull towards the body and simultaneously execute a left Yonhon Nukite
Chudan.
(The techniques above are executed so that the hands
are at an angle which is just inside the line of the right leg. In addition all
the movements are executed slowly, with the exception of the cover which is
done quickly. Finally you should look at 45° whilst performing the movements.
This principle is maintained in the following similar movements.)
Move the left leg forward in a circular movement into
Kiba Dachi at 45° and as previously explained returning both fists to the ready
punch position, block Morote Shotei Gedan Uke, bring both hands up level with
your chin and twist both hands out.
Execute a fast right Shotei cover and perform a left
Haito Uchi Uke and execute a left Tensho Uke pulling the hand towards the body
and perform a right Yonhon Nukite.
Move the right leg forward in a circular movement into
Kiba Dachi at 45° as previously explained, returning both fists to the ready
punch position, block Morote Shotei Gedan Uke, bring both hands up level with
your chin and twist both hands out.
Execute a fast left Shotei cover and perform a right
Haito Uchi Uke and execute a right Tensho Uke pulling the hand towards the body
and perform a left Yonhon Nukite.
From this position bring your right foot back and kick
Age Kakato Ushiro Geri and at the same time strike right Ushiro Hiji Ate with
the left palm placed on top of the right fist.
Move forward into right Moro Ashi Dachi and punch
right Chudan Tsuki with the left palm placed on the right wrist.
Quickly move the right foot back into left Zenkutsu
Dachi and position the left hand (arm extended palm facing down) as if to grab
an opponents neck, the right fist is simultaneously brought back to the ready
punch position.
Quickly strike right Jodan Age Hiji Ate hitting the
palm of the left hand.
Slowly move forward with the right leg in a circular
movement into right Kokutsu Dachi at 45° and at the same time slowly block right Morote Chudan
Uchi Uke with the left palm placed on the inside of the right arm so that the
finger tips are touching the wrist.
Move forward with the left leg at an angle into Kiba
Dachi and block left Mae Gedan Barai. Take
your left foot back at the same angle into Kiba Dachi and block right Mae Gedan
Barai.
With your left leg move forward in a circular movement
into left Kokutsu Dachi at 45° and slowly block left Morote Chudan Uchi Uke as
previously explained.
Move forward with the right leg at an angle into Kiba
Dachi and block right Mae Gedan Barai. Take
your right leg back at the same angle into Kiba Dachi and block left Mae Gedan
Barai.
Move the left foot back into Mae Kiba Dachi (i.e.
moving the body 135°) and execute a Kata Guruma (throw) (the hands should be open at the beginning of
the throw and the upper hand should be held slightly above the head as
indicated, with the thumb pointing straight out).
By moving clockwise 180° take the right foot back into
Mae Kiba Dachi and repeat the Kata Guruma as previously described.
Move forward covering with a left Shotei into right
Moro Ashi Dachi by moving the right leg initially into age Ushiro Kakato Geri
and block right Chudan Soto Uke hitting the palm of the left hand, followed
immediately by moving forward into right Moro Ashi Dachi simultaneously
covering with a left Shotei in a downward direction and strike Uraken Oroshi
Ganmen Uchi and KIAI (the left hand remains open, palm down, with the right
elbow placed on top of the left hand).
Quickly cross the right foot in front of the left and
turn 45° into left Sanchin Dachi and block left Chudan Uchi Uke, right Mae
Gedan Barai.
Covering with a left Shotei step forward into Kiba
Dachi and strike right Age Tsuki and KIAI. In the same stance immediately cover
left Shotei and strike right Uraken Sayu Ganmen Uchi. Again in the same stance block
right Mae Gedan Barai.
Move the right foot back at the same angle into Kiba
Dachi and block Mae Gedan Barai.
Turn your body to the front pulling the right leg into
Neko Ashi Dachi and simultaneously execute a left Ushiro Hiji Ate and right Chudan Mae Hiji Ate and
with a slight backward slide, move your right foot back into left Neko Ashi
Dachi and simultaneously execute a right Ushiro Hiji Ate and left Chudan Mae
Hiji Ate.
Cross the left foot into right Sanchin Dachi at 45°
and block right Chudan Uchi Uke and left Mae Gedan Barai.
Covering with a right Shotei step forward into Kiba
Dachi and strike left Age Tsuki and KIAI followed by left Uraken Sayu Ganmen
Uchi and left Mae Gedan Barai.
Move the left foot back at the same angle into Kiba
Dachi and block right Mae Gedan Barai.
Turn your body to the front pulling the left leg into
Neko Ashi Dachi and simultaneously execute a right Ushiro Hiji Ate and left
Chudan Mae Hiji Ate.
With a slight backward slide move your left foot into
right Neko Ashi Dachi and simultaneously execute a left Ushiro Hiji Ate and
right Chudan Mae Hiji Ate.
Move forward covering with a left downward Shotei
cover into right Moro Ashi Dachi by moving the left leg initially into age Ushiro Kakato Geri and
strike right Uraken Oroshi Ganmen Uchi (the left hand remains open palm down
with the right elbow placed on top of the left hand).
From this stance jump backwards and upwards kicking
left Tobi Jodan Mae Geri.
From the kicking position land into left Kokutsu Dachi
with the arms positioned with the elbows together, hands open at face level.
Push the elbows down to groin level with Ibuki (fingers touching and pointing
to the front and thumbs touching).
The Kata is completed by moving the left leg back into
Musubi Dachi and the Mokuso position is retained until the command
"Naore" when the Fudo Dachi position is taken.