HEIAN GODAN – PEACE AND TRANQUILITY, 5TH STAGE.
Heian godan begins immediately with a subtlety: defense and counterattack in Kōkutsu dachi. The goal is to execute both techniques with physical commitment: defense with open hips, counterattack with closed hips. When the hips are rotated into the Gyaku zuki, the stance should be held stable and correct, with the back knee pointing backward. This is followed by the Mizu-nagare stance, which can be interpreted as an additional counterattack technique.
This kata features a jump for the first time. This is used to evade an attack on the legs, which the opponent executes with a stick. It is important to tuck the legs in while jumping and to jump high enough (the knees are pulled forward and upward) to escape the imaginary attack. It is also important to land firmly after the jump so that the counterattack can be carried out quickly and effectively.
Duration: about 50 seconds
