To date, you’ve been assessed on Taigyoku Shodan, Taigyoku Nidan, and more recently, Saifa. Each of these kata were 20 counts long. As a novice, you likely struggled to maintain 100% physical intensity and focus throughout the entire kata, but as time passed both your mind and body would have conditioned themselves to the challenge.

So now you’ve arrived at Blue belt and you’re introduced to Bassai-dai. With 38 counts, this kata is nearly twice as long. This makes blue belt an exciting time in a person’s journey because it’s where we once again find ourselves outside of our comfort zone with a new challenge for both our body and mind.

While kata may appear as a combination of movements a student learns in order to grade, its real purpose runs far deeper, and that is to equip us with new skill sets valuable for self-defence.

Bassai-dai Self defense Techniques:

  • Kensetsu-geri (thrust kick to an opponent’s knee)
  • Mikazuki geri (crescent kick) which can be used as a block, to knock an opponent’s guard down or as a close quarter kick coming from outside the opponent’s peripheral vision
  • Sukui uke (scooping block) a technique for catching an opponent’s kick and turning them around
  • Dan tsuki (simultaneous double punch)

Bassai-dai Stances:

  • Zenkutsu dachi (long forward stance)
  • Kokutsu-dachi (back leaning stance)
  • Kiba dachi (horse riding stance) into a kata
  • Both Kiba dachi and Kokutsu-dachi are excellent for maintaining balance should an opponent try to seize you in combat

 

GKR Karate – Bassai-Dai

Bassai-dai History

Bassai-dai is introduced to GKR students at 5th Kyu, and remains a student’s kata through both their 5th Kyu (blue belt) and 4th Kyu (red belt) grades.

Bassai-dai was purposely chosen as the fourth kata of GKR, appropriately following Saifa. Saifa introduces students to the Goju element of karate and endorses correct breathing and rhythm. Bassai-dai develops excellent overall karate and self-defence principles as it trains a student to move with explosive speed and to move without telegraphing. It also trains a student to turn their opponent around from a deep rooted defensive stance and incorporates some unique attacks such as kicks to the knee and double punches.

Generally regarded as being one of the oldest and most representative kata of Okinawan karate, the kata’s originator is unknown. However, the oldest versions have been passed down by Sokon Matsumura, the chief bodyguard to the King of Okinawa, and thus, head of Law and Order in Okinawa. Matsumura, who was later called ‘Bushi’ Matsumura (Bushi meaning warrior) studied under Okinawa’s Sakugawa and China’s Kusanku. There seems to be no evidence of either of his masters teaching the kata.

Unlike most kata whose lineage is traceable back to one master or city, this kata is found in almost all styles descended from two of Okinawa’s major cities (Shuri and Tomari). This unique occurrence again is placed back to Matsumura. Being the head of Law and Order in Okinawa, there would have been much cross-training between government officials (note also that these cities are only 5km apart).

Because of its spread and popularity in Okinawa, there are a number of Bassai kata, the most common being Bassai-dai, Bassai-sho, Matsumura Bassai and Tomari Bassai with each displaying a similar embusen (performance line) as well as similar techniques.

Originally it was called ‘Passai’. However, the Okinawans did not have a clear definition for the name ‘Passai’ nor did they use kanji for many of their kata (leading to many kata’s real names dying with oral tradition). So it was years later when Gichin Funakoshi (founder of Shotokan) took the kata to mainland Japan. Without a name to translate it to, he substituted it with a similar sounding kanji, “Bassai”. This can be literally translated to mean, “extract from a fortress”, “destroy a fortress” or “remove an obstruction”.

Considering all this, there are three schools of thought on the name Bassai.

Common Theory Number 1: Some suggest that its true name ‘Passai’ may represent a person (the kata’s true creator – as many kata are named in reference to their creator), or may even be the name of a fortress in China.

Common Theory Number 2: Many speculate also that the castle/fortress reference goes back to the kata’s lineage. Considering its original teacher was chief of the King’s team of bodyguards, it was used as a training kata for bodyguards that taught how to penetrate and wreak havoc among a crowd posing a potential threat to the King.

This theory perhaps explains the bunkai of the kata – the first half consists of a rapid series of turns in a variety of directions, all the while executing a series of fast and brutal techniques (note, whilst predominantly a blocking kata in appearance, many of the blocks within this kata can be easily transformed into devastating strikes or breaks for bunkai purposes). Being amongst a crowd, it stresses the ability to transform disadvantage to advantage through the use of body movement (tai sabaki). At some point, about half way through, the kata begins to slow and the focus changes to techniques that are more about controlling the situation, and restoring order. Joint locks, defences against throws and throwing techniques come to the fore. Whilst this theory is somewhat speculative, it is both plausible and interesting.

Common Theory Number 3: Another popular theory uses the fortress reference as the body. During combat, a person experiences an adrenalin rush. When the body is full of adrenalin it can withstand extreme amounts of pressure. The face and frontal torso (where most strikes land in combat) can be struck without regard. In this way the body becomes a fortress, covered by an adrenalin coating – so to speak. Bassai-dai focuses on maintaining a deep, well-grounded stance while blocking. It then executes ren uke (one arm blocking followed by the other arm blocking the same technique in the same direction).

Performing ren uke from a strong stance allows a person to turn their opponent around, exposing their sides. Interesting to note, a powerful blow to atemi (vulnerable points) found on the sides of the torso can instantly wound an opponent (even one full of adrenalin). It does this by applying pressure to an area that will send signals beneath the adrenalin coating, in essence, breaching the fortress (the fortress being an adrenalin coating).

Bassai-dai Lineage

Sokon “Bushi” Matsumura (born 1796-1893)

The first to teach the kata (as ‘Passai’). As he taught this to students from different cities of Okinawa, it is now practiced by many different styles. In each style, the basic pattern of the kata remains the same but over the years the techniques (and even stances) have changed greatly from style to style.

Yatsutsune “Ankoh” Itosu (1830-1915)

A student of Sokon Matsumura’s, Itosu taught the kata to his student – Gichin Funakoshi. Yatsutsune also developed a sister kata (‘Passai-sho’), and changed the name of the original ‘Passai’ to ‘Passai-dai’ while altering the appearance of Passai-dai.

Gichin Funakoshi (1868-1957)

Founded Shotokan karate (incorporating both Passai kata, but changed the name ‘Passai’ to ‘Bassai’). The kata itself was altered again. And over the next few decades altered greatly. For example, many of the crescent kicks were once foot sweeps.

GKR Karate

While Bassai-dai shows up in almost all karate styles, GKR derives its Bassai-dai from Shotokan karate.