A student must have made significant improvements in this kata if they are to successfully grade to Brown Belt. This does not solely include their speed and power when performing the kata. They must also demonstrate a greater understanding and ability in the key principles promoted throughout the kata.

These include:

  1. Maintaining solid, uncompromising stances whilst performing multiple hand techniques.
  2. Effective hip rotation.
  3. Maintaining the same height whilst moving between stances.
  4. Ensuring the hands follow their true path, not only in the final product, but in the preparation. At Red belt, a student should have ‘tightened the loose screws’ in their technique and eliminated unnecessary excessive movements that may have existed in their earlier grades.
  5. Keeping the shoulders down and relaxed.
  6. Quality ibuki (breathing). A Red belt should not hold their breath during any part of the kata, nor should they breathe out excessively. They should have developed a consistent breathing pattern throughout the kata whereby the breathe in just as much as they breathe out.

 

It’s important to practise regularly at home (and even before and/or after class). Your overall ability must have improved in the kata, with less tolerance of bad habits or neglect in the finer details. There is no point being fast or explosive if you have poor technical habits as these will not serve you well in self-defence.

When practising, go through the kata in super slow motion. Going through in super slow motion enables you to really think about each and every aspect of each movement. It allows you to ensure you are performing it 100% correctly, creating muscle memory and positive habits.

It also allows you to identify poor habits (and correct them), habits that you may not have identified at regular pace. Going at this pace also means you wont pull any muscles or work up a sweat (so you can even practise at work in your office).

Once you have practised it a few times in super slow motion, build it up to medium pace and then finally at regular pace.

GKR Karate – Bassai-Dai