Hangetsu and Knees

[SaiFightsMS]

ZakariRu you are right. I began looking at hangetsu right after I had been working with Sanchin. There are some definate simailarities between the two katas.

 

The deeper one looks into the roots of katas which are considered traditional the closer they get. Many katas grew branches like a tree. Only the branches began to be remained. And what was originally a pine tree grew into branches of oak, hickory and walnut. Does that make any sense?

 

 

[steveking63]

I suffered with hangetsu. I have knee injuries and was taught to turn my knees inwards by my shotokan instuctor. I adopted the stance to focus more on my hips and abbs. After all the hips are the powerhouse for karate techinques. This made the kata more beaable, and the stances felt stronger. This is the way I now teach it to my students. From a physical point of view turning the knees inwards is not a natural motion, and could lead to ligament injury. Thanks for good point SaiFightMS

[redbutt]

I'm assuming that you are talking about the opening sequence that is done VERY slowly. I have bad knees and Hangetsu doesn't hurt me really (do not take this as me saying I know this kata...It would take 50 years to learn all the little things, but I trust my seniors to tell me that I am doing things right or wrong.). I would suggest looking at Karate Do Kyohan and READING the descriptions more than looking at the pictures (Master Ohshima tells not to look at the pictures...and the pictures are of him!) for the proper techniques.

On 2002-02-07 15:07, SaiFightsMS wrote:

 

It was suggested that Hangetsu can be a kata that will help strengthen the knees. While at the same time others swear it is a kata that is really hard on the knees and one someone with bad knees should avoid.

 

For those who know the kata what do you think?

 

[Sho-ju]

I find no problems with sanchin or hangetsu dachi.

[hobbitbob]

Hangetsu (Half Moon) was Funakoshi's Japanese re-naming of Sesan. Apparently the use of Hangetsu-dachi was also a Funakoshi innovation.

 

If you have problems with the medial aspects of the knee joint, hangetsu dachi can cause problems due to the odd distribution of force on the knee joints. Sanchin dachi, being narrower, tends not to produce the same amount of damage. If you look at the Wado-Ryu version of Sesan, you will see that they replace hangetsu dachi with zenkutsu dachi. The Seibukan version uses shiko dachi.

[G95champ]

I love Hangetsu and it has never hurt my knees. I don't have bad knees but they have taken some lumps in football and from lifting weights in general.