Hangetsu

[Brandon Fisher]

As far as I know and I am not positive on this I think Hangetsu and Seisan are performed almost indentical.

[jaymac]

Hangetsu is an awesome kata. I love to see others do it. The timing has to be so perfect. I scrolled through and didn't see this website listed as a source (a good source) for shotokan kata. japanesekarateacademy.com Just log on and look for the kata section. They have great representation of all shotokan kata available on video.

[P.A.L]

Pers, thanks for the input , i am with you on higher Hangetsu stance, if you got any clip please share it.

here is Naha-te version of Seisan

http://www.gojuryu.neu.edu/video/Seisan.wmv

here is shimabuko doing his version of shuri-te Seisan

http://www.twinriversmartialarts.com/MPEG/ShimabukuKata/Shimabuku_Seisan_Kata.mpeg

this is another shuri version

http://www.nd.edu/~tyeh/karate/video/Seisan-Hangetsu/seishan.WMV

this Gentelman I think doing the Kyan version of seisan , i used to do seisan just like this in a shito-ryu school. (deep stance and it turns forward)

http://www.kangaeru.be/video/seisan.mpg

here is a Uechi ryu version of Seisan

http://www.kyusho-uechi-ryu.co.uk/images/Seisan%20Kata.wmv

Here is Hangetsu according to JKA (not sure)

http://www.karate-trier.de/kst_10_fotos_videos/videos/Hangetsu.mpeg

another Hangetsu which looks like extreamly deep,

http://www.bushido-lubwart.de/lubwart.de/downloads/hangetsu.mpg

as you can see, in general the seisan stance is higher than Hangetsu, and I really don't feel comfortable using the stance in the last clip as my close quarter stance.

Edited May 30, 2006 by P.A.L

[cathal]

Thank you for all of that information P.A.L!

[juey palancu]

Hangetsu is one of my favorite two katas (the other is Gankaku). Because of this I practice it a lot! It is a kata where the subtleties make the difference. Timing, precise movement, breathing, nimbleness, explosion, control....Hangetsu can show your ki or conversely your lack of ki!

I really like that the energy flow of hangetsu really mimics what would happen if one is attacked in the street: you are going slowly, taking it easy, doing your own business, and suddenly ATTACK! You need to go from slow to fast, from deliberate to explosive in the blink of an eye...and then keep attacking until its over...

good stuff

Gero

----

nidan, traditional shotokan

[Brandon Fisher]

this is another shuri version

http://www.nd.edu/~tyeh/karate/video/Seisan-Hangetsu/seishan.WMV

Here is Hangetsu according to JKA (not sure)

http://www.karate-trier.de/kst_10_fotos_videos/videos/Hangetsu.mpeg

These 2 closely mimic the way I practice hangetsu. Mine is the hand movements of JKA versioon with the stances of the shuri-te version of seisan. However the naha-te version was very interesting.

[cathal]

Hangetsu is one of my favorite two katas (the other is Gankaku). Because of this I practice it a lot! It is a kata where the subtleties make the difference. Timing, precise movement, breathing, nimbleness, explosion, control....Hangetsu can show your ki or conversely your lack of ki!

I really like that the energy flow of hangetsu really mimics what would happen if one is attacked in the street: you are going slowly, taking it easy, doing your own business, and suddenly ATTACK! You need to go from slow to fast, from deliberate to explosive in the blink of an eye...and then keep attacking until its over...

good stuff

Gero

----

nidan, traditional shotokan

I really like Gankaku as well. Very dynamic.

[RichardHangHong]

I've only seen Gankaku done a few times but it does look really nice. Especially the parts balancing on one leg.

[P.A.L]

Hangetsu is one of my favorite two katas (the other is Gankaku). Because of this I practice it a lot! It is a kata where the subtleties make the difference. Timing, precise movement, breathing, nimbleness, explosion, control....Hangetsu can show your ki or conversely your lack of ki!

I really like that the energy flow of hangetsu really mimics what would happen if one is attacked in the street: you are going slowly, taking it easy, doing your own business, and suddenly ATTACK! You need to go from slow to fast, from deliberate to explosive in the blink of an eye...and then keep attacking until its over...

good stuff

Gero

----

nidan, traditional shotokan

I really like Gankaku as well. Very dynamic.

open a new thread for Gankaku so when compare it with Chinto

[pers]

P.A.L thanks for the links . very interesting , the Hangetsu that I learned was a bit diferrent with the ones there ,I could say mine is more simillar to the JKA one performed by Abe but not quite the same .

The last one (deep stance ) is nothing like the stances we used to practice hangetsu .

the other okinawan katas I saw for the first time ,they looked very good and powerful .

In my opinion there is not enough time in one's life time to persue too many diferrent styles .there is enough in shotokan to last me a life time to try and perfect ,and so in any other styles with other karatekas .

but it is good to be familiar to an extent with other styles and borrow ideas and techniques .