My Seisan

[sensei8]

I am not qualified to comment on the kata but who was the guy walking across your line? How rude!

Yeah, BB or not, floor etiquette ALWAYS!! Fast way to get into the sights of the CI quick!!

[CDraper]

Props for putting yourself out there like that. Shows you probably have a strength of character that some don't (I don't for sure).

Keep on with your journey!

ChuckD

[Mark B]

Hi Lupin,

Respect to you.

I'll offer a few observations of my own, however, Sensei8 has already mentioned that anything that contradicts what your own Sensei is teaching should be handled with care.

I believe the key elements that might improve the "performance " are breathing in conjunction with the relevant motion, and a lowering of your Tanden.

Re breathing - take the Chudan Uke as an example - we breathe through the nose on preparation and exhale sharply on application. This aides power, focus, timing. It also creates the energy which makes Hikite far more dynamic.The exhalation can be done quietly, it's not necessary to make lots of noise.

Re Tanden - this element works in harmony with breathing, but also allows your various movements to remain grounded. This doesn't mean lowering stances , it's about dropping your internal energy - on watching your video you look very "high/raised", the connection between your lower and upper half seems a little divorced, which is not uncommon by any means - you can often see people new to the rank even of Shodan doing the same.

I would also slow down your combos until you can apply the above points, allow the power to run its course before moving to the next technique.

As I mentioned - if any of that contradicts what you're being taught please feel free to ignore it completely

All the best

Mark

[bushido_man96]

I'm not a Karate student, so I can't offer much in the way of advise. But, I did see nice hip movement in your hand techniques, which gives you good power. The only thing I thought was that it looked kind of like you were rushing through to finish it; you might experiment with different pacing on some of the combinations, but that's just a thought. Nicely done!

[sensei8]

Also, if I may suggest, find the pauses, they're there, because there's not many, if any kata's that are non-stop from start to finish. Accentuate the pauses!

Ok...I'll go back to my corner!!

[Karate_John]

I'm not going to critique your Kata, It's so different from mine that I can only repeat what was already said. But I will say your brave for posting a video on the net, Good going, and keep up the great work!

on a side note, I do find it interesting how different Seisan itself is between our arts. Again thanks for posting, it was very interesting to watch.

[CDraper]

I think it is interesting to see the differences in Seisan just between different branches of Isshin Ryu

[cheesefrysamurai]

I'm not qualified but I thought it looked great!

Great focus, precise, and confidence.

great effort!!!!

For the record I cut my sleeves short - I love it

[wildbourgman]

One of my Shorin Ryu classmates performed this kata at a mostly Shotokan tournament this weekend. He competed in two different parts of the tournament, in the first attempt he did well but lost to a Shotokan practitioner when most of us thought it wasn't even close. But the judges were all Shotokan and not familiar with that version of the kata.

Before his second attempt I coached him a little on what Shotokan JKA judges might want to see. I told him to slow down, accentuated the pauses, focus his last technique on the combinations and breath out with each technique that he accentuated simply for sound affects. Also I told him that unlike most Okinawan katas where we are taught to be light on your feet, being heavy on your feet gives another sound affect that might help in Japanese focused tournament.

Well he did some of what I told him and he came in second amongst a larger group of contestants and was barely beat by a practitioner that performed a solid Bassai Dai. I still think he should have won, but the outcome was much closer to correct. He actually beat the guy that he lost to in the earlier match by a huge margin, making you wonder what the earlier judges were looking at.

I find it funny that the few of the pointers I gave him in order to look better to Shotokan-centric judges are the same points that was posted here.

Slow down, accentuate the pauses, and breath.

[cathal]

One of my Shorin Ryu classmates performed this kata at a mostly Shotokan tournament this weekend. He competed in two different parts of the tournament, in the first attempt he did well but lost to a Shotokan practitioner when most of us thought it wasn't even close. But the judges were all Shotokan and not familiar with that version of the kata.

Before his second attempt I coached him a little on what Shotokan JKA judges might want to see. I told him to slow down, accentuated the pauses, focus his last technique on the combinations and breath out with each technique that he accentuated simply for sound affects. Also I told him that unlike most Okinawan katas where we are taught to be light on your feet, being heavy on your feet gives another sound affect that might help in Japanese focused tournament.

Well he did some of what I told him and he came in second amongst a larger group of contestants and was barely beat by a practitioner that performed a solid Bassai Dai. I still think he should have won, but the outcome was much closer to correct. He actually beat the guy that he lost to in the earlier match by a huge margin, making you wonder what the earlier judges were looking at.

I find it funny that the few of the pointers I gave him in order to look better to Shotokan-centric judges are the same points that was posted here.

Slow down, accentuate the pauses, and breath.

Breathing is very important for Shotokan's katas. In some circles it demonstrates a knowledge of the expansion/contraction for a technique. For some it is demonstrating a pragmattic need to maintain oxygen so you aren't all closed up, and all Shotokan judges are taught to either deduct points for excessive breathing sound effects, or to dismiss it as theatrics.

Pauses are also something that is looked at. For most judges it shows you're putting the proper time in to complete a technique per the bunkai. For example there is a pause in A kata where you slowly put your hand out Palm flat then bring it in quickly for empi (elbow strike). That slow move is a grab where in kata it represents the effort and strength required to actually grab your opponent and bring them in for the strike. In other pauses you are evaluating your predicament per the bunkai, demonstrating "Tsuki no Kokoro". Sometimes the pause is there just to make sure you breathe, for some, just for the sake of the rhythm of combat.

When I began to compete in kata, slowing down some portions were important as the techniques were more powerful thus it is a means to show you know the bunkai here would require greater effort, or supreme effort.

Do I agree? Sometime I do, and sometimes I don't. It varies from kata to kata and sometimes from one technique to the next.