WANSHU WADO-RYU
Dec 11, 2010|
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“The Flying Swallow” kata. Renamed as Empi in the Shotokan syllabus by Gichin Funakoshi. It was introduced in 1683 to Tomari from China.
The distinctive motion of this kata is an upper level attack, after which one grasps the opponent and draws him inward, simultaneously jumping in and attacking again. The movement resembles the up and down and flipping away flight of a swallow.
This is a classic White Crane style kata brought to Okinawa in the 17th century by military attaché Master Wang-Shu. The kata was named after him, hence its Okinawan name of “Wanshu”. This translates to “excellent or incredible arms”, and perhaps this explains the lovely hand techniques this kata contains. Wang-Shu was supposed to be a large man whose specialty was lifting his adversary above his head, throwing him to the ground, and then jumping on him. These movements can still be found at the end of the kata.
Wanshu
1.Rei.
2. Yoi (feet close to heisokudachi, left hand raises to left side of chest with the palm facing to the right, right fist points towards the left palm with the palm facing the body with a small space between the hands).
3. Shift the weight to the left while dropping the right knee almost to the ground. The body will face 45 degrees to the left. Right arm performs a lower block with the palm facing forward and the elbow bent. Left fist covers the chest palm up.
4. Raise the body up into shikodachi. Right arm moves across the chest palm down. Left fist pulls back beside the chest.
5. Perform migi gedan barai to the right.
6. Perform left hand kagizuki.
7. Step the left foot forward into hidari junzukidachi and perform hidari gedan barai.
8. Pull the left foot back slightly while performing migi gyakuzuki jodan.
9. Tobi the right foot forward into a low gyaku neko ashi dachi and punch hidari gyakuzuki gedan while bringing the right fist back to cover the chest palm up. Then tobi the left foot back into migi junzukidachi and perform migi gedan barai.
10. Turn 180 degrees to the left into hidari junzukidachi while performing hidari gedan barai.
11. Pull the left foot back slightly while performing migi gyakuzuki jodan.
12. Tobi the right foot forward into a low gyaku neko ashi dachi and punch hidari gyakuzuki gedan while bringing the right fist back to cover the chest palm up. Then tobi the left foot back into migi junzukidachi and perform migi gedan barai.
13. Turn 180 degrees to the left into hidari junzukidachi while performing hidari gedan barai.
14. Shift the weight to the right leg and raise the left foot while performing hidari soto haito uke at shoulder height. Then set the left foot down, shift the weight to the left leg and raise the right foot while performing migi tettsui into the left palm. Then set the right foot down into shikodachi and perform hidari kake uke.
15. Punch chudan with the right, then the left hand.
16. Turn 90 degrees to the left into hidari junzukidachi and perform hidari gedan barai.
17. Pull the left foot back slightly while performing migi gyakuzuki jodan.
18. Pull the left foot back slightly and step the right foot forward into mahanmi neko ashi dachi while performing migi shuto uke.
19. Pull the right foot back slightly and step the left foot forward into hidari neko ashi dachi while performing hidari shuto uke.
20. Pull the left foot back slightly while performing migi gyakuzuki chudan.
21. Pull the left foot back slightly and step the right foot forward into mahanmi neko ashi dachi while performing migi shuto uke.
22. Turn 180 degrees to the left into hidari junzukidachi while performing hidari gedan barai.
23. Pull the left foot back slightly while performing migi gyakuzuki jodan.
24. Tobi the right foot forward into a low gyaku neko ashi dachi and punch hidari gyakuzuki gedan while bringing the right fist back to cover the chest palm up. Then tobi the left foot back into migi junzukidachi and perform migi gedan barai.
25. Turn 180 degrees to the left into hidari junzukidachi while performing hidari gedan barai.
26. Pivot both feet turning the body 45 degrees to the right into yoko seishan dachi. Left hand performs shotei in front of the body. Right hand performs shotei upwards beside the body.
27. Step the right foot forward into migi junzukidachi while performing downwards hidari shotei and upward migi shotei.
28. Step the left foot forward into hidari junzukidachi while performing downwards migi shotei and upward hidari shotei.
29. Step the right foot forward into migi junzukidachi while performing downwards hidari shotei and upward migi shotei.
30. Tobi forward into migi junzukidachi and perform migi gedan barai.
31. Tobi forward while performing left throat grab and right groin grab. Body moves as in yamazuki.
32. Jump and turn 360 degrees to the left landing in migi mahanmi neko ashi dachi. Perform migi shuto uke.
33. Step the right foot back into hidari mahanmi neko ashi dachi and perform hidari shuto uke.
34. Yame (Move to the position in # 2 above.)
35. Naorei.
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