Gojushiho sho

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Gojushiho Sho (Japanese: 54 Steps Minor) is the minor form of a kata practiced in Shotokan karate, which has its origin in the Phoenix Eye style. Its name derives either from the repetitive movements of a woodpecker pecking a tree-trunk, or from the staggering and hesitant steps of a drunken man. The advantage of the two versions of the kata is to better master the difficult techniques presented therein, but not without facing some confusion, for many sequences are the same and others only slightly different. The embusen of both Gojushiho dai and Gojushiho Sho are nearly identical. However, the latter kata begins straight off with a wide variety of advanced techniques and, as such, is highly recommended for study.

This kata and Gojushiho dai previously had the other's name. The names were reversed at some point in the 1960's or 70's. Some Shotokan groups refer to this kata as Gojushiho dai.

Gojushiho Sho kata diagram