Taikyoku series
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The Taikyoku series is a series of kata in use in several types of karate. "Taikyoku" is translated as "first course" or "basic ultimate." The Taikyoku kata were developed by Gichin Funakoshi as a way to simplify the principles of the already simplified Pinan/Heian series. The embusen, or pattern of the kata's movements, are the same as in Heian shodan. Students of karate systems that use the taikyoku kata series are often introduced to them first, as a preparation for the Pinan/Heian kata. Goju-ryu developed five of its own Taikyoku katas, based on the Shotokan katas and retaining the H-shaped embusen.
The embusen (pathway) of all the Taikyoku kata is simple (here, the # represents the starting and ending point):
53--4
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1--#2
On each turn, a block is executed, followed by a step and a strike. Up and back the middle, there are three punches.
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[edit] Shotokan
[edit] Taikyoku shodan
Taikyoku shodan, often simply referred to as "kihon" is the first of the series, and involves only two basic moves: the gedan barai or low block, and chudan (middle) oi zuki (sometimes "oi tsuki"), or lunge punch. All stances, except at the beginning and end, are zenkutsu dachi (forward stance).
[edit] Taikyoku nidan
The second kata of the series, taikyoku nidan, is similar to taikyoku shodan, except for a few details.
1. punches at the 'ends' of the embuseu (moves 2, 4, 14, 16, 26, 28) are isntead upper blocks.
2. On move 5, when coming back to center, the lower block moves directly into a punch with the right hand.
3. The punches up and down the middle are at preceded by a front kick with the back and opposite leg, (left first, on move 6).
[edit] Taikyoku sandan
The third and last kata of the series, taikyoku sandan, is similar to Taikyoku nidan, except that some of the blocks are uchi uke or inside-out block in kokutsu dachi (backward stance).
[edit] Goju-ryu
These kata are performed largely the same, changing the stances and strikes to teach students the basics of moving and striking before moving on to more difficult kata.
The first in the series is taikyoku gedan. It employs the same strikes and blocks as Shotokan's taikyoku shodan, but employs the shiko dachi ("straddle-leg stance", the equivalent of "horse stance") instead of the front stance. The second in the series, taikyoku chudan, alternates between front stance and sanchin dachi ("hourglass stance") and the low blocks have been replaced with soto uke (outer mid-level block). The third kata, taikyoku jodan, is identical to chudan but replaces the soto uke with ake uke (high block). The fourth, taikyoku tora guchi, is named after the trapping technique/block it teaches: the double handed hooking block, tora guchi. The fifth, taikyoku kake uke is exactly the same as taikyoku tora guchi, but teaches the ankle block, kake uke.
[edit] Kyokushin
[edit] Taikyoku sono ichi
The first kata in the series. On every turn, a gedan barai is executed. Every punch is seiken oi tsuki chudan.
[edit] Taikyoku sono ni
The second kata in the series. It is performed the same way as taikyoku sono ichi, except that all punches are jodan instead of chudan.
[edit] Taikyoku sono san
The third kata in the series. The blocks when turning to the long side are mae gedan barai, while the others are chudan uchi uke. The punches on the long side are seiken oi tsuki jodan, while the others are seiken oi tsuki chudan.
[edit] Sokugi taikyoku sono ichi
The first sokugi (kicking) kata in the series. On every turn, kansetsu geri is executed, while on the following step or the three steps over the middle, mae keage is executed.
[edit] Sokugi taikyoku sono ni
The second sokugi (kicking) kata in the series. Instead of kansetsu geri being executed on every turn, yoko geri is executed, which is the same technique but going to chudan or jodan instead of gedan. On each step and the three steps over the middle, mae geri is executed.
[edit] Sokugi taikyoku sono san
The third sokugi (kicking) kata in the series. On each turn, a yoko geri is executed. The following steps on the short sides are uchi mawashi geri, while the three kicks executed over the long side are soto mawashi geri.
[edit] Go-Kan-Ryu
[edit] Taikyoku Shodan
Identical to the Shotokan form (see above)
[edit] Taikyoku Nidan
In the Go-Kan-Ryu Karate-do organisation, a new kata devised by Kancho Robert Sullivan is used with the name "Taikyoku Nidan." It is much the same as Taikyoku Shodan but incorporates kicks that follow each punch (on the same count) along the top and bottom, and kicks that preceed each punch (on the same count) going down the line. This kata is highly unpopular amongst students and instructors alike, but is useful in assisting the development of balance and control in newer students. It is needed to progress from 8th Kyu (yellow belt) to 7th Kyu (orange belt).
