Nijushichi Waza
(Twenty-seven movements)
This Chito Ryu kata is performed in this manner at Grand River Karate. The following should not be taken as describing all relevant details in the kata. Your sensei will instruct you in the finer points.
N.B. The compass directions relate to "North" as being the direction faced when starting the kata.
Yoi. Assume the standard Chito Ryu kata opening position:
- Bow and move to shizen tai (natural stance).
- Perform migi ashi nami gaeshi ("returning wave" groin block sole kick, using the right leg) and land in kiba dachi ("horse" or straddle stance) facing North, while executing the Chito ryu "hidden fist" head to groin block. That is, hide your right fist behind your left open hand just below face level, and turning your left arm from the left elbow, move your left hand down in front of your groin, hiding your fist behind it.
- Punch straight ahead with migi chudan zuki (right middle punch). [This move does not count as one of the "Twenty-seven movements".]
- Block with hidari jodan age uke (left upper rising block).
- Block with migi jodan age uke (right upper rising block).
- Block with hidari soto uke (left middle outside forearm block).
- Block with migi soto uke (right middle outside forearm block).
- Block with hidari uchi uke (left middle inside forearm block).
- Block with migi uchi uke (right middle inside forearm block).
- Block with hidari gedan barai (left low sweeping block).
- Block with migi gedan barai (right low sweeping block).
- Strike with hidari chudan zuki (left middle punch).
- Strike with migi chudan zuki (right middle punch).
- Strike with hidari chudan kagi zuki (left middle cross-body punch).
- Strike with migi chudan kagi zuki (right middle cross-body punch).
- Strike with hidari jodan ushiro mawashi zuki (left high back roundhouse punch, over the right shoulder).
- Strike with migi jodan ushiro mawashi zuki (right high back roundhouse punch, over the left shoulder).
- Strike with hidari tate empi uchi (left vertical elbow strike, to the front).
- Strike with migi tate empi uchi (right vertical elbow strike, to the front).
- Lower your right hand and block by the right side of your head with hidari sho (left open hand) [hidari sho migi kata ue nagashi uke], then strike with hidari shuto uchi (left open hand strike) at the level of your own collar-bone.
- Lower your left hand and block by the left side of your head with migi sho (right open hand) [migi sho hidari kata ue nagashi uke], then strike with migi shuto uchi (right open hand strike) at the level of your own collar-bone.
- Strike with hidari jodan teisho uchi (left high palm-heel strike).
- Strike with migi chudan teisho uchi (right high palm-heel strike).
- Strike with hidari yoko empi uchi (left side elbow strike)
- Strike with hidari mawashi empi uchi (left roundhouse elbow strike, substituting your right hand for your opponents head).
- Strike with migi yoko empi uchi (right side elbow strike)
- Strike with migi mawashi empi uchi (right roundhouse elbow strike, substituting your left hand for your opponents head)..
- Strike with hidari jodan ushiro empi uchi (left high back elbow strike).
- Strike with migi jodan ushiro empi uchi (right high back elbow strike).
- Block to the front with ryo ken jodan juji uke ("X-block" - high punch blocks to the front with both hands crossed, right over left), then driving both elbows back directly to the rear, strike with ryo ushiro empi uchi (both elbows rear elbow strike), ending with your fists at your sides.
- Yame
. (Finish the kata by standing up in heisoku dachi ("closed foot" stance, feet together, facing forwards), and once again performing the Chito ryu "hidden fist" block. Return to musubi dachi (formal attention stance, facing to the front, heels together, toes facing out at about a 45
angle, with your arms slightly to your front and to your sides, and with your hands closed into fists, palm down.)