Gekisai Sho - 最破小

Gekisai Sho - 撃塞小, is the second of the Gekisai Kata, and translated into: ‘Attack and Destroy – minor’. Dai means ‘big’ and Sho means ‘small’, is this just another method of labelling Kata as an alternative to using numbers? Both Kata teach strength through fluidity of motion, mobility and the utilization of various techniques. Flexibility of attack and response will always be superior to rigid and inflexible strength.

Gekisai Dai and Gekisai Sho were developed from Sosai Masutatsu Oyama’s training under Nei-Chu So sensei short after the WO II. Master So was a top student of Chojun Miyagi sensei, founder of the Gōjū-ryū 剛柔流, one of the main traditional Okinawan styles of Karate, featuring a combination of hard and soft techniques. Chojun Miyagi developed Gōjū-ryū from the Naha-Te - 那覇手 system of Okinawan Karate, which originated from Southern Chinese Kempo.

Gekisai Kata were orginated in Okinawa by Soshin Nagamine and Chojun Miyagi sensei from Fukyu Kata Ichi and Fukyu Kata Ni. Chojun Miyagi adopted Fukyu Kata Ni as Gekisai Dai Ichi and went on to develop Gekisai Dai Ni with its Naha-Te influence as a training Kata into the Gōjū-ryū curriculum in 1940 for school children and adolescents.

These Kata were intended to make Karate more accessible for people to learn and the purpose was to teach strong and powerful movement combined with fluidity of motion and the utilization ofvarious techniques. Both Gekisai Kata belong to the so-called Kaisho Kata. These types of Kata are what you might call relaxed, because after each technique (given with maximum tension) there is relaxation. This relaxation allows a swift execution of the next technique. This is in line with the meaning of Gōjū-ryū, which translates as hard-soft.

Gekisai Sho is known as a Southern Kata within Kyokushin Karate, developed from Mas Oyama's training under Nei-Chu So sensei and not directly imported from Goju Ryu. Sensei So was a student of Gogen Yamaguchi (Goju-ryu) in Japan. Chojun Miyagi developed Goju-ryu from the system of Okinawan Karate, which originated from Southern Chinese Kempo. Southern Kata generally involve shorter movements and a closer fighting distance between opponents, Maai - 間合い, based on the slippery, wet terrain of southern China. Techniques are generally tighter and more circular than those of the Northern Kata.

Gekisai Sho - 最破小

#	Explanation step by step	2e Dan
	Begin the Kata in FUDO DACHI. Move into MUSUBI DACHI and MOKUSO on the command MOKUSO. On the next command Gekisai Sho, open eyes and wait until the command YOI. Then start perform a slow YOI DACHI with IBUKI that ends in HEIKO DACHI
1.	On the command HAJIME/ICHI move the left foot behind and turn 90° counterclockwise to the left into left KOKUTSU DACHI, block left UCHI UKE and punch SEIKEN CHUDAN GYAKU TSUKI.
2.	Move forward into right ZENKUTSU DACHI, block right SEIKEN JODAN UKE and punch left SEIKEN CHUDAN GYAKU TSUKI.
3.	Bring the right foot back and turn 90° clockwise into KIBA DACHI and block left SEIKEN GEDAN BARAI.
4.	Turn the body 90° clockwise on the left foot into right KOKUTSU DACHI, by bringing the right foot back, and block right SEIKEN UCHI UKE and punch SEIKEN CHUDAN GYAKU TSUKI.
5.	Move forward into left ZENKUTSU DACHI, block left SEIKEN JODAN UKE and punch right SEIKEN CHUDAN GYAKU TSUKI.
6.	Bring the left foot back and turn 90° counterclockwiseinto KIBA DACHI and block right SEIKEN GEDAN BARAI.
7.	Keep your left foot in position and move 45° counterclockwiseinto KIBA DACHI, blocking a slow right SHUTO UCHI UKE with IBUKI followed by a fast right SHUTO GEDAN BARAI (1).
8.	Move forward 90° counterclockwise into KIBA DACHI, blocking a slow left SHUTO UCHI UKE with IBUKI followed by a fast left SHUTO GEDAN BARAI (2).
9.	Move forward 90° clockwise into KIBA DACHI, blocking a slow right SHUTO UCHI UKE with IBUKI followed by a fast right SHUTO GEDAN BARAI (3).
10.	Retaining the hand positions, turn the body 45° counterclockwise and kick left CHUDAN MAE GERI, place the foot into left ZENKUTSU DACHI, block left SEIKEN JODAN UKE and immediately followed by a SEIKEN CHUDAN GYAKU TSUKI with KIAI.
11.	Block right SEIKEN UCHI UKE followed by left SEIKEN GEDAN BARAI.
12.	Turn 180° clockwise into right KOKUTSU DACHI (pivoting over the left feet) and simultaneously block right SHUTO MAWASHI UKE.
13.	Kick left JODAN YOKO GERI in 45° direction to the left and move forward into left ZENKUTSU DACHI followed by SEIKEN CHUDAN GYAKU TSUKI (1).
14.	Retaining the hand positions kick right JODAN YOKO GERI in 90° direction to the right and move forward into right ZENKUTSU DACHI followed by SEIKEN CHUDAN GYAKU TSUKI (2).
15.	Retaining the hand positions kick left JODAN YOKO GERI in 90° direction to the left and move forward into left ZENKUTSU DACHI followed by SEIKEN CHUDAN GYAKU TSUKI (3).
16.	Kick right JODAN MAE GERI, bring both fists in a Waki no Kamae and jump 45° clockwise into KAKE ASHI DACHI and a SEIKEN (MOROTE) HEIKO CHUDAN TSUKI with KIAI.
17.	Turn 180° into KOKOTSU DACHI (keep the right foot in place and move the left foot) and block SHUTO MAWASHI UKE.
18.	Move the left foot backwards into right NEKO ASHI DACHI and with the right hand simultaneously execute a right HAITO CHUDAN UCHI to the opponent’s neck and hook to draw opponent towards you. At the same time the left hand slowly strikes left CHUDAN URA YONHON NUKITE.
19.	Finish in the same position with a left MAE MAWASHI UKE with IBUKI.
20.	Move the right foot back into MUSUBI DACHI and the MOKUSO position.
	The Kata is completed on the command NAORE the FUDO DACHI position is taken. At the command YASMEE relax and at ease. Back to Top