Instructions for Wado-Ryu Karate Kata - Pinan Godan

This page will help you to learn the Wado-Ryu kata - Pinan Godan. This is the fifth Karate kata used in the Wado-Ryu system.

Written step-by-step instructions for Pinan Godan are provided below. However, if you have any questions about a particular kata movement, please check with your instructor because kata instructions can vary by school and organization.

For additional Wado-Ryu Karate katas (i.e. Pinan Shodan), please visit the main Wado-Ryu Katas page. If you are searching for other katas (i.e. Shotokan), please visit the main Kata & Forms section.

Written Instructions for Wado-Ryu Kata - Pinan Godan

• From masuba dachi, rei, then open to hachiji dachi.
• Drop your weight as you turn the hips 90 degrees to your left, set­ting into a left shomen neko ashi dachi while doing a left soto uke (the right hand is pulled back in hikite).
• Pull your left hand into the hikite posi­tion as you throw a right gyakazuki.
• Step your right foot to your left foot into a heisoku dachi, as you pivot 90 degrees to your right, feet together at both the toes and heels. As you are turn­ing pull your hands across your body into a right tae uke position.
• Drop your weight as you turn the hips 90 degrees to your right, set­ting into a right shomen neko ashi dachi while doing a right sot uke (the left hand is pulled back in hikite).
• Pull your right hand into the hikite posi­tion as you throw a left gyakazuki.
• Step your left foot to your right foot into a heisoku dachi, as you pivot 90 degrees to your left, feet together at both the toes and heels. As you are turn­ing pull your hands across your body into a left tae uke position.
• Step for­ward with your right foot, into a right mahamni neko ashi dachi, and throw a right soto uke to the front, and a left uriken uke across your body (left arm pointed to the front and par­al­lel to the floor.
• As you step your left foot for­ward into a left jun­zuki dachi, draw both hands to your belt (in low hikites), and throw a gedan juji uke.
• Bend both arms at the elbow as you open both hands (thumbs cocked), and turn them palm toward your body, and throw a jodan juji uke.
• Drop your left hand down across the front of your body, palm down. While the left hand is drop­ping, the right arm is piv­ot­ing at the point where the arms cross, and then rotat­ing around the left wrist, allow­ing the right elbow to loop around the fin­ger­tips of the left hand, fin­ish­ing across the body, palm up. The arms should be par­al­lel to the floor, cross­ing at the wrists, and relaxed at belt level.
• Pull the right hand into the hikite posi­tion as you throw a left gedan uke.
• Step your right foot for­ward into a right jun­zuki dachi and throw a right junzuki.
• Pull your right hand back, palm to your right ear (com­monly known as a “tele­phone block”), as you step your right foot to your left 180 degrees, into a shiko dachi, as you throw a right gedan uke straight to your right side.
• Draw your left foot back to a hachiji dachi width and throw a left gedan uke straight to your left side.
• Step your right foot to your left, into a right jun­zuki dachi, as you turn your body 90 degrees to your left. As you set­tle into the jun­zuki dachi throw a right empi, par­al­lel to the floor and across your lower chest, into the palm of your left hand (thumb cocked). The right hand should end palm fac­ing your body, with the left arm in line with the right, and the left fin­ger­tips even with the tip of your right elbow.
• Draw your left foot to your right foot. The left foot remains back half a foots’ length, with the toes at the instep of the right foot, and the heel raised slightly, the front right is flat. Both feet are straight, and the knees are pressed together and bent with the left knee just slightly more for­ward than the right. The weight is car­ried evenly by both feet, and the body is straight for­ward. As you step for­ward throw a right soto uke, sup­ported by the left fist, push­ing into the side of the elbow (palm down).
• Allow your left arm to relax back slightly, but stay­ing in the same basic posi­tion, as you reach back with your left foot, shift­ing into a left kokutso dachi, and extend­ing the right fist (palm up) behind you (to your orig­i­nal front line) to the chin level.
• Draw both hands to your belt, at the sides of your body, as you pivot on, shift to, and jump off of the left foot. As you jump draw your right knee up to your chest, then let the left knee draw to the same posi­tion. Your turn is to the left, end­ing 90 degrees to the right of your orig­i­nal front line. Land on the balls of both feet, shoul­der width apart, the left foot slightly back, and the knees bent to about 90 degrees, and keep­ing the body straight up and down throw a gedan juji uke.
• Turn your body 90 degrees to the right, allow­ing the right foot to set over into a jun­zuki dachi. As you set­tle into the jun­zuki dachi throw a soto uke with your right hand and a left chu­dan ude uke (the left lower arm will end up pointed toward your right elbow, but not touch­ing it, the left upper arm is straight down at your side).
• Let your left foot slide to your left as you shift into a left kokutso dachi toward your orig­i­nal front line, and simul­ta­ne­ously, throw a right soto uke to the rear (make sure you clear your head), and a left gedan uke to the front.
• Pull the left foot back as you stand and relax your legs, then slide the right foot out 45 degrees to your right into a right kokutso dachi, and simul­ta­ne­ously, throw a left soto uke to your rear (make sure you clear your head), and a right gedan uke to the front.
• Pull the right foot back and let the arms relax to your sides, end­ing in hachiji dachi.
• Close to masuba dachi, then rei.

Help­ful Hints & Reminders

• This is the only kata you will do that you take your hands to the far side of your body for tae uke.
• The thir­teenth move listed, the “tele­phone block”, is the first time you ever move a foot across the toes of the sta­tion­ary foot, as you turn.

References

1. The written kata instructions were kindly provided by Dojo Update, Pinan Godan Kata, http://www.dojoupdate.com/wado-ryu-katas/pinan-go-dan, Added - 10/20/14