Instructions for Shorin Ryu-Kata Pinan 4 (or Pinan Yondan)

This section provides details for Shorin-Ryu Karate Kata Pinan 4 (or Pinan Yondan). It has videos and step-by-step written instructions in order to help you to master this Karate kata.

For more Shorin-Ryu katas, visit the main Shorin-Ryu Katas section.

If you are looking for the katas of other Karate styles (i.e. Shotokan or Wado-Ryu), visit the main Katas & Forms section.

Written Instructions for Shorin Ryu-Kata Pinan 4 (or Pinan Yondan)

0. Kamai (soto-hachiji shizentai-dachi: open leg natural stance) - Left foot steps left to make feet shoulder width apart, each foot facing 45-degrees out. Fists raise to hips, then press downward so that the arms hang straight down naturally. The elbows are relaxed; the fists are placed slightly away from the body and the distance between them is one and one-half fists.
1. 90-degree turn left (face 9:00) to left cat stance, left forward upper inner knife-hand block. Lower down, bring open hands to right hip, left above right . Right foot steps directly forward about one foot length. Pivot on balls of feet to left cat stance, as right hand snaps up to open-handed upper technique and left hand snaps out to open-handed middle technique. Nose, right wrist, and left middle finger should be lined up.
2. 180-degree turn right (face 3:00) to right cat stance, right forward upper inner knife-hand block. Step slightly forward and right with left foot, as open hands chamber at left hip, right above left. Pivot 180-degrees right to right cat stance, stay low the entire time, as left hand executes open-handed upper technique and right hand executes open-handed middle technique. Nose, left wrist, and right middle finger should be lined up.
3. 90-degree turn left (face 12:00) to left long stance, lower cross block. Left foot moves directly toward 12:00 as fists chamber at right hip, backs of hands face each other, right hand on top. Pivot 90-degrees left, snap hips into left long stance as hands execute lower cross block. Arms cross at wrists, right hand on top, palms of fists face out.
4. Right long stance, right augmented forearm block. Both fists come to left hip (palms facing), right foot steps forward and left heel presses forward. Shift weight to proper long stance while performing a right augmented forearm block. (Palms up, right fist swings diagonally forward and out, left fist executes short middle punch to distance of elbow.)
5. 45-degree turn left (face 10:30) to closed-foot stance, fists chamber at right hip. Left foot steps forward to meet right foot. Feet parallel, facing 10:30. Fists chamber at right hip, palms facing, left hand on top.
6. Left hammer-fist, left abdomen kick, 45-degree turn left (face 9:00) to left cat stance, right forward elbow smash. Left hand strikes out with the side of the fist, arm fully extended at shoulder level. Left foot performs abdomen kick, striking surface is tips of toes. Left foot is placed down at long stance distance, then right foot slides up and weight shifts to be left cat stance as right elbow strikes forward to meet left hand. Right fist should be buried in breast bone.
7. 135-degree turn right (face 1:30) to closed-foot stance, fists chamber at left hip. Pivot on balls of feet 135-degrees to face 1:30. Bring left foot back to parallel right foot. Fists chamber at right hip, palms facing, right hand on top.
8. Right hammer-fist, right abdomen kick, 45-degree turn right (face 3:00) to right cat stance, left forward elbow smash. Right hand strikes out with the side of the fist, arm fully extended at shoulder level. Right foot performs abdomen kick, striking surface is tips of toes. Right foot is placed down at long stance distance, then left foot slides up and weight shifts to be right cat stance as left elbow strikes forward to meet right hand. Left fist should be buried in breast bone.
9. 90-degree turn left (face 12:00) to left cross-legged stance, right forward upper inner knife-hand block. Left foot extends to long stance distance as open left hand extends directly toward 12:00, palm facing 3:00 at head level and open right hand chambers behind the head, elbow pointing to 6:00. Right foot slides forward to cross-legged stance as right hand snaps forward to execute open-hand middle technique, left hand executes open-hand upper technique. Nose, left wrist, and right middle finger should be lined up.
10. Right chest kick, right cross-legged stance, right backfist strike. Right foot kicks to chest height; the striking surface is the ball of the foot. The right foot is placed down, as the right hand strikes down in front of the body, then the left does the same, then the right hand executes a right backfist strike as the left hand chambers at the left hip.
11. 270-degree turn left (face 3:00) to left cat stance, left middle outward block. Transfer weight to left foot without lowering heel. Right foot steps slightly toward 6:00, then pivot 270-degrees to left cat stance as hands execute right high-low defend and finish in left middle outward block.
12. Right abdomen kick, right middle punch, left middle punch. Keeping upper body stationary, perform right abdomen kick. Striking surface is tips of the toes. Bring right foot back to initial position, perform right-left double punch.
13. 180-degree turn right (face 9:00) to right cat stance, right middle outward block. Left foot steps slightly across toward 6:00. Pivot on balls of feet to right cat stance as hands execute left high-low defend and finish in right middle outward block.
14. Left abdomen kick, left middle punch, right middle punch. Keeping upper body stationary, perform left abdomen kick. Striking surface is tips of the toes. Bring left foot back to initial position, perform left-right double punch.
15. 90-degree turn left (face 6:00) to left long stance, left augmented forearm block. Both fists come to right hip (palms facing, right hand on top). Left foot extends to long stance distance (75% of weight on back foot). Shift weight to proper long stance while performing a left augmented forearm block.
16. Right long stance, right augmented forearm block. Both fists come to left hip (palms facing), weight shifts to left leg, left heel presses forward as right leg is extended forward (75% of weight on back foot). Shift weight to proper long stance while performing a supported right middle technique (palms up).
17. Left long stance, left augmented forearm block. See details for 16.
18. Right knee smash, 225-degree turn (face 10:30) left to left cat stance, left open-handed middle technique. Both hands raise to head level, open hands with palms down, shoulder distance apart. Bring right knee up as high as possible, hands press down past knee. Place right foot slightly forward and left, toward 4:30. Pivot on balls of feet 225-degrees to face 10:30 while performing left open-handed middle technique.
19. 90-degree turn (face 1:30) to right cat stance, right open-handed middle technique. Pivot on balls of feet 90-degrees to face 1:30 while performing right high-low defend, finishing in right open-handed middle technique.
20. Return to kamai - Fists move to hips as right foot steps forward to initial kamai position. Hands press down to initial kamai position.

References

1. Written Kata Instructions courtesy of Jen White Doom, WSU Karate, Added - 11/20/13