Bassai Sho
Bassai Sho
Bassai Sho
(Breaking the small fortress, or to thrust asunder)
Ready stance, attention, `knuckle cover' bow.
1. At bottom of `knuckle cover' move, rotate hands back over, left hand
cradling and covering right fist, left thumb on upper part of right fist.
2. Look left over left shoulder, swinging joined hands back and alongside left
hip. Simultaneously, come up on balls of feet and flex knees. Pivot and
torque body to left to assist in the low sweeping block.
3. Look back down the middle. Leaping out into x-stance right foot in the
front, reinforced double middle forearm block/strike.
4. Look over left shoulder. Move left foot back to allow you to pivot into a front
stance, facing back down the middle, 180 degree turn. Throw left middle
block, then throw right middle block.
5. Look over right shoulder. Left hand comes up to cover by left ear, pivot
into a front stance, facing up the middle, 180-degree turn. Left arm inside
middle block/strike. Right arm middle block. Right hand reaches up,
grabs opponents head, brings fist down to knee smash. KIAI
6. Set right foot down into horse stance, pivoting to face right, right hand
inside middle block/hammer fist to temple, left middle block. Left hand
changes to knife hand.
7. Look left. Shift into forward facing horse stance across center, left knife
hand crosses chest, and goes back out as a left knife hand block as you
take horse stance.
8. Right hand middle punch. Right hand crosses chest, right hand middle
block.
9. Left hand middle punch. Left hand crosses chest, left hand middle block.
10. Arms swing back right to ready for knife hands. Shift into left foot forward
back stance, left double middle knife hand block.
11. Step forward into right foot forward back stance, right double middle knife
hand block.
12. Step back into left foot forward back stance, left double middle knife hand
block.
13. Move right hand in a circular motion to the back, and up and around over
your head to meet left hand in an overhead Bo block. Bring back leg
forward into a sidekick into the same direction, with right fist extension
along leg.
14. As sidekick reaches full extension, look to the back and turning 180
degrees set right foot down into a left leg forward `back stance'. Execute a
double middle knife hand block/strike.
15. Bring left foot back to the right foot, and shift into a momentary attention
stance. Look left, look right, bring both fists up to center, forearms together
in front of your chest. Move both arms out with strong dynamic tension,
until they are at full extension at each side of your head, still maintaining the
L-shape of both arms. (breaking bear hug from behind)
16. Step quickly out into a right leg forward front stance, delivering a hammer
fist temple strike with both hands. Quickly bring right leg slightly up off of
the floor while chambering right fist, set foot down into a slightly longer front
stance and deliver a straight middle punch.
17. Look over left shoulder, pivot 180 degrees on the ball of the left foot,
leaving arms in position, throw a right leg front snap kick (Variation,
crescent kick). As the kick comes back in, deliver a right stomping kick
and a right hand hammer fist to the groin finishing in a side horse stance. KIAI
18. Look over left shoulder, bring hands together in front of chest in an x-block,
and deliver a left hand knife hand strike to the head. Rotate palm out
(thumb up) and bring a right leg crescent kick around, striking sole of foot
into open left hand.
19. Setting right foot down into a horse stance, deliver a right elbow strike into
open left hand directly in front of your body. Then deliver a right hand
hammer fist/low block to the right side, chambering left hand.
20. Look left. X-block, low block to the left side. Look right. X-block low block
to the right side.
21. Shift right foot to the right, enabling you to pivot into a right foot forward
front stance, and do a U-punch, left fist to face, right fist to solar plexus.
22. Left leg delivers a crescent kick, stepping down into a left foot forward
front stance, deliver another U-punch, right fist to face.
23. Right leg delivers a crescent kick, stepping down into a right leg forward
front stance followed by another U-punch, left fist to face. KIAI. (Variation,
3 front snap kicks)
24. Look over left shoulder. Left leg moves, allowing you to pivot around,
ending in a left foot forward front stance at a 45-degree angle from the
middle. Your chest and face will turn to 180 degrees, so that you are
looking directly up the middle. As you turn, do a right hand reinforced, low
groin cover block. Upon locking into stance do a slow right arm/right side
reverse middle block.
25. Shift stance without moving your feet, into a right foot forward front stance,
as you shift, do a left hand reinforced, low groin cover block. Once you
lock into stance, do a slow left arm/left side reverse middle block.
26. Scan right, slowly and gracefully, step left foot out across right foot. Then
continue by stepping right foot out into a 45-degree angle, right foot
forward back stance. Right hand middle knife hand block.
27. Scan left, still slowly and gracefully, step right foot out across left foot.
Then continue by stepping left foot out into a 45-degree angle, left foot
forward back stance. Left hand middle knife hand block.
28. Look up the middle. Bring left foot back to right to attention stance with
hands up in knuckle cover position. `Knuckle cover' bow.
The Bow in this Kata and in Nai Hanchi Sho is different than in the other Katas. This Bow represents that the hand behind the open hand is my secret...I come to you with empty hands (Karate), I have no weapon. (egg in the nest - horan no kamae)
The second meaning in this Bow is that the strong hand, (usually the right hand) would have the roughest and most scarred knuckles on an experienced Karateka. The cover hand also serves to protect that secret by covering the right knuckles. Yet a third bunkai is that of the hidden techniques, where this could actually be the start of joint locks, breaking or lethal techniques hidden inside the katas.
Make sure stances are low, and stay low. Do not bob up and down while moving. The last two back stances should be as low and wide as the first ones in the Kata.
