Heian Shodan Tutorial

Heian Shodan (平安初段)

Meaning peaceful mind 1st level

Strikes oi zuki (stepping punch), Tettsui uchi (hammer fist strike) and blocks age uke (upper block), shuto uke (knife hand block).

Heian shodan is an excellent kata for shomen (square facing) and hanmi (side facing) practice.

The body and hips should be square (shomen) for the stepping punches and (side facing) hanmi for the blocks.

This is the first time a karateka practices shuto uke (knife hand block), kokutsudachi (back stance) in a shotokan kata.

There are four knife hand blocks in this kata.

Heian Shodan is the required kata for 8th Kyu red belt here at SKO.

Some Shotokan Dojo practice this kata with a few differences.

When executing age uke, some dojo stretch their marking arm out straight, whereas we simply open the hand in the age uke position as can be seen in the tutorial below.

Another slight difference can come with tetsui uchi, some Dojo do a much smaller movement on the strike and some Shotokan Dojo leave the front foot still.

Don’t worry if you have limited space for kata practice, click here for an article and video explaining how you can practice heian shodan in a small space and still get all the benefits of regular kata practice. Oss!

Step-by-Step Heian Shodan Kata Breakdown
This tutorial assumes a basic understanding of Shotokan terminology and stances. We will use the traditional counting system (Ichi, Ni, San, Shi, Go, Roku, Shichi, Hachi, Ku, Ju, Ju Ichi, Ju Ni, Ju San, Ju Shi, Ju Go, Ju Roku, Ju Shichi, Ju Hachi, Ju Ku, Ni Ju).

Preparation: Yoi (Ready Stance)
Musubi Dachi (Attention Stance). Stand with heels together, feet angled outwards at 45 degrees, hands flat at your sides, thumbs bent.

Hachiji Dachi (Open-Leg Stance) / Yoi. From Musubi Dachi, open your left foot out to the left, then your right foot out to the right, so your feet are shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outwards. Bring your hands together in front of your lower abdomen, right fist covered by left hand, then drop them naturally to your sides in a relaxed ready position.

Heian Shodan Moves

1. Ichi (One): Left Lower Block (Gedan Barai)
* Turn 90 degrees to your left.
* Step out with your left leg into a left Zenkutsu Dachi (Front Stance).
* Simultaneously perform a left Gedan Barai (Lower Block).
* Your gaze should be forward, to your left.

2. Ni (Two): Right Lunge Punch (Oi Zuki)
* From the left Zenkutsu Dachi (after Gedan Barai), step forward with your right leg into a right Zenkutsu Dachi.
* Simultaneously perform a right Oi Zuki (Lunge Punch).

3. San (Three): Turn and Right Lower Block (Gedan Barai)
* From the right Zenkutsu Dachi, rotate 180 degrees counter-clockwise (pivoting on your left foot).
* Step out with your right leg into a right Zenkutsu Dachi.
* Simultaneously perform a right Gedan Barai.
* Your gaze should follow the turn.

4. Shi (Four): Right tate-mawashi tettsui-uchi (vertical circular hammerfist strike)
* From the right Zenkutsu Dachi, pull the right arm back sharply, then circle upwards and come down with a right tate mawashi tettsui uchi.
* Keep the right leg in front zenkutsu dachi.

5. Go (Five): Left Lunge Punch (Oi Zuki)
* From the right Zenkutsu Dachi (after the hammerfist strike), step forward with your left leg into a left Zenkutsu Dachi.
* Simultaneously perform a left Oi Zuki (Lunge Punch).

6. Roku (Six): Turn and perform a left Lower Block (Gedan Barai)
* From the left Zenkutsu Dachi, rotate 90 degrees counter clockwise (pivoting on your right foot).
* Step out with your left leg into a left Zenkutsu Dachi.
* Simultaneously perform a left Gedan Barai.
* Your gaze should follow the turn.

7. Shichi (Seven): Right upper block (Age Uke)
* From the left Zenkutsu Dachi, step forward with your right leg into a right Zenkutsu Dachi.
* Simultaneously perform a right Age Uke.

8. Hachi (Eight): Left upper block (Age Uke)
* From the right Zenkutsu Dachi, step forward with your left leg into a left Zenkutsu Dachi.
* Simultaneously perform a left Age Uke.

9. Ku (Nine): Right upper block (Age Uke) – 1st Kiai
* From the left Zenkutsu Dachi, step forward with your right leg into a right Zenkutsu Dachi.
* Simultaneously perform a right Age Uke.
* Deliver your 1st Kiai on this movement.

10. Ju (Ten): Turn and block with a Left gedan barai (down block)
* From the left Zenkutsu Dachi, rotate 270 degrees counter-clockwise (pivoting on your right foot).
* Step out with your left leg (crossing in front) then transition into a left Zenkutsu Dachi.
* Simultaneously perform a left Gedan Barai (Down Block).
* Your gaze should follow the turn.

11. Ju Ichi (Eleven): Right Lunge Punch (Oi Zuki)
* From the left Zenkutsu Dachi, step forward with your right leg into a right Zenkutsu Dachi.
* Simultaneously perform a right Oi Zuki.

12. Ju Ni (Twelve): Turn and execute a Right Down Block (Gedan Barai)
* From the right Zenkutsu Dachi, rotate 180 degrees clockwise (pivoting on your left foot).
* Step out with your right leg (crossing in front turning clockwise) then land in a right Zenkutsu Dachi.
* Simultaneously perform a right Gedan Barai.
* Your gaze should follow the turn.

13. Ju San (Thirteen): Left Lunge Punch (Oi Zuki)
* From the right Zenkutsu Dachi, step forward with your left leg into a left Zenkutsu Dachi.
* Simultaneously perform a left Oi Zuki.

14. Ju Shi (Fourteen): Turn and Left Lower Block (Gedan Barai)
* From the left Zenkutsu Dachi, rotate 90 degrees counter-clockwise (pivoting on your right foot).
* Step out with your left leg into a left Zenkutsu Dachi.
* Simultaneously perform a left Gedan Barai.
* Your gaze should follow the turn.

15. Ju Go (Fifteen): Right Lunge Punch (Oi Zuki)
* From the left Zenkutsu Dachi, step forward with your right leg into a right Zenkutsu Dachi.
* Simultaneously perform a right Oi Zuki.

16. Ju Roku (Sixteen): Left Lunge Punch (Oi Zuki)
* From the right Zenkutsu Dachi, step forward with your left leg into a left Zenkutsu Dachi.
* Simultaneously perform a left Oi Zuki.

17. Ju Shichi (Seventeen): Right Lunge Punch (Oi Zuki)- 2nd Kiai
* From the left Zenkutsu Dachi, step forward with your right leg into a right Zenkutsu Dachi.
* Simultaneously perform a right Oi Zuki.
* Deliver your 2nd Kiai on this movement.

18. Ju Hachi (Eighteen): Left Shuto Uke (Knife hand Block)
* From the right Zenkutsu Dachi, step around counter clockwise with your left leg, pivoting on your right foot.
* Turn 270° to your left, step into left kokutsu-dachi.
* Execute left shuto-uke (knife-hand block).
* Your gaze follows the turn and remains forward.

19. Ju Ku (Nineteen): Right Shuto Uke (Knife hand Block)
* From the left kokutsu Dachi, bring your right foot up and execute a right Mae Geri.
* From the left kokutsu Dachi, step  45° to your left, into right kokutsu-dachi.
* Perform right shuto-uke.

20. Ni Ju (Twenty): Turn and block Right Shuto Uke (Knife hand Block)
* From the right Kokutsu Dachi, rotate 135 degrees clockwise (pivoting on your left foot).
* Step out with your right leg into a right Kokutsu Dachi.
* Perform right shuto-uke.
* Your gaze should follow the turn.

20. Ni Ju (Twenty): Right Lunge Punch (Oi Zuki)
* From the right kokutsu Dachi, step  45° to your right, into left kokutsu-dachi.
* Perform a left shuto-uke.

Yamae
From the left kokutsu Dachi shuto uke, bring your left foot back to meet your left foot, ending in Shizentai (Yoi).

Rei (Bow)
From Yoi Dachi, bring your feet together to Musubi Dachi.

Perform a standing bow (Zarei), inclining your upper body forward, eyes looking about two meters in front of you.

Heian shodan is the first or second shotokan kata practiced by shotokan karateka when they first start karate.