Kanku Dai Tutorial Mae Geri Manji Gamae

In this short video, we’re going to work on a combination out of shotokan kata Kanku Dai, which a lot of people get confused with because of similar moves in the heian kata and brown belt kata bassai dai.

So from the first kiai position, move your left leg across, keep your weight on the right leg and Strike or block with a left shuto uke, at the same time prepare your right arm high, back of the hand facing your head. Then drive off your right leg and rotate 180 degrees into zenkutsu dachi as the left arm rolls up close to the body for a jodan block and the right arm comes around and strikes shuto uchi.

Next is a mae geri (front kick) to the head, keeping your arms where they are for the kick, then immediately after, prepare for manjae gamae. Using open hand or fist on the preparation, whichever you prefer, then drive off your left leg for the manjae gamae.

Both hands open as you drive forward off your right leg. Some people do shuto uchi, I do nukite. As you move forward with the left leg, palm across with the left, then as finish the zenkutsu dachi, strike nukite.

Next, slowly pull the left leg back into renoji dachi (L shape stance) whilst performing a slow gedan barai, which i use as a throw in application. My left heel is just off the floor, feel like a piece of paper under your heel in the renoji dachi.

keep your body weight on the right leg and drop your body weight, immediately drive off the right leg and repeat the same combination again. Your left leg shoots forward, keep your weight on the right leg and Strike or block with a left shuto uke, at the same time prepare your right arm high, back of the hand facing your head. Then continue to drive off your right leg into zenkutsu dachi, as the left arm rolls up close to the body for a jodan block, the right arm comes around and strikes shuto uchi.

As before, next is mae geri (front kick) to the head, keeping your arms where they are for the kick, then immediately after, prepare for manjae gamae. Using open hand or fist on the preparation, whichever you prefer, then drive off your left leg for the manjae gamae.

Both hands open as you drive forward off your right leg. Some people do shuto uchi, I do nukite. As you move forward with the left leg, palm across with the left, then as you finish the zenkutsu dachi, strike nukite.

Next, slowly pull the left leg back into renoji dachi (L shape stance) whilst performing a slow gedan barai, which i use as a throw in application. My left heel is just off the floor, feel like a piece of paper under your heel in the renoji dachi.

So it’s the same combination repeated twice in this part of Kanku Dai.