Introduction to Kata Bassai Dai | GKR Karate
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Introduction to Kata Bassai Dai

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  • Introduction to Kata Bassai Dai

To date, you’ve been assessed on Taigyoku Shodan, Taigyoku Nidan, and more recently, Saifa. Each of these kata were 20 counts long. As a novice, you likely struggled to maintain 100% physical intensity and focus throughout the entire kata, but as time passed both your mind and body would have conditioned themselves to the challenge.

So now you’ve arrived at blue belt and you’re introduced to Bassai-dai. With its 38 counts, this kata is nearly twice as long. This makes blue belt an exciting time in a person’s journey because it’s where we once again find ourselves outside of our comfort zone with a new challenge for both our body and mind.

Bassai-dai also introduces us to new self-defence techniques such as Kensetsu-geri (which is a thrust kick to an opponent’s knee), Mikazuki geri (crescent kick) which can be used as a block, to knock an opponent’s guard down or as a close quarter kick coming from outside the opponent’s peripheral vision. It also uses sukui uke (scooping block), a technique for catching an opponent’s kick and turning them around, plus dan tsuki (simultaneous double punch) to name a few, and incorporates for the first time, kokutsu-dachi (back leaning stance) and kiba dachi (horse riding stance) into a kata. Both of these stances are excellent for maintaining balance should an opponent every try to seize you in combat.

While kata may appear as a combination of movements one must learn in order to grade, its real purpose runs far deeper, and that is to equip us with new skill sets valuable for self-defence.

To perform Bassai-dai well, we must now develop powerful and explosive hip movement. This rotation of the hips must also work in sync with any hand techniques, all the while maintaining a solid stance.

Early on, most students struggle to develop this hip movement but like anything, it will come along with focused practise. One pitfall all students must be wary of when developing their hip movement is not to compromise the quality of their stance. Developing co-ordinated and explosive hip rotation that can operate without compromising a deep solid stance is essential for any self-defence situation.

Bassai-dai also promotes explosive straight line speed, another essential skill for self-defence. While we work on this principle in the first two kata, Bassai-dai incorporates it with different stances, namely back-leaning stance and horse riding stance. Back leaning stance is very effective in terms of self-defence as it allows us to prevent an opponent from taking us to ground (should they seize us). Beyond this, it also allows us to generate enormous power should we choose to punch, or shuto-uke. The shuto uke block, which is commonly associated with back leaning stance, has numerous uses for combat. It can act as a strike to the neck or even as a takedown.

For more information on the applications of Back Leaning Stance or Knife Hand Block, visit the Orange belt section of The Belt Journey.

GKR Karate Belt Journey
GKR Karate Belt Journey – Introduction GKR Karate Grading Criteria You May Feel Like You’re Not Improving Break Through the Boredom Barrier Does Empty Hand Mean No Weapons? Kata Is A Tree With Many Branches Beware Of The Autopilot Enjoy Your Journey
White Belt 10th Kyu
Introduction Introduction to Kata We Are With You All The Way Benefits of Karate Japanese Traditions White Belt Curriculum Introduction to Stances Introduction to Strikes Introduction to Blocks Introduction to Kicks The Karate Grading System White Belt Kids Frequently Asked Questions
Yellow Belt 8th Kyu
Yellow Belt 8th Kyu – Introduction Introduction to Kata Gaining A Deeper Understanding of Kata First and Second Kata First Kata Technical Checklists Second Kata Technical Checklists Kata Home Practice History of First and Second Kata Taigyoku Kata Lineage to GKR An Introduction to Kumite Relationship Between Kihon and Kumite Relationship Between Kata Kumite and Self Defence Grading Requirements for 7th Kyu Orange Belt
Orange Belt 7th Kyu
Orange Belt 7th Kyu – Introduction Introduction to Advanced Stances Introduction to Kata Saifa Saifa Home Practice Saifa History Saifa Lineage to GKR Orange Belt 7th Kyu – Kumite Tips Grading Requirements for 6th Kyu Green Belt
Green Belt 6th Kyu
Green Belt 6th Kyu – Introduction What is Expected of You Saifa Home Practice Applying What You Know The Magic Is In The First Few Punches Class Wants and Needs Green Belt 6th Kyu – Kumite Tips Grading Requirements For 5th Kyu Blue Belt
Blue Belt 5th Kyu
Blue Belt 5th Kyu – Introduction Introduction to Kata Bassai Dai Bassai Dai Technical Aspects and Self Defence Bassai Dai History Bassai Dai Lineage to GKR Blue Belt Blues Blue Belt 5th Kyu – Kumite Tips Grading Requirements for 4th Kyu Red Belt
Red Belt 4th Kyu
Red Belt 4th Kyu – Introduction The Journey Continues Developing a Greater Understanding of Kata Bassai Dai Home Practice The Purpose of Kata Practice Beware of Your Autopilot Red Belt Potholes Grading Requirements for 3rd Kyu Brown Belt
Brown Belt 3rd Kyu
Brown Belt 3rd Kyu – Introduction Remove Self Imposed Limitations Advanced Techniques Introduction to Kata Seiunchin Seiunchin Home Practice Seiunchin History Seiunchin Lineage to GKR Brown Belt 3rd Kyu – Kumite Tips Grading Requirements For 2nd Kyu Brown Belt
Brown Belt 2nd Kyu
Brown Belt 2nd Kyu – Introduction Maintain Progress Introduction to Kata Empi Empi Home Practice Empi History Empi Lineage to GKR Brown Belt 2nd Kyu – Kumite Tips Grading Requirements for 1st Kyu Brown Belt
Brown Belt 1st Kyu
Brown Belt 1st Kyu – Introduction Get On Track For Black Belt Introduction to Kata Sanseru Sanseru History Sanseru Lineage to GKR Introduction to Kata Sepai Sepai History Sepai Lineage to GKR Brown Belt 1st Kyu – Kumite Tips Grading Requirements For Shodan Ho
Black Belt Shodan Ho
A New Journey Begins Introduction to Kata Hangetsu Hangetsu: Home Practice Hangetsu History Hangetsu Lineage to GKR Advanced Techniques Shodan Ho Kumite Tips Grading Requirements for Shodan 1st Dan Black Belt
Black Belt 1st Dan
Focus On The Journey Not The Destination Going From Good to Great A Black Belt Is Always A Black Belt Introduction to Kanku Dai and Kururunfa History Of Kanku Dai Kanku Dai Lineage to GKR Introduction to Kanku Dai and Kururunfa History of Kururunfa Kururunfa Lineage to GKR Shodan Kumite Tips Grading Requirements For Nidan 2nd Dan Black Belt
Black Belt 2nd Dan
Become A Knowledge Seeker Introduction to Shisochin Shisochin Lineage to GKR Introduction to Kanku Sho Kanku Sho Lineage to GKR Tips For Kata Progress Nidan Kumite Tips Grading Requirements For Sandan 3rd Dan Black Belt
Black Belt 3rd Dan
Introduction to Kata Seisan Seisan History Introduction to Kata Sochin Sochin History Sochin Lineage to GKR Sandan Kumite Tips

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