Shotokan Exercise Three Stance Combination

A simple shotokan karate exercise utilising three stances. Starting in kiba dachi with a left tate shuto, drive off the right leg and turn 45 degrees and perform a right arm gyaku zuki (reverse punch). Then strongly pull the right hip and body back at the same time as you pull the right gyaku zuki arm back. Then perform a left choku zuki (straight punch) in Kiba dachi (horse riding stance), immediately followed by a right choku zuki. Next, drive off from the left leg and turn 45 degrees and perform a left arm gyaku zuki (reverse punch). Then strongly pull the left hip and body back at the same time as you pull the left gyaku zuki arm back. Then perform a right choku zuki (straight punch) in Kiba dachi (horse riding stance), immediately followed by a left choku zuki. Then pull the left hip and left side of the body back as you perform a left shuto uke (knife hand block) in Kokutsu dachi (back stance), immediately start to pull the right hip and right side of the body back as you perform a right shuto uke (knife hand block) in Kokutsu dachi (back stance). Slowly return back to the starting position with a left tate shuto in kiba dachi, then repeat the exercise.

Learn Karate Online - Gyaku zuki or Reverse Punch

This basic karate technique, starts from the back leg, if you are punching with the right arm, drive the right leg, back and into the floor, transferring the driving force through the back leg, to the hip. The hip then teams up with the back leg and they both drive the right side of the body around and forward. You should also use the right side of the body to push and the left side of the body to pull. Just before the rotation completes, the left arm (hikite), starts to pull back and the right arm starts to execute the punch. Everything should stop at the same time, as the punch completes, kime (focus) the mind and body on the point of contact. The whole body focuses for a split second, the obvious muscles to tighten are the arm and stomach muscles, but more important are the tightening of the muscles, thigh, inner thigh, back of the thigh and gluteus maximus (buttocks), because without these being strong the karate reverse punch, will be weak. More karate articles.

Learn Karate - Reverse Punch

Here's a great video showing gyakuzuki (reverse punch), one of shotokan karate's trademark karate moves.This short karate Kumite (sparring) clip, is from the JKA (Japan Karate Association) All Japan Championships (1985).