Introduction “...theShorin-ryu(Shorin‘school’)isverylightandquick,withrapid motionstothefrontandback,whichmaybelikenedtotheswiftflight ofthefalcon.” -Karate-DoKyohan,GichinFunakoshi,p.8ThePinankata,“formsofsafety”,areaseriesoffiveformsfromtheShorin-ryu(Shuri-te)SchoolofOkinawaKarate-do,whichwasknownforitsspeedandagility.CreatedbyGrandmasterYasutsune“Anko”ItosuandlaterpopularizedbyhisstudentGichinFunakoshi,thePinankataareknownintheShotokanstyleasHeian-no-kata.Theyincorporateawidevarietyofstancesandtechniquesdesignedtodevelopyourmindandstrengthenyourbody.ThePinankatasareoftenthoughtofastrainingmethodsforbeginnersorchildrenandarehenceundervaluedbymoreexperiencedkarateka.ThemainreasonforthekatasbeingviewedthiswayisthefactthattheywerefirstestablishedatthetimeItosuwasintroducingKaratetotheOkinawanschools.SomesaythatthePinansaremealywatereddownversionsoftheadvancedkataandweredevelopedsolelyforchildren.IfthiswerethecasethenwhydidItosualsoteachthePinanstohisadultstudents?ItisfarmorelikelythatItosuhaddevelopedthePinansoveraperiodoftimeandmeantforthemtobeasynthesisofthebestmethodsbeingpractisedintheShuriregion.WhenkaratewasintroducedtotheOkinawanschoolsthePinanswouldbethenaturalchoicebecausetheyarerelativelyshort.Thisisprobablytheonlyreasontheywereselectedandhasnothingtodowiththeeffectivenessoftechniquescontainedwithinthem.Themaindifferencebetweentheadultsandchildren'strainingwouldsimplybeamatterofapproach,asopposedtoanychangeinsubjectmatter.Asmentionedearlier,thechildrenwouldbetaughtthekatasas'blockandpunch'whereastheadultswouldreceiveinstructioninallthemethodscontainedwithinthekatasincludingthrows,chokes,strangles,jointlocks,hairpulling,gougingmethodsetc.Oneoftheproblemswithkaratetodayisthatitisthechildren'sapplicationsthataremostcommonlypracticed.Thishasleadtothemajorityofkaratekapracticingtheartasaratherlimitedstrikingsystemasopposedtothecompletefightingsystemitwasintendedtobe.Pinan4representsthe“Air”withitsopeningseriesbigarmsandopenhands,followedlaterinthekatabysimilarboldbackhandblocksaccompaniedwithhighkicks.Likethewind,youstrikefromallanglesandalldirections,butcannotyourselfbestruckinreturn.

Pinan4

Stance ActionNaturalstanceAttentionstance BowNaturalstance1.Turn90°leftLBS(west) Bothhandsstartfromrighthip(palms up),thenpalmsdown(west),thenleft verticalbackhandblock,rightattemple2.Shift180°right,RBS(east) Bothhandsstartfromlefthip(palms up),thenpalmsdown(east),thenright verticalbackhandblock,leftattemple3.Turn90°left,LFS(north) LeftlowerXblock4.AdvanceRBS Rightreinforcedmiddleblock5.Leftkickingstance(north) Leftsidekickandleftbackfiststrike6.Turn90°left,LDS(west) Lefthorizontalbackhandblock7.ShiftLFS Rightroundhouseelbowintoleftpalm8.Rightkickingstance(north) Rightsidekickandrightbackfiststrike9.Turn90°right,RDS(east) Righthorizontalbackhandblock10.ShiftRFS Leftroundhouseelbowintorightpalm11.Moverightfootinto Leftlowerinnerchop,righthandrightlungestance(east) abovetemple(palmout)12.Shift180°left,leftlungestance Rightdiagonalchop,lefthandabove (facingwest,lookingnorth) lefttemple(palmout)13.Rightkickingstance(north) Holdhandposition,rightfrontsnapkick14.JumpintorightXstance(north) Leftdownwardforearmblockandright reinforcedverticalbackfiststrikeKIAI15.Turn225°left,LCS(southeast) Crosswristsinfrontofchest(palmsin)AdvanceLFS Wedgeblock16.Rightkickingstance Fiststorighthip,rightfrontsnapkick17.AdvanceRFS Rightlungepunch18.MaintainRFS Leftreversepunch19.Turn90°right,RCS(southwest) Crosswristsinfrontofchest(palmsin)AdvanceRFS Wedgeblock20.Leftkickingstance Fiststolefthip,leftfrontsnapkick21.AdvanceLFS Leftlungepunch22.MaintainLFS Rightreversepunch23.Turn45°left,LBS(south) Leftreinforcedmiddleblock24.AdvanceRBS Rightreinforcedmiddleblock25.AdvanceLBS Leftreinforcedmiddleblock26.ShiftLFS Arrowblock27.Rightkickingstance RightupwardkneestriketopalmsKIAI28.Turn180°leftintoLBS(north) Leftknifehandblock29.AdvanceRBS RightknifehandblockNaturalstance(north)Attentionstance BowNaturalstance

ApplicationsThefollowingsetofapplicationsisaslightlymodifiedversionofthesettaughtduringseminarsbyOSenseiDonginthemid-1990s.OSensei’splacedtheemphasisinhisPinan4applicationsonneckbreaks.Thisisnotthatset.Untilwephotographthatsetandupdatethefile,hereareasetofsolidapplicationsfromGennosukeHigaki’swonderfulbookHiddenKarate:TheTrueBunkaifortheHeianKatas.Series1:HighBlocktotheLeft(move1)Beginfromaguardedposition(1abelow).Astheopponentpuncheswithhislefthand,usearisingblockmotiontoblockandcatchhisattackwithyourrightarmasyousimultaneouslydeliveraleftpalmstriketotheface(1b).

Series2:HighBlocktotheRightandThrow(moves2to4)Theopponentattackswitharightpunch(2abelow).Usearisingblockmotiontoblockandcatchhisattackwithyourleftarmasyousimultaneouslydeliverarightpalmstriketotheface(2b).Grasptheopponent’srightelbowwithyourrighthand(3a)andthrowhimtotheground(3b).Ifyouareunabletothrowtheattacker,stepthrough(4a)andfollowupwitharightuppercuttothechin(4b).

Series3:SideKick,ElbowStrikeLeft(moves5to7)

Theopponentattackswitharightlungepunch(5abelow).Chamberyourleftleg(5b)anddeliveraleftsidethrustkickwhileblockingthepunchwithyourlefthand(6).Slideyourlefthandbehindtheopponent’shead(7a)andlandwitharightroundhouseelbowstrike(7b).

Series4:SideKick,ElbowStrikeRight(moves8to14)

Theopponentattackswithaleftlungepunch(8abelow).Chamberyourrightleg(8b)anddeliverarightsidethrustkickwhileblockingthepunchwithyourrighthand(9).Slideyourrighthandbehindtheopponent’shead(10a)andlandwithaleftroundhouseelbowstrike(10b).Useyourrighthandtohookbehindtheopponent’sneck,pulinghimdownandforward(11).Keepaholdoftheopponentwithyourlefthandwhileyoudeliverarightouterchoptotheopponent’sneck(12),deliverarightfrontsnapkick(13),andfinishwitharightuppercutpunch(14).

Series5:WedgeBlock,FrontKick,Punches(moves15to18)

Theopponentattackswithaleftpunch(15abelow).Parrythepunchwithyourrighthandintoyourleft(15b)andlockhisarmattheelbow(15c).Followupwitharightfrontsnapkick(16),arightlunchpunch(17),andaleftreversepunch(18).

Series6:WedgeBlock,FrontKick,Punches(moves19to22)

Theopponentattackswithaleftpunch(19abelow).Parrythepunchwithyourrighthandintoyourleft(19b)andlockhisarmattheelbow(19c).Followupwitharightfrontsnapkick(20),arightlunchpunch(21),andaleftreversepunch(22).

Series7:ReinforcedBlock,KneeKick(moves23to27)

Theopponentattackswithaleftpunch(23abelow).Doubleblock,parryingtheopponent’spunchwithyourrighthand,hookingoverhiswristwhilesimultaneouslyattackingtheelbowjointwithyourlefthand(23b).Maintainyourgraspontheopponent’sarmwithyourlefthandasyouswitch-step,deliveringarightuppercutpunchtotheopponent’sjaw(24b).Grasptheopponentbytheshoulderswithbothhands(26)andpullhimintoarightupwardkneestrike(27).

Series8:Knifehandblocks(moves28to29)

Thefirstknifehandblock(move28)couldbeusedtorecycletheopponentfromseries7above,throwinghimtothegroundtoimpedetheprogressforthefinalopponentwhoattackswitharightpunch.Parrythepunchoveryourrightshoulderwithyourlefthand(29a)thendeliverarightknifehandstriketotheopponent’sneck(29b).Sweeptheopponent’srightfootwithyourrightheelasyoureturntonaturalstance,dumpinghimtothefloorinfrontofyou(30).

Newphotosandapplicationscomingsoon!