In the Heian and Pinan kata there is a weird elbow move with your fist on your hip. It looks very odd. Surprisingly enough, it appears in boxing quite often, and the old-timers used it to great effect. This video lesson from my Kata Bunkai That Works series looks at one useful application of it.

It is for karate people who have practised the Heians or Pinans for years and never been given an explanation of this move that made sense.

Why It Looks So Strange

Kata moves are often written in an exaggerated form. The fist on the hip and the raised elbow look nothing like how you would stand in a fight. That is because the kata is showing you the shape and the direction, not the exact position you would use against a person.

When you shrink the shape down and put it in close to a body, it starts to look much more familiar. That is when you can see it in boxing.

One Shape, Many Uses

There are many reasons for that kata move. The one in this lesson is very useful and just works. In general terms, an elbow shape close to your own body can:

  • Cover the side of your head and ribs at close range
  • Deflect or jam an incoming hook
  • Move your opponent's arm out of the way to create an opening
  • Turn into a strike itself if the distance is right

That is why a boxer working on the inside can end up in almost the same shape as the kata, even if they have never seen a Heian in their life.

Common Mistakes

The most common mistake is doing the move exactly as it appears in the kata, big and stiff, against a partner. In reality it needs to be tight and connected to your body. The other mistake is forgetting the hand on the hip. In most kata, the hand that seems to be resting is usually pulling, holding or controlling something.

How To Practise It

Go through the move slowly in the kata, then do it again in a smaller, tighter shape. With a cooperative partner, try it against a slow hook at close range. Feel how your body, not just your arm, takes the force. Keep the contact light and controlled, and only add speed once the shape is right. Elbows are hard, so take care near the head.

Take It Further

There are many more applications like this in Kata Unleashed. If you want to see how boxing and old karate overlap, the Learn To Box Online Course is a good companion.