This coming month I will be doing a thematic focus on the Okinawan karate kata known as naihanchi (or Tekki in some circles). This kata forms the core of most of the Okinawan styles, and is a most remarkable exercise.
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Quickly though, before you aikido and judo guys lose interest and tune out, you should know that this kata is a grappling exercise that makes extensive use (as you would expect of a karate kata) of atemi. Or another way of thinking about this thing is it illustrates some great ideas about using atemi in grappling situations, much like aikido and much like some of the judo curriculum!
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Stay tuned for a LOT more on this fantastic exercise, and in the mean-time, check out this video...
