Ugoku ni Roku Hō
Ugoku ni Roku Hō (“The Movement of Six Directions”) seems to have a confusing name. This kata, requires moving forward and backward, and attacking to the left and right -- but to unlock the motion of your hips, you must turn clockwise and counter-clockwise -- and those are also directions.
Ugoku ni Roku Hō is a short and straight-forward form for novice or intermediate students.
Directions
- Slide your right foot to #1 and enter a left extended cat stance, with a head-level right pressing block and a left four-fingered spearhand strike (palm facing downward).
- Quickly rotate your hand palm-out, and grab the opponent’s lapel. Shift into a left full-side-facing with a right makkikomi-shutō uchi to #1.
- Pull your right leg back into a left cat stance, facing #1 with right side guard to #7. (Please refer to the side kick article to see what is meant by a side guard.)
- Enter a left walking crane stance, and setup for a makkikomi-shutō to #7. Grab the opponent’s sleeve with your left hand, and slide your right foot to #7, entering a left full-side-facing, with a right makkikomi-shutō to #7.
- Pull your right foot in, entering a left cat stance facing #1 with a left outside shutō block, into a left grasping block.
- Step your right foot to #8, entering a right front stance facing #1 with a right tate-shutō uchi.
- Use the Futatsu-Mae slither to enter a right back stance facing #1, with a left downward-fist block.
- Shift into a left front stance with a right downward backfist strike and a left rising block.
- Without re-chambering the rising block, execute a right groin-level reverse punch to #1.
- Slowly, and with great tension, execute a right cross-body block with ibuki breathing. Keep your right arm inside of the left arm.
- Draw your left leg back into a right cat stance facing #1, your hands chambered on your hips (open hands, palm up).
- Slide left foot to #1 and enter a right extended cat stance, with a head-level left pressing block and a right four-fingered spearhand strike (palm down).
- Quickly rotate your hand palm-out, and grab the opponent’s lapel. Shift into a right full-side-facing with a left makkikomi-shutō to #1.
- Pull your left leg back into a right cat stance, facing #1 with left side guard to #3.
- Enter a right walking crane stance, and setup for a makkikomi-shutō to #3. Grab the opponent’s sleeve with the right hand, and slide your right foot to #3, entering a right full-side-facing, with a left makkikomi-shutō to #3.
- Pull left foot into a right cat stance facing #1 with a right outside shutō block, into a right grasping block.
- Step your left foot to #8, entering a left front stance facing #1 with a left tate-shutō.
- Use the Futatsu-Mae slither to enter a left back stance facing #1, with a right downward-fist block.
- Shift into a right front stance with a left downward backfist strike and a right rising block.
- Without re-chambering the rising block, execute a left groin-level reverse punch to #1.
- Slowly, and with great tension, execute a left cross-body block with ibuki breathing. Keep your left arm inside of the right arm.
- Draw your right leg back into a left cat stance facing #1, your hands chambered on your hips (open hands, palm up).
- Pull your left foot up into an attention stance. Goshin-Jutsu bow.
Notes
The entire kata is spent facing #1.
Movements 12-22 are mirror images of Movements 1-11.
Bunkai
An opponent attacks with a right pursuit punch from #1, but you deflect this with a pressing block, and using your other arm to maintain control of the centerline, creating a wedge (Movement 1). Grabbing their lapel, you pull the opponent into a makkiomi-shutō to their jaw or neck (Movement 2).
Another opponent approaches from #3, and in preparation, you assume a side guard (Movement 3). As they rush in to grab you, you grab their clothes, brace yourself, and pull then into a makkikomi-shutō to their jaw or neck ( (Movement 4).
The first opponent has survived his injuries, and attacks with a pursuit punch from #1. However, you quickly block the attack (Movement 5), grab their wrist, and counterattack with a tate-shutō to their jaw or neck (Movement 6). The opponent attacks with a right front kick, which you evade and block (Movement 7). The opponent quickly follows up with a right punch, but you stun them with a backfist strike to their nose and block their attack (Movement 8), before incapacitating them with a punch to the groin (Movement 9). If the opponent is allowed to naturally double-over, they will fall on top of you, compromising your balance, so you brace yourself, and brush them off to the right (Movement 10).
You pull into a cat stance, squaring yourself up and checking your balance in anticipation for new attackers (Movement 11).
Movements 12-22 teach the same bunkai, but all attacks and defenses are mirrored.
