Bassai dai

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Bassaidai (披塞大 or 抜砦大), literally "To Storm a Castle, major" or "To Penetrate a Fortress, major" is a kata practiced in Shotokan karate and is one of many variations of the Passai kata. There are two Bassai kata, the other one being Bassai sho, and although the "Sho" translates to "minor", it is taught after Bassai Dai. Bassaidai is characterised by repeated changing of the blocking arms to represent the feeling of shifting from a disadvantageous position to an advantageous one and repeated attacks such as the three consecutive yama zuki represent penetrating a strong defence^[1]. Bassai dai is usually classed as an intermediate kata and is generally first taught to karateka at 4th kyu (purple belt with white stripe) and in some federations is allowed be performed as a grading kata as far as 1st dan (black belt). In KUGB Shotokan and JKA Shotokan Bassaidai is learnt at 3rd kyu and tested at each subsequent grading until 1st kyu. It may then again be used for taking 1st dan (a large number of students do this) or another kata may be chosen.

1 Execution
2 References
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] Execution

Refer to List of shotokan techniques for translations of Japanese terms. "North" refers to the direction that one faces at the beginning of the kata, when one is in the yoi (ready) position.

Kata Yoi: Bring feet together by shifting right foot to left foot with feet pointing forwards and with right fist clenched and in front with left land gripping - like a Chinese kung fu bow.

Step forward into right kosa dachi whilst executing right uchi ude uke
Rotate 180° counterclockwise into left zenkutsu dachi whilst executing left uchi uke chudan
Execute standing right uchi uke gyaku hanmi
Rotate on the left foot 180° clockwise and execute left soto uke gyaku hanmi whilst landing into right zenkutsu dachi
Execute right uchi uke
Execute right sokumen uke gedan whilst rotate-shifting 90° clockwise into heisoku dachi followed by a right nagashi uke once stance settles at upright position. Immediately follow up with a right soto uke whilst stepping forward into a right zenkutsu dachi
Execute left uchi uke gyaku hanmi
Slowly rotate shift 90° counterclockwise into hachiji dachi with right koshi gamae
Slowly execute left tate shuto uke
Execute right choku zuki and then immediately execute right uchi uke whilst statically rotate-shifting 90° couterclockwise into a short, left zenkutsu dachi
Execute left choku zuki whilst statically rotate-shifting 90° clockwise into hachiji dachi whilst executing left choku zuki and then immediately execute left uchi uke whilst statically rotate-shifting 90° clockwise into a short, right zenkutsu dachi
Execute right shuto uke whilst stepping north into right kokutsu dachi
Execute left shuto uke whilst stepping forward into left kokutsu dachi
Execute right shuto uke whilst stepping north into right kokutsu dachi
Execute left shuto uke whilst stepping backwards into left kokutsu dachi
Execute left tate shuto uke along with a right soete whilst shifting statically into left zenkutsu dachi
Execute right yoko geri kekomi gedan (kiai) followed by a left shuto uke whilst rotating into a left kokutsu dachi
Execute right shuto uke whilst stepping forward into right kokutsu dachi
Slowly step back into a heisoku dachi whilst slowly executing a morote age uke
Execute tettsui hasami uchi whilst stepping forward into right zenkutsu dachi and then immediately execute a right oi zuki whilst shuffling forward
Simultaneously rotate 180° counterclockwise and execute left shuto gedan barai and right kaisho uke and land into left zenkutsu dachi whilst executing left nagashi uke and right shuto uchi gedan simultaneously
Rotate shift into left heisoku dachi while both keeping head facing north and executing a left manji gamae
Rotate-step 180° counterclockwise into right kiba dachi and simultaneously execute right fumikomi and right gedan barai
Look left and execute a slow left haishu uke
Execute right mikazuki geri whilst stepping forward into kiba dachi and execute right mae mawashi empi whilst landing
Execute right gedan barai with left soete, followed swiftly with a left gedan barai with right soete and then a right gedan barai with left soete
Execute a left koshi gamae whilst rotate-shifting 90° clockwise into right zenkutsu dachi and then execute yama zuki
Step back into heisoku dachi with right koshi gamae and then simultaneously execute left fumikomi and yama zuki whilst stepping forward into left zenkutsu dachi
Step back into heisoku dachi with left koshi gamae and then simultaneously execute right fumikomi and yama zuki whilst stepping foward into right zenkustsu dachi
Execute a right sokumen uke gedan whilst rotating 270° counterclockwise into left zenkustsu dachi
Execute a left sokumen uke whilst rotating 180° clockwise into right zenkustsu dachi while keeping head facing north
Execute a right shuto uke whilst stepping forward in the northeast direction into a right kokutsu dachi
Whilst rotating 90° clockwise, rotate head to face the opposite direction of the right kokutsu dachi
Step in the direction you are facing and execute a left shuto uke whilst stepping into left kokutsu dachi (kiai)