Finding the Power of Tekki Karate Kata

By Al Case

Tekki Kata, also known as Haihanchi, is one of the best forms in all the martial arts. Many people refer to it as The Iron Horse. As this name indicates, it is a horse stance form, and the karateka moves from side to side while performing it.

The power generated by this Okinawan Karate form is absolutely awesome. The deep stance works the legs, and the tan tien starts to pump up, and one feels the chi power course through the frame almost from the get go. It is usually taught around black belt level in systems such as Kyokushinkai.

When I first learned Naihanchi I would practice while facing a partner and having 'kata races.' We would mirror each other, and go back and forth, building our speed and perfecting our moves. Eventually, we would find a harmony of motion that one will not see in many martial art patterns.

When I asked my sensei about the origins of the form, he claimed it was made for fighting in rice fields. The footwork enabled one to grip the earth no matter how muddy it got. The sideways movement of the form aligned with the earthwork in the rice paddies.

As my studies progressed I came across the theory that it was designed for riding a horse. A samurai might lose his weapons while riding a horse, but he could keep fighting while gripping the horse with the leg strength built up by the form. I found this a fascinating concept, but it didn't seem to ring quite true.

Eventually, I came across the book 'Shotokan's Secrets,' by Dr. Bruce Clayton. The good doctor claimed that the kata were actually made for combat in the Imperial throne room of old Okinawa. This theory actually made a tremendous amount of sense.

Imagine the scene: foreign soldiers attempt to capture the king of Okinawa, and the front row bodyguards use the movements from the Pinan forms (Heian katas) to create confusion. Meanwhile, the advanced bodyguards shift sideways along the back of the room, and the king is hustled through a rear door and to safety. This theory not only made sense when analyzing the movements of the training pattern, but in the historical sense, too.

What the truth is will be argued as long as Karate is learned. Of course, it doesn't matter as long as the kata builds that good, old fashioned 'chi power' by the truckload. Call it Naihanchi, Tekki, or just The Iron Horse, this Karate Kata will last forever.

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