The last blog was on Kata Tekki Sandan. Now let’s look at another Kata known as Kata Jion. The term ‘Jion’ originally meant “temple sound”. This Kata involves a lot of basic movements in the forward stance and horse stance. However, there’s a lot of practice required to master it as your basics need to be quite sound.

In this Kata, the Karateka uses:

• Horse stance
• Forward stance
• Snap kick
• Hammer fist
• Palm heel strike
• Punch and double punch
• Open hand upper block and fist upper block
• Downward, outer and inner forearm block

Let’s understand the sequence of movements for this Kata. We start with the fist covered by open hand similar to Kata Bassai Dai. Move your left leg back and perform a quick block – left hand down and right hand up. Now move your left leg forward at a 45-degree in a forward stance, cross your fists and breathe slowly. Follow this with a snap kick forward, a leading punch, and then a double punch. The snap kick is similar to a front kick, but keeping the toes straight rather than using the ball of the foot.

Next count is to the other side, 45-degree angle again, breathe, snap kick forward, leading punch, and double punch. Keep in mind that it’s not three punches in succession, but a single punch first, followed by a double punch.

Now shift your front leg to a forward stance in a straight line. Perform an open hand upper block with your right hand (opposite hand to the foot), left hand fist upper block, and a right hand punch. Move forward one step and repeat the same – open hand upper block, fist upper block, and a punch. Now move forward another step, open hand upper block, fist upper block, and a move forward punch.

Next, turn back, open both hands, switch to a back stance, and perform a downward block. Shift from the back stance to a horse stance, with a short jump. Shift your weight to the back stance again, open hands, clench your fists, and shift to a horse stance again. Pay attention to your head movement – when you’re in a back stance your head should be facing sideways, and when you’re in a horse stance your head should be facing forward.

Move your left leg to a forward stance with a down block. Now move three steps forward in a horse stance with a palm heel strike. Join your legs, open hands, and switch to a back stance. Bring your fists together near your waist, join your legs together, knees slightly bent, and perform an upward strike. Look to the other side, open your hands, switch to back stance, downward block, bring your fists together near your waist, join your legs and perform an upward strike.

Now look forward, cross your fists, breathe slowly, lift your right knee up, and perform a kick block. Come back, move your back (left) leg to a forward stance position, and pull down your hands. Move forward with a double hand back fist strike. Join your right leg, and place your right wrist over your left wrist (both fists clenched). The left hand fingers should be facing you and the right hand fingers should be facing the ground.

Move forward with your right leg and perform a quick back fist strike, left hand covering your forehead and right hand pointed downwards. Lift your hands as if you’re performing an outer forearm block, and execute a back fist strike again. Make a 3/4th turn and switch to forward stance with an inner forearm block, move forward and middle punch. Similarly, back turn, forward stance, inner forearm block, move forward and middle punch.

Now make a half turn to the straight line, and perform three hammer fists in succession, on a horse stance. Ensure you lift your knee up and land in a horse stance with the hammer fist. Join your legs, open your right hand (with your left hand in a fist), breathe in a slow count, switch to horse stance, and perform a sideways punch with a small jump. Move your left hand towards your right, breathe in a slow count, and jump with a punch to the right. Come back to starting position and bow.

That ends the movements for Kata Jion. If you have any doubts, just read through again and practice it one count at a time until you perfect it. In the upcoming blog, we’ll explore the Kata Nunchaku. You’re sure to find this one interesting, so continue reading and learning!