Sandra Annika C.

Vestling
PE 13 NF
Reflection on the Taikyoku
After watching and practicing the Taikyoku, why do you think it's important to have good foundation
of the basics?
Taikyoku Shodan is the first kata in the Taikyoku series. It is the most basic of all kata and has
only 20 moves with three recurring techniques: down block, lunge punch, and front stance. Taikyoku is
often interpreted as meaning "First Cause" or "Basic Ultimate" to denote its basic yet important nature.

While watching and practicing the Taikyoko, I think it is important to have a good foundation of
the basics because from there we simply get to know the movements in our hands and well, when it
comes to performing Taikyoko it’s more about putting those moves and executing them with two other
basic moves: the gedan barai or low block, and chudan (middle) oi zuki (sometimes "oi tsuki"), or lunge
punch. All these stances, except at the beginning and end, are zenkutsu dachi. The basics are there to help
in the progress in knowing how to move my feet in ways that allow me to retain balance, add power to my
strikes and change the range.

Repetition of good technique up to muscle memory is its own weapon. It lets the mind plan and
thereby execute more effectively and properly.