Three Set Kuma Tai

To start 2011, I'm updating this post from years ago by adding a video of Mr Galindo doing a very impromptu demo for me of the kata. Enjoy.





This is a somewhat confusing kama in which lines of people face each other across the room, do a few moves, run past each other, do some more moves, and then set up facing each other to do a variation on the same. I have seen only a few people do it elegantly (emphasis on the word few). But I have hopes.

So far, my efforts bring smiles (ok, smirks) to the instructor's faces along with comments about knowing my left and right, not trying to kneel and kick with the same leg at once, perhaps trying to land before kneeling etc etc.

Sometimes it starts with a passthrough where the kohai run past with a high five. It's a way to warmup and check that the lanes are clear.

One. Position. Ready. Ready, for one, means:
Face sideways, left side forward, legs together.
Front block down with left hand, right outward block with right hand.
Step forward with the left leg into a horse stance. The right hand in a chop comes across the chest, the left comes up showing knive edge (ie chop) .
Front right kick,s tepping forward, and then run across the floor.

Jumping right knee up, then front kick with left foot.
Land. Put right knee down and punch with the left.

Spin 180 (towards the side with knee down) finishing with back kick up with right foot and looking over your right shoulder (on your knees, hands on the floor).

Two. Position. Ready.

Xblock, step back into knife edge posture...front kick....return to knife edge posture...spining back hook returning to knife edge posture.......
Run across the floor...
jump front right kick finishing with a hardbow right foot forward and left punch out.
Circle kick with back left leg reversing punch.

Three. Position. Ready.

Turn sidesways and two outward blocks so you look like you are showing your muscles.
Slowly right punch into horsestance. Return to knife edge posture.
More running across the floor.
Flying side kick with right leg. Finish with knife edge.

Position.

Details to remember.
Open or closed hands? Many people get confused on whether their hands should be open or closed on different kata. On 3 set kuma tai, it's alot of open knife hands. For instance. on the first one, the left hand is in front open and the right hand is open in chop at chest level.
On the second hand, after the x block, both hands are again open in the same pose as one both before the front kick and then after the front and spin hook kick.
On the third one, after the double block and slow punch, you again hit that same pose with both hands open.

Slight jump to show agility. Although no instructor has mentioned it, there are a few times when you must leave a low posture to start running. For instance, on the third one when you are in a low horse stance. Instead of going directly into a run (which is awkward from a horse stance), it looks better if you start by sort of jumping up a tiny bit and then starting to run. Only my opinion on this one....