Tekki Sandan

鉄騎 三段

The Tekki series consists of three kata with always the same stance, namely Kiba-Dachi (or straddle stance), while moving side to side in a linear fashion, meaning that the embusen (or line of movement) is a straight line, running horizontally. Introduced by Gichin Funakoshi (1868 – 1957), the name Tekki ( 鉄騎 ) combines two Kanji characters: Tetsu ( 鉄 ), meaning ‘iron’ or ‘steel’, and Ki ( 騎 ), meaning ‘to ride on a horse’, ‘equestrian’, or ‘knight’. Put together, the name Tekki means ‘Iron Knight’ or ‘Steel Horse Riding’. The third and final kata of this straddle stance series is named Sandan ( 三段 ), meaning ‘third grade’. This kata is about counter striking. In the video embedded below (recorded on 19 June 2023), budoka Johan Oldenkamp, a former national runner-up from the Netherlands, performs this third grade Steel Horse Riding kata of Shotokan ( 松濤館 ) Karatedo ( 空手道 ).

In the next video (recorded on 24 February 2025), budoka Johan Oldenkamp performs the Bunkai of this Tekki Sandan kata. Bunkai (or 分解 in Japanese) literally means ‘analysis’ or ‘disassembly’. In this Bunkai, the kata of Tekki Sandan is broken down and studied for its offensive and defensive elements in four practical applications.

© Shotokan-Karatedo.org : This page was last updated on 2023/06/20.