SAIHA

• Complexity: Intermediate
• Required for: Red Belt
• Movements:
• Techniques:
• Stances:
• Notes: Saiha (Chinese Zuofa) is from the Okinawa Shorei Ryu and is translated as "Rolling Wave" or "To Break" or "Smash". This form was either brought from or influenced by the Chinese martial arts, namely the white crane systems. Saiha originates in the Okinawan city of Naha and is practiced by the Shindo, Goju and Kyokushin schools.

1. Move north with the right foot at 45°. Slowly bring the left foot to the right into heisoku-dachi facing west. Simultaneously move the hands so that the right fist returns to the ready punch position (i.e. in tate tsuki position) and the open left hand is placed on the front of the right fist, fingers pointing forward.
2. Snap the right elbow up in a circular upper movement (n.b. looking the same direction the elbow is pointing).
3. Move the left foot straight back into kiba-dachi. As you move back, the left hand covers using jodan shotei and the right hand closed, moves inside the left ready to strike.
4. Strike right uraken ganmen-uchi and simultaneously the left hand is pulled back still in shotei, to a cover position slightly above belt level.
5. Move the left foot north at a 45° angle and repeat the entire previous movements but striking with the left arm and the body facing east.
6. Move the right foot north at a 45° angle and repeat the entire previous movement, but striking with the right arm and with the body facing west again.
7. Move north with the left leg. Body facing north in a neko-achi-dachi. Head should be turned and eyes facing east. Hands should be cocked for uchi-uke/gedan-barai.
8. Slide west while performing uchi-uke with the left hand and gedan-barai with the right. At the same time, head snaps back and eyes look north.
9. Perform a mae-geri with the right leg and back to neko-achi-dachi. Hands remain cocked for an uchi-uke/gedan-barai. Head turns and eye looks west.
10. Slide east while performing uchi-uke with the right hand and gedan-barai with the left. At the same time, head snaps back and eyes look north.
11. Perform a mae-geri with the left leg and back to zenkutsu-dachi with both hands cocked by up by your side.
12. Strike Jodan-morote-haito-uchi (a double ridgehand strike, crossed like scissors) to the neck. Than quickly pull back the hands, as if you where grabing something and return them cocked by your side.
13. Strike Jodan- morote-tsuki than keep fists up high but bring more above the head.
14. With both fists in this position, open both hands and swing them slowly down in a circular movement. Once at 45° close the left fist prior to striking the right palm with tettsui (at belt height).
15. Step across with the right foot and turn 180°, in left zenkutsu-dachi with body facing south. Repeat the hand sequence but at the end, strike with a right hand tettsui in the left palm.
16. Leg sweep with the right foot while turning 180° to the right. Finish facing north with the right fist up above the head ready for the strike and the right knee as high as possible. Keep the right foot by the left knee.
17. Stomp the right foot down in sanchin-dachi while striking right tettsui- oroshi-ganmen-uchi. KIAI
18. Open the right fist and execute a fast hooking movement (like pulling the hair) and punch left uraken shita-tsuki.
19. Leg sweep with the left foot while turning 180° to the left. Finish facing south with the left fist up above the head ready for the strike and the left knee as high as possible. Keep the left foot by the right knee.
20. Stomp the left foot down in sanchin-dachi while striking left tettsui- oroshi- ganmen-uchi. KIAI
21. Open the left fist and execute a fast hooking movement (like pulling the hair) and punch right uraken shita-tsuki.
22. Step south bound into right zenkutsu-dachi and punch chudan jun-tsuki.
23. Bring the left foot forward at a 45° angle and extand the left arm and left hand. Pivot 180° and finish facing north in neko-achi-dachi. Simultaneously pull the right hand towards you as if hooking the neck and strike with nukite to the throat.
24. Perform a right mawashi-uke with ibuki.