About This Kata
| Name | Seipai [十八手] |
| Translation | Eighteen Hands / Eighteen Techniques |
| Style | Gōjū-ryū |
| Level | Advanced |
| History | Seipai is one of the classical Gōjū-ryū kata transmitted through Higaonna Kanryō from Chinese martial arts in Fujian Province. The number 18 refers to 18 fundamental fighting methods contained within the kata, and also holds Buddhist numerological significance, representing the 18 disciples of Buddha or various aspects of enlightenment. The kata is characterised by dynamic shifts between long-range and close-range techniques, emphasising powerful strikes, quick changes in direction, and effective use of angles. Also romanised as Sepai. |
| Lineage | Chinese martial arts → Higaonna Kanryō (Naha-te) → Chōjun Miyagi, Kyoda Juhatsu; Chōjun Miyagi → Masutatsu (via Goen Yamaguchi) |
Step-by-step movements
| Step | Technique | Translation | Stance | Stance translation | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yoi | yoi | get ready | musubi-dachi | standing stance | Begin after the bow in musubi-dachi. |
| 1 | seipai-no-kamae / migi tate-shuto-uchi | Seipai ready posture / right vertical knife hand strike | yokomuki-shiko-dachi | shiko-dachi stance but facing to the side | Step the left foot back on the central axis and slowly bring the right vertical knife hand strike from rear to front. Lower the open left hand before the solar plexus, palm forwards. |
| 2 | nigiri-awase / morote chudan-awase | joined hands / two-handed middle-level combined action | heiko-dachi / han-zenkutsu-dachi | parallel stance / shortened front stance | Step the left foot forwards, close the right hand around the left as it rises from below, then immediately step the right foot forwards. Extend the joined hands at middle level and rotate them clockwise so the left hand finishes above. |
| 3 | migi age-empi-uchi | right rising elbow strike | naname-shiko-dachi | shiko-dachi stance at an angle | Turn the left foot out into angled square stance and strike upwards with the right elbow while the joined hands remain connected. |
| 4 | hidari gedan teisho-barai | left lower palm heel sweep | kokutsu-dachi | back stance | Step the left foot towards the front. In old-style back stance, sweep low with the left palm heel while the right hand returns to the right shoulder, palm down. |
| 5 | hidari haishu-mawashi-osae-uke | left back-hand circular pressing block | kokutsu-dachi | back stance | Without moving the feet, raise the left hand to shoulder height. The right hand remains in position. |
| 6 | migi jodan shuto-uchi | right upper-level knife hand strike | zenkutsu-dachi | front stance | Turn towards the front and strike with the right knife hand. Draw the open left hand to the hip. |
| 7 | migi mae-geri | right front kick | Kick forwards on the central axis without changing the upper-body posture. | ||
| 8 | migi ushiro-empi-uchi / hidari mae-empi-uchi / hidari jodan uraken-uchi | right backward elbow strike / left front elbow strike / left upper-level back fist strike | yokomuki-shiko-dachi | shiko-dachi stance but facing to the side | Set the right foot back into side-facing square stance. Strike backwards with the right elbow and forwards with the left elbow, then continue immediately into a left upper-level back fist. |
| 9 | mawaru / migi gedan-barai | turn / right downward block | Turn right on the left foot and block downwards with the right arm. The left fist passes beneath the right elbow, palm down. | ||
| 10 | migi chudan uchi-uke / migi kake-uke | right middle-level inside block / right hook block | Raise the right forearm into middle-level inside block, then continue into right hook block, also described as hiki-uke. | ||
| 11 | suihei-osae | horizontal pressing action | heiko-dachi | parallel stance | Cross the left foot in front of the right and turn towards the front. Step the right foot forwards into parallel stance. During the turn, close the right fist and lower the right forearm before the body until it is parallel to the floor and chest; draw the left fist to hikite. |
| 12 | migi gedan furi-uchi / hidari haishu-mawashi-uke | right lower swinging strike / left back-hand circular block | heiko-dachi | parallel stance | Bend the knees slightly, turn left on the left foot, then step the right foot forwards to face 45 degrees left with the back to the front. Strike upwards in an arc with the right hand while the left hand performs a back-hand circular block. |
| 13 | hidari gedan harai-uke / migi chudan teisho-uchi | left lower sweeping block / right middle-level palm heel strike | renoji-dachi | L stance | Slide the left foot far along the same line and follow with the right foot. Finish with the left foot forward in renoji-dachi, blocking low with the left hand and striking middle level with the right palm heel. |
| 14 | morote ninoji-gamae | double parallel-hand guard position | shiko-dachi | square stance | Step the right foot forwards on the same line into square stance and bring both hands before the chest with palms facing each other; the right hand is above. |
| 15 | ashi-barai-fumikomi / nakadaka-ippon-ken hikite | sweeping stamping foot action / middle finger knuckle fist pullback | shiko-dachi | square stance | Draw the sole of the right foot to the left leg while pulling both fists to hikite in nakadaka-ippon-ken. |
| 16 | ryoken nakadaka-ippon-ken gedan-zuki | both downward middle-finger-knuckle punches | shiko-dachi | square stance | Set the right foot back down in square stance and strike vertically downwards with both fists. |
| 17 | mawaru / hidari gedan harai-uke | turn / left lower sweeping block | shiko-dachi | square stance | Turn on the left foot, bring the right foot back onto the same line and perform a left lower sweeping block. Draw the right fist to hikite. |
| 18 | migi gedan harai-uke / hidari chudan teisho-uchi | right lower sweeping block / left middle-level palm heel strike | renoji-dachi | L stance | Step the right foot forwards at 90 degrees to the previous line and perform the mirror image of sequence 15. |
| 19 | morote ninoji-gamae | double parallel-hand guard position | shiko-dachi | square stance | Continue immediately with the mirror image of the ninoji-gamae transition. |
| 20 | ashi-barai-fumikomi / nakadaka-ippon-ken hikite | sweeping stamping foot action / middle finger knuckle fist pullback | shiko-dachi | square stance | Perform the mirror image of the foot-drawing and hikite action. |
| 21 | ryoken nakadaka-ippon-ken gedan-zuki | both downward middle-finger-knuckle punches | shiko-dachi | square stance | Repeat the downward double knuckle strike in the opposite direction. |
| 22 | mawaru / migi gedan harai-uke | turn / right lower sweeping block | shiko-dachi | square stance | Complete the mirror image of the turn and lower sweeping block from sequence 19, facing the opposite direction from the front. |
| 23 | hidari chudan yoko-uke / jodan furi-zuki | left middle sideward block / upper-level swinging punch | neko-ashi-dachi | cat stance | Set the right foot level with the left heel and turn left to face the front. Finish in left cat stance with left middle-level sideward block, also described as uchi-uke, and upper-level swinging punch. |
| 24 | migi chudan yoko-uke / jodan furi-zuki | right middle sideward block / upper-level swinging punch | kosa-dachi | crossing stance | Jump the right foot forwards and set the left foot crossed behind it. Perform the mirror image of the previous hand actions. Some versions also use bensoku-dachi here. |
| 25 | mawaru / hidari chudan kake-uke | turn / left middle-level hook block | heiko-dachi | parallel stance | Turn both feet 90 degrees to the rear-left relative to the previous line and finish in left parallel stance. Perform left middle-level hook block, also described as hiki-uke; return the right hand to the side. |
| 26 | mawaru / hidari gedan furi-uchi | turn / left lower swinging strike | heiko-dachi | parallel stance | Turn right on both feet into right parallel stance. Swing the left fist at lower level with the inside of the fist turned outwards, while closing the right hand and drawing it to hikite. |
| 27 | hidari jodan uraken-uchi | left upper-level back fist strike | heiko-dachi | parallel stance | Strike with the left back fist from the preceding position. |
| 28 | mawaru / migi chudan gyaku-yoko-uke | turn / right middle-level reverse sideward block | heiko-dachi | parallel stance | Turn left on the spot to return to the direction of sequence 27, still in left-facing parallel stance. Perform the right middle-level reverse sideward block and draw the left fist to hikite. |
| 29 | migi mae-geri | right front kick | Kick with the right leg in the same direction without changing the fist position. | ||
| 30 | hidari chudan ura-zuki | left middle-level uppercut | shiko-dachi | square stance | Withdraw the right foot into square stance and perform left middle-level uppercut. The guarding-hand detail in this movement is ambiguous because the left hand is also the punching hand. |
| 31 | mawaru / migi chudan kake-uke | turn / right middle-level hook block | heiko-dachi | parallel stance | Turn right on the right foot and bring the left foot through to face the opposite direction in right parallel stance. Perform the mirror image of sequence 27. |
| 32 | mawaru / migi gedan furi-uchi | turn / right lower swinging strike | heiko-dachi | parallel stance | Continue with the mirror image of sequence 28. |
| 33 | migi jodan uraken-uchi | right upper-level back fist strike | heiko-dachi | parallel stance | Repeat the back fist on the opposite side. |
| 34 | mawaru / hidari chudan gyaku-yoko-uke | turn / left middle-level reverse sideward block | heiko-dachi | parallel stance | Repeat the reverse sideward block on the opposite side. |
| 35 | hidari mae-geri | left front kick | Repeat the front kick on the opposite side. | ||
| 36 | migi chudan ura-zuki | right middle-level uppercut | shiko-dachi | square stance | Repeat the uppercut finish on the opposite side. |
| 37 | mawaru / ninoji-no-kamae | turn / parallel-hand guard position | neko-ashi-dachi | cat stance | Turn right towards the front, carrying the left foot in a large arc until it lines up with the right. Move the right foot slightly left and settle into cat stance on the central axis. Finish with ninoji-no-kamae. |
| 38 | nage-waza | throwing technique | neko-ashi-dachi | cat stance | Step the right foot back on the line into left cat stance. Rotate both hands clockwise as they gradually close into fists, then draw them to the body with the left fist higher than the right. |
| 39 | morote mawashi-uchi | double circular strike | neko-ashi-dachi | cat stance | Without changing position, strike the right fist into the left hand in front of the lower abdomen. Both fists first move away from the body, then meet in the centre in a wide circular action. |
| Yame | naore / rei | return / bow | musubi-dachi | standing stance | Step the left foot back and rise into musubi-dachi. Rotate the hands around one another, lower them before the abdomen and bow. |
Variation note
Seipai is practised with recognised differences between Gōjū-ryū lineages and organisations. This table records one coherent version for use on Kata Step By Step.
Other versions may differ in the way movements are grouped, the terminology used for particular techniques, hand formations, stance details and the interpretation of hidden or feinting movements. Notable variations include the opening seipai-no-kamae, which may be described as a vertical knife-hand posture, joined-hand guard or arrow block depending on lineage or teaching tradition. The circular receiving and pressing actions may also be named differently, including kake-uke, hiki-uke, haishu-mawashi-osae-uke, suihei-osae or broader application-based descriptions. The square-stance section may be described using nakadaka-ippon-ken, double knuckle strikes or double punch terminology. Later movements may also be grouped differently, especially the hook-block, front-kick, uppercut and circular-punch sections. The final sequence may be described as a throwing action, pulling action, fist-into-palm strike or morote-mawashi-uchi.
These differences should generally be understood as lineage and terminology variations rather than errors.
Kata steps and diagrams to come. If you would like to help completing this page, please contact me (mark.loftusuk@gmail.com).