Pyung Ahn Series and What You Learn From It - - Chief Instructor's Blog June 2013

In my April 2013 blog, I discussed the Kibon series and what you learn from it. In this blog, I will discuss the Pyung Ahn series. If the Kibon series is about learning to crawl and walk, the Pyung Ahn series is more about learning to run.

The Pyung Ahn series contains five forms and was created by Anko Itsou, a master of Okinawan Karate in 1907 [1], and introduced into the school systems thereafter. In Okinawan this form is called Pinan and in Japanese it is called Heian. ”Pyung-ahn" is a Korean pronunciation of the term "pin-an.”

Pinan is most often translated as "well-balanced" and "peaceful". Another translation based on the original Chinese characters is “Safe from Harm” [2, Article 39].

Pyung Ahn series is more dynamic and has more variations of transition in a specific stance or from stance to stance at various angles. Once through the Pyung Ahn series, students should feel more comfortable and competent to transition to and from any stance to any stance in any direction. Examples in the forms include:

Pyung Ahn 1:
• 90 Degree Turns in Horse Stance

Pyung Ahn 2:
• Sparring Cat Stance to Cat Stance
• Cat Stance to Natural Stance
• Natural Stance to Attack Stance
• 45 Degree/135 Degree Cat Stance Turns
• 45 Degree/135 Degree Attack Stance Turns

Pyung Ahn 3:
• Cat Stance to Closed Stance
• 360 Degree Spin into Attack Stance
• 180 Degree from Attack Stance to Closed Stance
• 180 Degree from Attack Stance to Horse Stance

Pyung Ahn 4:
• 180 Degree Turn from Sparring Cat Stance to Sparring Cat Stance
• Attack Stance to Closed Stance
• Closed Stance to 45 Degree Attack Stance
• Attack Stance to Cat Stance with leg slid behind

Pyung Ahn 5:
• Closed Stance to Attack Stance
• 270 Degrees from Attack Stance to Horse Stance
• Horse Stance to Sparring Cat Stance wit leg slid behind
• Cat Stance “jumping to” Cross Step Stance
• Cross Step Stance to Elongated Attack Stance

Pyung Ahn series also helps students focus and practice linear strikes. Some examples include:

Pyung Ahn 1:
• Forward/Downward Hammer Fist
• Double Knife Hand

Pyung Ahn 2:
• Outward Hammer Fist
• Outward Knife Hand

Pyung Ahn 3:
• Outward Hammer Fist
• Backhands
• Hook Punch

Pyung Ahn 5:
• Outward Hammer Fist
• Crescent Kick
• Outward Hammer Fist/ Hook Punch Combo

Pyung Ahn series also provides more opportunities for the students to practice becoming more competent in staying centered and balanced in techniques. Examples include:

Pyung Ahn 2:
• Extended Spear Hand

Pyung Ahn 3:
• Extended Spear Hand
• 360 Degrees to Attack Stance Outward Hammer Fist
• Stamping Side Kicks

Pyung Ahn 4:
• Attack Stance Downward ‘X’ Block
• Front Kick/Backhand combination

Pyung Ahn 5:
• Attack Stance Downward ‘X’ Block
• Attack Stance Upward ‘X’ Block
• Crescent Kick across body to the Left palm

In the Pyung Ahn series, many more combinations are introduced including combinations of two techniques at the same time.

Pyung Ahn series also provides more opportunities for the students to practice and become more competent in grounding. The techniques challenge students by trying to raise their ground, or transition to a narrower stance that requires more focus on grounding. Examples include:

Pyung Ahn 1:
• Four final Horse Stance Double Knife Hand strikes

Pyung Ahn 2:
• Opening move: Sparring Cat Stance Combination Left Medium Block / Right Rising Block combinations
• Transition from Cat Stance Reverse Straight Punch to Natural Stance
• Final move: Attack Stance Reverse Upward Punch

Pyung Ahn 3:
• Opening move : Closed Stance Combination Right Medium Block/ Left Low Block
• 360 Degrees to Attack Stance Outward Hammer Fist

Pyung Ahn 4:
• Opening move : Sparring Cat Stance Combination Outward Ridge Hand / Knife Hand Rising Block
• Closed Stance Hook Punch
• Rear Leg Front Kick to Cat Stance with leg slid behind transition
• Attack Stance Upward and Forward Double Palm Strike
• Knee Strike to 180 Degree Cat Stance Attack

Pyung Ahn 5:
• Transition to and execution of Closed Stance Hook Punch
• Attack Stance Upward ‘X’ Block
• 270 Degree Turn to Horse Stance Combination Right Stamping Side Kick/ Right Outward Hammer Fist/ Left Hook Punch
• Right Crescent Kick across body to the Left palm
• Sparring Cat Stance Reverse Medium Block with Left palm fingertips under Right elbow transition to setting Right fist Upward
• Transition from Cross Step Downward ‘X’ Block to Elongated Attack Stance Combination Medium Block/ Low Block
• Transition from Elongated Attack Stance Combination Medium Block/ Low Block to second Elongated Attack Stance Combination Medium Block/ Low Block

Many techniques throughout the Pyung Ahn series do not use reciprocals. This is intentional and provides students ways practice and become effective in throwing techniques without relying on reciprocals to provide power.

For advanced students, they should look at all techniques and ensure their energy is linear even though aspects of the techniques may appear not to be linear. The Pyung Ahn series also introduces some techniques that attempt to split energy. Black Belt students should practice these techniques focusing on keeping the energy centered.

As in the Kibon series, students should also practice and study the techniques and combinations in the Pyung Ahn series in self-defense applications, including the transitions and the turns.

In addition, students should take any aspect of a technique learned in the Pyung Ahn series and apply it to the Kibon series.

The Pyung Ahn series has so much information and challenges within these five forms it could take decades to master all if it. Take your time and study each aspect of these five forms.

Gichin Funakoshi in reference to these forms wrote “Having mastered these five forms, one can be confident that he is able to defend himself competently in most situations [3]”.

In future blogs, I will describe the overall goals of the advanced hyung.

Regards,
Kelly

“To practice kata is not to memorize an order. You must find the kata that work for you, understand them, digest them and stick with them for life." ~ Gichin Funakoshi (1868-1957), founder of Shotokan Karate

References
1. The Essence of Okianwan Katate-Do by Shoshin Nagamine
2. http://www.iainabernethy.com/articles/article_home.asp
3. Karate-Do Kyohan: The Master Text by Gichin Funakoshi