Cambridge Karate Club

English - Ten hands

The name Jitte is often interpreted to mean that the kata involves fighting with ten opponents. It contains many unique moves, most strikingly the series of fukikomi stamping kicks landing with yama-uke mountain blocks, and the morote jo-uke double staff blocks followed by twisting movements onto one leg to disarm an opponent. The timing of these blocks appears to vary by organisation and practitioner. In our club we tend to block, then twist the hands quickly, then pull back after a brief pause. An alternative timing appears to be to put the pause after the first block, then twist the hands and quickly pull back.

Make the stance for the second age-uke at the end narrow, then quickly twist into the third age-uke without moving your feet or using a hikite action.

Video links

Videos from YouTube.

Sensei Shiina

A seventh dan instructor at JKA headquarters in Japan. Note the difference the timing of the staff blocks between him and our club.

Sensei Kanazawa

Fast and then slow. Note that he too has slightly different timing on the hand twists, but the direction in which they move is very clear in this video.