Goju-Ryu Kata – Saifa

This page will help you to learn Goju-Ryu kata – Saifa. This is the third kata for Goju-Ryu Karate. The meaning of Saifa kata is “To smash and tear”. For details on other Goju-Ryu Karate katas, please visit Black Belt Wiki’s main Goju-Ryu Katas section.

There are 12 official “core” katas for Goju-Ryu. However, the Sanchin kata is occasionally separated into two katas by some schools. Therefore, people are sometimes confused and think there are 13 Goju-Ryu katas. In addition, some Goju-Ryu schools and organizations borrow katas from other styles and they might use more than the official 12 katas. For the meaning of Goju-Ryu kata, please visit the section on Goju-Ryu kata meanings.

To learn about other Karate katas (i.e. Shotokan), please visit Black Belt Wiki’s main Katas & Forms section.

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Instructional Video for Saifa – Goju-Ryu Kata

Demonstration of Saifa – Goju-Ryu Kata

Written Kata Instructions

  • Attention
  • Yoi with feet together at attention left hand over right several inches away from the groin the left hand pushes down while the right hand pushes up creating (explosive) tension
  • The right foot steps out into a front stance
    • The right hand is closed in a fist at the side in chamber but the arm is turned so that the palm is facing the ribs
    • The left hand covers the right
    • Alternatively: the karateka can lean forward at an angle and fall into the front stance with the right foot
    • Then the left foot steps in to the right and you turn 90 degrees to the left looking in the same direction that you turned
    • The hands stay the way that they are (right closed and left covering) and switch sides with the right arm now across the stomach
    • With this previous motion the head is turned 90 degrees to the right looking in the original direction of the attention stance
    • The left leg steps back into a horse stance while the left hand wards a strike from the front
    • The ward of the left rises and falls as though swatting downward a punch coming from the right side
    • As the ward comes back to the chest the right hand delivers a back fist strike and the left hand remains at the center of the chest with the fingers pointed upwards
    • Alternatively: an upward jab can be used instead of the back fist
  • The left foot steps out into a front stance
    • The left hand is closed in a fist at the side in chamber but the arm is turned so that the palm is facing the ribs
    • The right hand covers the left
    • Alternatively: the karateka can lean forward at an angle and fall into the front stance with the left foot
    • Then the right foot steps in to the left and you turn 90 degrees to the right looking in the same direction that you turned
    • The hands stay the way that they are (left closed and right covering) and switch sides with the left arm now across the stomach
    • With this previous motion the head is turned 90 degrees to the left looking in the original direction of the attention stance
    • The right leg steps back into a horse stance while the right hand wards a strike from the front
    • The ward of the right rises and falls as though swatting downward a punch coming from the left side
    • As the ward comes back to the chest the left hand delivers a back fist strike and the right hand remains at the center of the chest with the fingers pointed upwards
    • Alternatively: an upward jab can be used instead of the back fist
  • The right foot steps out into a front stance
    • The right hand is closed in a fist at the side in chamber but the arm is turned so that the palm is facing the ribs
    • The left hand covers the right
    • Alternatively: the karateka can lean forward at an angle and fall into the front stance with the right foot
    • Then the left foot steps in to the right and you turn 90 degrees to the left looking in the same direction that you turned
    • The hands stay the way that they are (right closed and left covering) and switch sides with the right arm now across the stomach
    • With this previous motion the head is turned 90 degrees to the right looking in the original direction of the attention stance
    • The left leg steps back into a horse stance while the left hand wards a strike from the front
    • The ward of the left rises and falls as though swatting downward a punch coming from the right side
    • As the ward comes back to the chest the right hand delivers a back fist strike and the left hand remains at the center of the chest with the fingers pointed upwards
    • Alternatively: an upward jab can be used instead of the back fist
  • The left leg steps into the right so that they are next to each other then it steps out to the left side comfortably
    • Once weight is transferred to the left foot the right slides in and forward into a cat stance with the right foot leading
    • At the same time as moving to the left into the right, the left hand that is is at the center of the chest drops and the right hand opens
    • As the right foot slide over to the cat stance the left arm rises in front of the right and the right arm lowers creating a double arm block with the left resembling a middle block and the right resembling a low block
    • The karateka looks to the left as the double arm block is is completed and then does a quick front kick with the leading right leg from cat stance.
  • After the kick the right leg steps to the right and the left leg slides in and slightly in front to a cat stance with a leading left leg
    • At the same time as the left leg slides in the right hand raises in front of the left and the left lowers to perform a double arm block with the left hand resembling a low block and the right resembling a middle block with the hands open
    • The karate ka looks to the left and then quickly kick with the leading left leg
  • At the end of the kick the left leg steps back into a front stance with the right leg in front
    • Both hands reach out in front and grab
    • Alternatively: the left crosses over the right grabbing around at the left shoulder of an imaginary opponent and the right hand grabbing at the left shoulder of an imaginary opponent
    • The hands pull back into fists at about chest level and then punch at chest level
    • Alternatively: two panther strikes can be used at roughly neck level
    • The fists then pull back at around chest level
    • Then the hands swing together just above the right knee with the right hand closed in a fist with the pal facing upwards and the left hand open palm facing to the right
  • The right leg slides over to the left about two fee or so, enough so that the karate ka can then pivot on both feet ending up with their body turned 180 degrees and their left foot forward in a front stance without bringing their feet off of the ground
    • As the right leg steps over to the left the left hand slides under the right arm, just above the elbow with the back of the left hand on the arm
    • As you pivot turning 180 degrees the back of the left hand slides against the right arm until the end of the arm and the hands pull back grabbing once the next front stance is reached
    • Then a double punch with both hands at about chest level
    • Alternatively: two panther strikes can be used at about neck level
    • The hands then pull back at around shoulder level and then circle down over the left knee
    • The hands are swung together with the left hand closed with the palm facing up and the right hand open with the palm facing to the left
  • The right foot (back leg) lifts up as if avoiding a sweep and stops on the ground (about a foot) next to the left foot as the body turns 90 degrees to the right
    • Alternatively: the right back leg can just step up to the left as the body turns to the right
    • With the stomp the right hand lifts up and comes down for a hammer fist aimed to the head 180 degrees from the direction of the previous front stance, the head turns in this direction as well
    • And the left hand moves into chamber
    • The right hand then pulls down as if pulling on the hair of the opponent down to the hip
    • And the left hand crosses the stomach like an horizontal uppercut
  • The left foot then lifts up as if avoiding a sweep and stops on the ground (about a foot) next to the right as the head turns 180 degrees to the left
    • With the stomp the left hand lifts up and comes down for a hammer fist aimed to the head 180 degrees from the previous hammer fist
    • The head also looks in the direction of the hammer fist
    • And the right hand moves to chamber
    • The left hand then pulls down as if pulling on the hair of the opponent down to the hip
    • And the right hand crosses the stomach like a horizontal uppercut
  • The karateka then steps (in the direction that they are looking) forward with the right and punches with the left
    • Alternatively: they may middle block with the right while stepping forward and then punch with the left with the right hand returning to chamber
    • Alternatively: they may middle block and hook with the right while stepping forward and then punch with the left with the right hand returning to chamber
  • The left foot steps in front of the right and you pivot on the feet 180 degrees into a cat stance with the right leg in front
    • Alternatively: the left foot may circle forward as if trying to sweep an opponent and then turn into the cat stance
    • During the turn the left hand of the out stretched arm opens and the arm bends so that the left hand is above the right (in chamber) and the right hand opens
    • The hands then rotate so that they are on the opposite (left) side of the body wit the left hand in chamber with the hand open and palm up and the right arm is across the body with the right hand palm down over the left
  • The right hand circles across the top of the chest to the right shoulder with the palm facing forward
    • The left hand pulls down so that the palm is also facing forward at the same time
    • The hands stay on the same side of the body but circle to swap places so that the right hand is down by the hip palm forward and the left hand is up by the left shoulder palm forward
    • Both palms keep their orientation and extend to a double palm heel strike
  • Both hands raise to shoulder level palms down then turn and come together right into left and turn as you step back into attention hands left over right
  • Bow

Alternative Steps: There are slight variations at different schools that do not compromise the integrity of the form and are based on personal preference. Check with your instructors for the steps required at your school.