GKR Kata Empi

This is Mark Brown, the totally blind martial arts expert who can be seen here performing the shotokan style kata of Empi at a recent GKR Black Belt grading.

Mark graded to Shodan 1st Dan Black Belt at this Go Kan Ryu grading by performing the kata of Empi to a high standard.

Kata Empi, is an advanced form usually only practised by high level grades, however at GKR the kata is taught quite early and is normally the sixth kata you will learn.

A series of facial punches, knee strikes, blocks and dropping punches make up this kata alongside traditional knife hand shuto karate chop techniques. The kata uses variable speed from slow motion technqiues to explosive movements at various different level. Empi is often thought of as a real karate kata due to the range of techniques used throughout the form.

Empi is also known as the flight of the swallow due to the fast and slow switching nature of the form.