Goshin-Jutsu bow

The Goshin-Jutsu bow is a signature move performed at the beginning and ending of our kata, to identify our art.

1. From an attention stance facing #1, raise both of your arms up in outside-to-inside arcs, until your hands are in front of your face. Both palms face you, with your left hand on top, and your fingers pointing up.
2. Lower your hands to solar plexus level, while rotating your fingers 45° to the outside.
3. Bend 30° forward at the waist, and push your hands out, palms down, pointing your fingertips to #1.
4. Return to an attention stance.
5. Use a nami-ashi to “snap” into a ready stance, facing #1.

[Goshin-Jutsu bow, fast and slow, from the front and side.]

Like all kata movements, the Goshin-Jutsu bow also has martial applications. The most straight-forward is reaching behind the opponent’s head with your left hand to pull them into a meaty, backhanded slap to their face. The bowing portion pushes the opponent away, to ensure that they fall away from you, and not onto you.

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