Last Updated on Wednesday, 24 November 2010 21:17 Thursday, 02 December 2004 08:52

Seisan is the seventh of the nine Zen Do Kai katas.

This is the first kata of the final three forms - the spiritual forms. Seisan draws on the metaphor of the snake protectively curling itself around the blade of a sword seven times, as is depicted in martial arts history. During the three repeats of the centre run of this form, the practitioner's fists are slowly reared and then thrust outwards like the head of a striking snake. The turning of the body and the striking techniques conjure the image of a python as it encircles and crushes its adversaries. Symbolically this kata portrays the python's protection of "The Way of the Sword" - who would dare provoke its wrath?