Saifa Saifa (To Smash and Tear to Pieces)
Saifa kata introduces body evasion and open handed palm heel blocks and strikes. It mixes swift, light stances with solid, grounding stances. Saifa contains a vast number of techniques like hammer fist strike, back fist, double fist punch, foot sweep, and ridge hand strike.
Saifa is the first of the classical combative Kata taught in Goju Ryu. Goju Ryu’s Kata origins come from the martial arts taught in the Fuzhou area of southern China. Kanryo Higaonna Sensei was taught this Kata, along with the other Kata of Goju Ryu, while he studied in China from 1863-1881 under the direction of RuRuKo and others. From an understanding of the grappling and striking techniques of this Kata, Saifa can be interpreted to mean grabbing and tearing of tissue in close-quartered combat.
