Nijushiho (24 Steps)

Nijushiho is believed to originate from the Chinese Dragon fighting style and contains 24 moves. It’s one of the more popular advanced Shotokan Karate kata, using techniques and motions that feel unusual and mystical, flowing from one movement to another. Even though it does have a few sharp, powerful points, each one is almost immediately tempered by a slower, more fluid motion.

If you practice bunkai, you’ll quickly learn that Nijushiho seems designed for close combat in confined spaces. You’ll be using elbow strikes and double-hand attacks. In fact, there are only two long-range attacks, although the kicks may originally have been knee strikes