Seidokan Shorin Ryu System -- Sanchin |
| | Meaning | Origin/Author |
| Three Battles | Sanchin (サンチン, Sanchin) is a kata of Southern Chinese (Fujianese) origin that is considered to be the core of several styles, the most well-known being the Goju Ryu and Uechi Ryu styles of Karate, as well as the Chinese martial arts of Fujian White Crane, Five Ancestors associated with the Ang Lian-Huat. The name Sanchin, meaning three battles, is sometimes interpreted as the battle to unify the mind, body, and spirit; however, there are other interpretations. The version of Sanchin used by most styles of Karate was developed by Goju Ryu founder Chojun Miyagi and uses a very strong, tense closed fist "push". In Uechi Ryu and in Ryusei, the practice of Sanchin is closer to the Chinese version with faster spear hand strikes, a little snake like.
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Stance The Sanchin routine uses only its namesake stance and is carried out with controlled breathing
(ibuki breathing) - only half exhalation so that you never fully exhale. Inhalation and exhalation are
performed in unison with the various blocking and striking movements. Most commonly taught,
emphasis is placed on the tension of the practitioners' muscles, and movement of the body as a
solid, stable unit, with only the moving part relaxing a little.
The narrow (shoulder width) upright "pigeon-toed" foot position of the
Sanchin stance (Japanese: sanchin dachi) balances stability in two
directions (front and side) with the flexible waist rotation needed for
strong punches and kicks, whilst the hips remain forward and stable
to maintain a rooted stance. The turned-in position of the front knee
and the bent back knee help protect the groin from kicks.
Some styles use Sanchin as a method of checking strength and posture, as well as concentration.
All hits directed towards the karateka are done at the end of the punch, when they are in their most
tense position. Most Goju-ryu schools use the following checking procedure:
- Light to heavy slap to the shoulders. This checks that the shoulders are relaxed, but tense.
- It also tests to see if the karateka's stance will buckle under the blow.
- Light tapping to the lats. This is to check if the karateka is holding proper form with their arms, and squeezing their elbows in.
- Checking the legs. From behind, slap the front of the hamstrings, and then the calves.
- Fingers to the back of the neck. This is a reminder to fix posture.
- Kick. From the rear, kick to the groin. If the karateka is in proper Sanchin stance, he or she will be able to trap the kick with the inner thighs.
- Stomach check. Light to heavy slapping of the stomach, open palm. This reminds the karateka to regulate breathing and push out with the stomach.
- Posture. Check the posture by hooking, open palmed, the wrists, and guiding the punch, while applying resistance. Also, when stepping forward, give a little pull to check balance and stepping method.
3) He trained with Sensei Seikichi Uehara and practiced their version of Sanchin that Sensei Toma was helpful to create. Later Toma Sensei dropped Sanchin Kata practice all together feeling it was not healthy for his Seidokan Shorin Ryu Style.
The Motobu-ryu version of Sanchin. Seikichi Uehara renamed the kata to Moto-te Ichi.Performed at Katsuren Castle Park, Okinawa, Japan.
Tatsuo Shimabukuro demonstrating the Isshin Ryu version of Sanchin Kata in 1966, Tacoma Dojo Washington, USA.
1988 footage of Jundokan Kaicho, Eiichi Miyasato, performing Seisan kata. Miyasato Sensei was a direct student of Miyagi Chojun.
Eiichi Miyasato, Jundokan Kaicho, performing Seisan 1988
Miyasato Sensei was a direct student of Chojun Miyagi. If this kata remained unchanged from Chojun Miyagi through Eiichi Miyasato, then it would have been the original version that Sensei Toma would have learned during his first year of karate in Osaka, Japan.
Shimabukro Sensei (Hanshi and Judan) was also a student of Chotoku Kyan Sensei practices an early form of Sanchin in the beginning of this video that used to be more prevelant in Shorin Ryu study but has been dropped from many systems because of a conflict of internal pressure damage to the practitioner.