The true purpose of Okinawan Sanchin?

[KarateOx]

Sanchin is a kata that goes back a long way. It can be traced back through China all the way to India. It has survived and evolved over time. However, the current incarnation bears little resemblance to it's forefathers. This was always a source of mystery to me. Some say when it comes to Karate, "Sanchin is all you need."

Why?

It really doesn't have that many techniques.

It's techniques are very rudimentary.

It's slow nature doesn't really lend itself to self defense applications.

Some say it is not meant to develop fighting ability. It is meant to develop health and fighting spirit.

Here is where my theory comes into play..... and remember, it is only my theory.

The Okinawans have a propensity for weight training. Watch any traditional Gojuryu school and you'll see them practicing all sorts of traditional weight training and conditioning. Pots filled with sand for grip strength, a long iron oval used for neck and body conditioning, stone clubs for swinging, stone rings or handles for tossing and catching, all sorts of muscle building techniques and equipment to train the body within the context of the art being practiced. So, I wonder if Sanchin was modified to be practiced with weights? I know some practice it with iron rings around the arms, but is it possible that the reason the kata was changed to closed hands is because the hands are normally closed when holding a weight? This would explain why the heavy breathing and dynamic tension were incorporated, aspects that never existed before it came to Okinawa. This would also explain why the hands, which used to be open, were now closed. Physical conditioning was a very important part of traditional Okinawan martial arts, so this seems to fall in line with that thinking. If some doubt this (and again, this is just one person's opinion, so please doubt it), try grabbing two twenty five pound dumbbells, and going through the kata. It works the arms, obviously, but also the hands (grip) and th rest of the body as well, as it has to work as one cohesive unit in order to keep the weight up and not allow the body to fall forward. It also would explain the tight, pidgeon toed stance. And, since Okinawans placed so much emphasis on physical culture, it would also explain why they felt that to truly master Karate, "Sanchin is all you need."

Your thoughts?

[Kuma]

In the book "The Way of Sanchin Kata", I think they explained it the best way. While all other kata teach you the CONTEXT of a fight (i.e. techniques, stances, combinations, etc.), Sanchin teaches you the CONTENT, i.e. "karate posture."

It trains you to be rooted yet mobile, that subtle hip roll for extra power, contrasting tension and relaxation, etc. It's a dynamic tension exercise as well, so it's strengthening your body at the same time. I remember talking to a Pangai Noon/Uechi Ryu practitioner who said physical conditioning is important to karate, and Sanchin helps build that foundation of conditioning.

[Adam_XKT]

I want to read The Way of Sanchin Kata.

Despite having known Sanchin for probably 4-5 years, I felt my grasp on it was only decent enough to perform it, get a "pass" from my instructor, and move on. I've also heard about what it has to offer for Okinawan stylists and off-and-on have thought about what it means.

Applying thoughts from other forms, Sanchin could be extended. For one, I believe there is a version called San Mitsu where the hands are open and the feet are little wider apart (and another version after that with a hand position I don't remember and the feet farther apart still).

Instead of performing it all under tension, what about doing it quickly? In a real fight, doing it with tension isn't practical. But if you need to break a choke, punch, and then eliminate the attacker with the middle block, it could be a very quick, very simple way to get out of that scenario.

Again, not having studied the form in-depth for its philosophical meaning, it's hard to say. These are just my best guesses.

[bushido_man96]

I want to read The Way of Sanchin Kata.

Although I am not a Karate stylist, I do have this book, and I rather enjoyed it. As a practitioner of the actual form, you would probably gain 10-fold what I gained from reading the book. Kane and Wilder are pretty good authors.

Despite having known Sanchin for probably 4-5 years, I felt my grasp on it was only decent enough to perform it, get a "pass" from my instructor, and move on. I've also heard about what it has to offer for Okinawan stylists and off-and-on have thought about what it means.

Applying thoughts from other forms, Sanchin could be extended...

Instead of performing it all under tension, what about doing it quickly? In a real fight, doing it with tension isn't practical. But if you need to break a choke, punch, and then eliminate the attacker with the middle block, it could be a very quick, very simple way to get out of that scenario.

That's one of the great things about forms training. Learn it first, but then, take it apart and explore it, or do it faster, slower, or with different emphasis in different areas. Remember how you learned it, and how to "do" it correctly, but then go beyond, and do what you want with it, and learn what you can.

[The BB of C]

I believe it's mental and physical hard body conditioning.

I happen to know that Choujin Miyagi learned an open-handed Sanchin and four-directional Sanchin kata and then passed it down as a two-directional and closed-handed Sanchin.

[Sokusen]

Sanchin can be done with weights, I’ve seen it performed with the use of Gami’s, sand filled jars, and I personally have done it using gami’s, but I don’t believe that was the purpose of Sanchin. Did the added weight give me a good work out? Absolutely! But more importantly I found the added weight helped my Sanchin not that Sanchin helped my weight training. I felt more grounded with the add weights; it helped me feel my posture, stepping through my center with my entire body, not just my legs. These are all things that Sanchin is meant to teach. If you look at the way Katas progress, one could compare it to a ladder the most basic being the bottom rung and the most advanced being the top rung. Some see Sanchin as the bottom rung being that it is a Kata in its most basic form. I like to look at Sanchin as being the sides of the ladder that hold all the rungs in place. This is what I think was meant when you hear “all you need to know is Sanchin”. That’s because Sanchin is the essential basics that all kata contain, from the most basic to the most advanced. Therefore by only practicing Sanchin you are practicing all your katas in its most primitive form.

[bushido_man96]

Some see Sanchin as the bottom rung being that it is a Kata in its most basic form. I like to look at Sanchin as being the sides of the ladder that hold all the rungs in place. This is what I think was meant when you hear “all you need to know is Sanchin”. That’s because Sanchin is the essential basics that all kata contain, from the most basic to the most advanced. Therefore by only practicing Sanchin you are practicing all your katas in its most primitive form.

Very nice analogy, Sokusen.

[FushinRyu]

my shihan has always said that sanchin was a way to develop your timing on techniques, for you can do that block all day at full speed saying that it looks perfect, but once you slow it down, you notice all of the flaws in that block, such as the timing in the twist or pull back.

[dantankun]

IMO, san chin is about developing concentration, focus, breathing control but most of all exercising the internal organs through deep breathing and muscle tension.

Just like a circulating water pump, the pump generate pressure in order to get the flow of water going the stronger the pressure the faster the water and the better chance of pushing out any blockages in the piping system.

The pipe is like our arteries, the pump is our heart, and to help improve circulation is the deep breathing for added pressure to improve circulation and remove body toxins.

[Fish]

In Wado we don't practise Sanchin, but we have Seishan. The first half is very similar to Sanchiin and is performed slowly with dynamic tension, in forward facing Seishan stance (which is similar to Sanchin stance). The second half is performed fast and light with kicks as well as blocks and punches, and in sideways or vertical Seishan stance. The contrast between the two halves is interesting in training.