Monday, May 8, 2023

Mario McKenna on Sanchin

 


Hi Victor:

I think the most succient definition is the one I posted ages ago from the Uechi guys.

"Sanchin and its Five Cardinal Points"

by Takamiyagi Shigeru

The practice of san chin, the foundation kata of Okikukai, develops the student in five ways that reach beyond the basic needs of exercise or self defense.

Properly understood, san chin is a philosophical statement. The five benefits of san chin are as follows:

1. San chin integrates all parts of the stance
2. San chin corrects the breathing
3. San chin develops penetrating eyes
4. San chin cultivates spiritual concentration
5. San chin strengthens the body

The key word understanding san chin is "integration". Proper stance anchors the student to the floor; while proper concentration and breathing integrates all body movements. Proper eye contact demonstrates uninterrupted awareness, focusing the mind on every area of attack of the opponent. To develop a strong and integrated sanchin kata is to forge a wellhoned and ordered self."

Really, this is the best explanation of san chin that I have come across - even better than Mabuni's IMHO. I find that there are generally two camps to San Chin, those that practice it almost religiously, and those that virtually ignore it's practice.

 

My original Goju-ryu teacher did not emphasize san chin practice at all. While my Tou'on-ryu teacher practiced san chin twice every practice session that we did! Interestingly, I caught up with my original Goju-ryu teacher a few weeks ago (Kinjo sensei) on a trip he made out here to Vancouver and he was now emphasizing san chin a lot more. But not an overly hard san chin, but one with more emphasis on alignment and respiration. Looks like things go full-circle don't
they :-)

For myself, since most of my students are relatively young and fit, we train san chin in terms of posture, alignment and respiration with emphasis on not doing any over tense kata - kind of a nice 'springy' feel to it. However, once every 2-3 weeks I do a hard-style san chin with shime - keeps them on their toes :-)

Regards,

mario

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