Sanchin Kata

Sanchin literally translates to the three conflicts (traditional Chinese medicine): mind, body, and spirit (breath/Chi). Sanchin Kata teaches us how to unite the three conflicts into one indestructible karateka. We learn to reduce the conflicts and harmonize the mind, spirit and body.

Sanchin is an isokenetic exercise, it uses dynamic tension and ibuki breath as in Seiuchin Kata. The training reminds me of my Jujitsu practice of hitting my rock and pounding the body after cultivating the Qi. There is a lot of stuff going on in the kata that requires the study of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and guidance of a knowledgeable sensei.
(Remind me to get back to the Bubishi.)

Prof. Jenkin's Martial Arts Dictionary tells us that the Japanese word sansen, three conflicts, is pronounced "sanchin" in Okinawa and that sansen dachi is the hourglass stance (pronounced "sanchin dachi" in Okinawa.) Does the hourglass (saam chien) stance get its name from the old Chinese quan or is Saam Chien (Sanchin) named after the stance?

The following links are not recommendations, just things I found that are at least somewhat informative. The information about Traditional Chinese Medicine in some of these links is not at all accurate (writers are not TCM practitioners.)

• Sanchin - the three conflicts. Blog post by someone who actually practices the kata and studied with a teacher who understood the kata. Good information about how to train using Sanchin Kata.


• Sanchin from a western medical perspective (can not vouch for this article at this time).


• Sanchin kata, three conflicts and three Jewel (part 1)
• Sanchin kata, three conflicts and three Jewel (part 2)


• Shihan John Lehner's email on Sanchin Kata.


• Sanchin Kata history from a Goju Ryu perspective.


• The Five Principles of Sanchin (Author IMHO has a western view point, doesn't get it.)

Tomari Okinawa

The village of Tomari Okinawa is the home of Wansu Kata and Banssai Kata.

Grand Master Shimabuku, founder of Isshinryu Karate, learned this kata from his teacher Master Chotoku Kyan.

Chinese Hidden Foot

Kioshi Dave Joslin talked about the use of Chinese Hidden Foot as a defensive technique in tonight's class. In particular, Wansu Kata uses Chinese Hidden Foot to move off the line of attack quickly.

It is quick and turns the body so that a center line attach becomes a glancing blow if it connects at all.

In my Jujitsu training we would traverse the length of the dojo using Chinese Hidden Foot both passing the leg behind and in front. Facing the Shomen through out, moving down to the right and back to the left. Keep the knees bent and the head below the imaginary ceiling fans five feet off the mat. Another cool drill is to move down the line switching from hidden foot to horse stance (by turn 180° on the balls of the feet.)

Indomitable Spirit

Tamashii—Indomitable Spirit

Merriam-Webster definition; incapable of being subdued : unconquerable.

Im my dojo indomitable spirit is much more than a "can do" attidude. More then "Never surrender, never say die." or "Never give up, never surrender! ". It is a commitment to personal excellence and fortitude in everything we do.

Old Japanese saying, Nana-korobi, ya-oki. This means fall down seven times, get up eight.

The concept of One Encounter, One Chance, is part of the Japanese milieu that includes Tamashii. Do it the first time, there is no second place in a duel.

Karate in YOUNG JUNIUS

What follows is an insightful description of the mind of a beginning Karate/Kung Fu student, excerpt from Chapter 30 of YOUNG JUNIUS by Seth Harwood.

He stepped to that side of the roof and launched into his first form, the punch combination that started off the Monkey Sequence. The Monkey was familiar to him but to get to the next level he had to learn the Tiger perfectly so he could test for his purple belt. Purple marked the turning point between know-nothing beginner and respectable mid-level student. He’d been going for close to three months now and was eager to make the jump.

Purple was a dark color, so different from yellow, white, or orange. Just the fact that you had a dark color around your midsection made you look like you were on your way. Dark belts were real.

The Monkey started with a series of punches and then slide-steps with blocks that led to kicks. As Rough started into these, he gradually left his thoughts behind. As he went on, he started to punch harder, kick with more force. His body loosened up.

In ten minutes, he had his jacket off and was practicing the opening of Tiger. It felt good to sweat in the cold wind, to move faster than when he started, to go through the Monkey as fast as he could.

Now just the start of Tiger was his challenge: to go through it clean and as fast as he could. It was just seven punches, four blocks, and three kicks, with steps and changes of direction in between, but it made for enough of a challenge. He ran through the sequence in his head: punches, blocks, kicks.

I am reading this book on my Kindle and thoroughly enjoying it. (I think the published book is significantly better than the original podcast draft, much tighter story and cleaner descriptions of the world these people live in.) Recommend the book if you like action fiction and enjoyed The Wire series. This book is not for your minivan, so put on your headphones or read the printed word.

The podcast of the story, printed book and/or eBook versions available at all the usual places and at SethHarwood.com.