5 Points of Sanchin

[Jackie Olsen]

The Purpose of Sanchin

The foundation of Uechi-ryu Karate-do is the Sanchin kata. Uechi Kambun used to say that, "All is in Sanchin," and that "Sanchin.alone warrants ten years of training." Indeed, when he studied in China, Master Uechi studied Sanchin for three years before he was taught any other kata. Sanchin is extremely important to the study of Uechi-ryu and must never be changed or left out of the work-out.

At first glance, Sanchin may appear to be a rather simple exercise consisting of very basic movements. However, it is actually a form of moving meditation which teaches the student to blend the physical, the mental, and the spiritual. In fact, the name "Sanchin" means "Three Conflicts." The first conflict is to develop a strong, healthy body capable of undergoing vigorous training.

The second conflict is to be able to do the movements of the kata automatically, to be totally aware, yet unencumbered by conscious thought. The third conflict is the attainment of mind-body unity. In this state of meditation the student becomes aware of his inner self, his true spirit.
In order for the student to benefit fully from Sanchin, attention must be given to all aspects of the kata. Over-emphasis on one, or neglect of another, leads to only partial results: There are five factors involved in
the development of Sanchin. Each compliments the others and their functions often overlap.

The first factor is the learning of the proper stance and the proper physical form of the basic movements. These movements form the basis for all subsequent training.

The second factor is the development of a strong, hard body capable of resisting attack. This ability, which comes from proper physical form and the proper application of muscular tension, enables the student to absorb blows to most areas of the body.

The third factor of Sanchin development is proper breathing. This is a vital link between the physical and the mental principles of the kata. Physically, it aids in the development of correct muscular tension. On the mental level, it enables the student to turn inward to control his mind. The fourth factor is eyesight. The eyes are another link between the physical and the mental. An individual's primary perceptions of his surroundings usually come to him through the sense of sight. On the mental plane, concentration is greatly aided by the proper gaze.

The fifth factor of Sanchin development is concentration. First of all, complete attention to the task at hand is needed in order to achieve perfection of the physical aspects of the kata. Secondly, it is through
intense concentration during the performance of Sanchin that a state of mind-body unity is attained. Eventually, the advanced student is able to pass beyond concentration into the realm of meditation.

After years of such intense physical, mental, and spiritual training, the student can do the movements of Sanchin with nearly perfect physical form and with total concentration. He has learned to use his mind and his body
according to the principles of hard and soft which call for a very dynamic, energetic, yet natural and unforced performance of the kata. Through proper breathing and mental control he has learned to keep his mind and inner body soft and flexible while, at the same time, doing everything he can to keep his outer body hard and strong.

The advanced student doing a highly developed Sanchin kata controls his mind and every muscle of the his body yet remains completely calm and stable in every position. Thus, he is constantly ready for attack regardless of mental distractions or attempts to physically unbalance him. Through physical posture, strength, and the psychological principles of karate he has attained an immovable center of balance both physically and mentally. Therefore, he is able to focus all possible physical and mental energy into every movement.

The training has also enabled the student to achieve a state of meditation and harmonious interaction between the mind and the body through which he is able to act and react naturally and spontaneously. It takes many years of dedicated study before the student can reach such a level but, once attained, this ability can be applied to all subsequent karate techniques and eventually to life itself.

In this quiet, tranquil state of mind-body unity the student comes to understand his own inner spirit. He learns to distinguish between the ordinary conscious self and the true inner self which is the core of his existence. Through this loss of the Ego, the student eventually achieves awareness of his true being, his true nature. Thus, the ultimate goal of Sanchin training is Enlightenment and Self-Realization.
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I believe the document was put together by Larry Mahar, Renshi Rokudan (I am not sure of current rank) for those attending his and Thompson-Sensei's dojos in the 80s.

[Dana Sheets]

An excellently written short article. Thank you for sharing it!

Dana