Sanchin stepping

[Dana Sheets]

Deviously simple yet very very difficult.

Sanchin Stepping is a method that can be used to program the body to maintain - at all times, balance, a lowered center of gravity, a calm focused mind, a unified body.

However you only get these benefits if you step over and over and over and over and over again.

Once before a tournament I began to feel very nervous, my heart rate was going up, my breathing was high in my chest, my focus became more scattered - so I went off to the women's locker room and started stepping. Withing two or three minutes I was calm and relaxed and went on to win my kata division.

This training gives the body practice while the mind is relaxed and open.

[Robb in Sacramento]

Dana:

Good topic. As with almost everything in Uechi, I have heard several different opinions about the San Chin step. Some people just approach it with the attitude of, "Come on people, we're just walking here; don't get to hung up," to here's how you apply the step to take away your opponents focus.

And, as with almost everything in Uechi, where I stand on the topic (no pun intended, seriously, I am doing my best to avoid full punster mode) tends to change over time. What I think is key, however, is reflecting upon and studying the step as one would do with any other technique. If everything is in San Chin, and the stepping takes up almost half the kata, then there must be a bunch of information encoded in the step. Why would Kanbun have had his students spend so much time learning the step? (I believe Mattson Sensei's book discusses approximately a month on stepping after several months on the double thrusting.) I have to believe that much like most of us, Kanbun's students figured out the whole crescent stepping pattern within a day or two (or less). So, why the additional time?

Among the recurring themes on many of these forums are the topics of the use of footwork, generating power, and maintaining balance. For Uechi students, as you observed, the study of these topics begins with San Chin stepping. Among the questions to ask are: Is it a step, or a series of transitional stances? Is power generated from the front foot, the back foot, or some combination? Is there a critical timing for generating power? What does the crescent motion accomplish? Is there a gathering of energy (muscle tension?) associated with the step? If so, how do I use it?

Again, great topic and wonderful observation. Thanks.

Peace
Robb in Sacramento

[Mark Weitz]

There is much written on the benefits of the Sanchin stance and the stepping in terms of centering, sinking the breath, moving with one's centre, the tan tien, rooting, etc.

"What does the crescent motion accomplish?"

The crescent movement has a lot of application and is worthy of intense study and partner work. At grappling range the crescent step can be used aggressively to either attack the front leg of your opponent with: a low shin kick; a sweep to the front leg, inside or outside sweep depending on which leg is presented; and an o soto gari type sweep to the outside of the leg in preparation for a throw. To defend against leg sweeps and reaping typ leg attacks the crescent step moving backwards is excellent because drawing your leg straight back is not always an option, especially at grappling range, which demands that the leg move in an arc to avoid the sweep. You'll need to partner up with somebody to feel this properly.


The crescent step can also be used very aggressively moving into someones front or low side kick by jamming and re-directing the attack. Here, the step becomes somewhat elevated by several inches or more depending on the height of the attacker and lunges in attacking the outside calf muscle. But be careful because you can hurt your shin if not conditioned and possibly the foot/leg of your training partner.

There are many opportunities to sweep your opponent after using the downward wing block to block and re-direct a front kick. Block moving to the outside and use the crescent step to move in and sweep your opponent. Works real well after the initial re-direction of the leg. You may need your instructor to demonstrate this.

Mark

[Bill Glasheen]

There was an exercise popular amongst psychologists for teaching people how to relieve stress. One was to go muscle by muscle in the body and tense that muscle very hard, and then slowly relax it. This was done again and again from forehead to toes. In-between every few tension-relaxation exercises, one was to close one's eyes and think about a happy place. Usually it was a beach scene where a person was lieing in the sun and listening to the waves without a care in the world.

At a point of high stress, the person was supposed to try to think about this happy place. And supposedly that device allowed someone to relax more than one would normally without the aid.

Perhaps your sanchin step was the mental pnemonic link to your classroom sanchin exercises, Dana. You've discovered a device useful for keeping you in that ideal zone that Siddle talks about in discussions about Survival Stress Response.

Breathing exercises (autogenic breathing) are another way to get there. But this is much more direct than the association from thinking about the beach scene or doing the stepping.

I guess it's kind of like being stressed about something, but then getting in gear once you get deep into it. The body finds its rhythm and it responds.

- Bill

[Mark Weitz]

Dana, it may also be that doing the stepping allowed you to burn some adrenaline off from "nerves" while at the same time providing all the physically and psychological grounding you describe.

I find I can get the relaxation response from the postural and breathing that Sanchin teaches, which are also similar to some chi-gong postures and breathing.

Bottom line, your Sanchin serves you in more than ways than simply a Karate movment. Sounds like you've ingrained it's benefits.

Mark

[Dana Sheets]

We used to do crescent stepping in judo all the time - but it was more like the legs were doing it than the whole body. And always in judo you slid your feet along the ground "sweeping" as you stepped. Sometimes our teacher would have us place the mats for the workout by only using our sweeps. The mats were fairly heavy and large so it was a good way to warm up and practice the sweep against resistance.

When I did FAST Defense training against multiple opponents I also snapped off a wicked fast Sanchin turn. Faster than I think I've ever done anywhere else in my life. I was very balanced, very centered with the turn even though I was pumped up.

I really have to say I hadn't spent that much time working to snap off super fast turns. I had spent many many hours working to do well coordinated turns, not too slowly, but always working more towards coordination than speed.

I have a weight vest with 25 pounds I sometimes wear during training - that extra weight is quick to show me when I've lost control of my center during stepping, kata, fighting, or even warm ups.

And sometimes when I'm directing on a video shoot and things are getting crunchy, I'll find myself standing in a mini-sanchin or even a neutral stance and pushing my belly down - trying to stay focused on what's happending and what I need to capture for my program. It helps to force the extra energy from my stress work for me rather than against me.

[Bill Glasheen]

Fascinating, isn't it?

We used to do crescent stepping in judo all the time - but it was more like the legs were doing it than the whole body.

Do you think it's because this was the way the movement was supposed to be done, or maybe because that was your understanding of the movement at that point in time?

I used to spend a whole lot of time teaching kicks. I loved kicks because I am long-legged (a true crane) and because I went straight from track to martial arts. In the past 10 years, I've de-emphasized my personal journey into kicking exercises and my kicking choreography because I wanted to spend more focused time on Uechi kata.

Recently I was noticing that many of my students really sucked at their kicks in the yakusoku kumite. It broke my heart - primarily because I know how important it is to go up against really good kicks if you want to develop your Uechi responses to them. So... I dug up many of my old routines, and we are back to drilling the kicks again. The students love it (even the ones that can't touch their toes) because it gives them a great workout.

One of the little mini routines I do is a series of reverse crescent kicks. Actually I picked that up from my first Uechi instructor (Rad Smith). For those who don't know them, it is like doing a wauke with your leg. I shock my students when I show them how easily this old fart can bring his leg upside their head - Billy Jack style.

In teaching it now, I see even more how my old adage applies - every kick has a hip movement in it. Even moreso now, I see that movement. I can make my leg like a wet noodle, and have it whip around with tremendous velocity almost entirely from the movement of my hip. In many ways I do it better at age 50 now than I did when I was a younger lad. I just see the move differently now that I've spent so much time learning to generate energy from my center. (Minus all the granola-head talk about chi.)

Same technique... New perspective.

It sounds like your sensei instinctively knew that principle as well, seeing as how he wanted you to open the mats with your sweeping motions. I pick up a lot of good fundamental principles of movement from my Olympic weightlifting exercises. Weights and resistance training are great reality checks.

When I did FAST Defense training against multiple opponents I also snapped off a wicked fast Sanchin turn. Faster than I think I've ever done anywhere else in my life. I was very balanced, very centered with the turn even though I was pumped up.

I really have to say I hadn't spent that much time working to snap off super fast turns. I had spent many many hours working to do well coordinated turns, not too slowly, but always working more towards coordination than speed.

It appears to me you are validating the "slo mo" training seen in Taiji, Systema, and other disciplines. It's amazing what builds those synapses, isn't it?

- Bill

[JimHawkins]

Interesting subject: Just my thoughts on the matter.

If everything is in San Chin, and the stepping takes up almost half the kata, then there must be a bunch of information encoded in the step. Why would Kanbun have had his students spend so much time learning the step?

Because in order to do single beat intercepts, in order to enter and gain control of the opponent the whole body must be able to move explosively, on a moment's notice AND maintain structure. Without this movement the body structure cannot be moved or powered; Pretty important stuff no?

The "cresent" stepping takes your entire body off the line of force just a bit and then into the center of the opponent. We call this moving the line: They fill the line with great power so you make a new line...

(I believe Mattson Sensei's book discusses approximately a month on stepping after several months on the double thrusting.) I have to believe that much like most of us, Kanbun's students figured out the whole crescent stepping pattern within a day or two (or less). So, why the additional time?

Perhaps in order to get people to use the movement in combat. The tendency I have seen, is for many to raise themselves up in sparring, etc and not use the structure; It's hard to get comfortable being connected to the floor all the time and learning how to generate power with the stepping mechanism. We Westerners tend to rise up when excited and the opposite needs to happen in order to really use this deep Eastern stuff; and it ain’t easy for most.

Move the hands with the feet!

Step to move in.

Step to move off the line and in.

Step to close and harass his base with your stance.

Step to close in and trap his leg/foot.

Step even when not moving to generate power!

Is it a step, or a series of transitional stances?

Perhaps both. As the leg is mid point through the arc you have body alignment; on completion you have a leg trap and stance breaking; you have movement from the step and power generation.

Is power generated from the front foot, the back foot, or some combination? Is there a critical timing for generating power?

I would suggest the power is transmitted from the rear foot up through all the joints, though in certain conditions one will always need to transfer weight in order to adapt with the opponent\s movement.

If one sinks with the rear, try moving the lead foot half way through the arc; now you should feel alignment through the body starting from the rear foot acting like a highly pressurized spring ready to press off like a small explosion. You need not convert leads either and repeat the stepping from one side...

What does the crescent motion accomplish?

Moving the body through phases of alignment. This moves the centerline as well as aligns the body for focused release of power and explosive movement. Also IMO keeping the hips under more or less, is critical to getting this real body connection with the ground.

Is there a gathering of energy (muscle tension?) associated with the step? If so, how do I use it?

Always.

If the hips are tucked and the knees are bent naturally then you should feel a major compression or loading of the rear leg, acting like a spring connecting the whole body to the ground; but you must feel this compression or loading to use it.

Thus the energy is first generated from the foot, leg, hip, waist, shoulder, arm, wrist, etc.. You can test the power you generate from the horse or stance or compression of the Sanchin movement by keeping your arm straight, say in a palm and checking to see how much power you can generate without using arm power in the strike, just keep the arm straight and hit with say a palm, using only the Sanchin body structure and stepping to generate the power. See how much you can generate without using your shoulder or arm. You don’t need to actually step to generate this power, since, the stepping mechanics only need to be brought into a very small but explosive action to generate body power, yet no actual step need be taken – in this case the step power and body alignment are generated and transmitted not to move you but to maximize striking power.