The Grappling Roots of Sanchin Kata Wayne Pitches Many people dont know that old karate made ample use of wrestling techniques. As someone with no previous training in the grappling arts, I became quite proficient at ground fighting thanks entirely due to studying karate, a martial art dedicated ostensibly to stand-up fighting. Indeed, studying kata is the key to understanding the grappling roots of karate, as I will show in this article. Besides naihanchi, the sanchin kata is arguably one of the most important in all of Okinawan kenpo. Not only is it practiced for ones health, the seemingly basic techniques which constitute sanchin were designed specifically for stand-up grappling. Indeed, the advanced karateka can extract endless wrestling oriented bunkai from these deceivingly simple movements. Holding your fists pointing upwards, for example, is meant to train the karateka how to fight when holding onto an opponents clothing, hair, arms, etc. Keeping your elbows in acts as a guard which deflects many attacks due to its structural integrity. These points reflect the fact that the founders of sanchin were keenly aware of the pervasiveness of grappling in a real-world context. Not only that, the outward sweeping motion of the legs can be used for aggressive take-downs. Keeping your feet pigeon-toed anchors you and allows you to stay rooted as you trip your opponent. Whats more, the corkscrew punches can alternatively be used as a method of shooting your hand past the opponents guard, provided you use the power of your waist. Finally, the closing mawashi uke techniques have myriad grappling applications. All this goes to show you: dont be fooled by this katas ostensible simplicity. Ive been practicing it for many years and even today I am still discovering novel applications and insights into fighting. Spend a lot of time on your sanchin and you will be amazed at your growth as a martial artist.
Posted on: Sun, 13 Jul 2014 16:45:43 +0000
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