Sanchin

**SFGOON** · Posted On: 2/17/2006 11:15am

I'm watching a discovery channel documentary on Sanchin Karate. Talk about a masochistic art. The sensei seems to beat on his students relentlessly, then subject them to hours of kata. His favorite student is an obese black belt, who gets pounded on while lifting weights. The poor fatty looks like he's going to cry, then talks about how his master is "nurturing" him. It would be hilarious if it wasn't sad. Has anyone practiced this martial art? WTF is going on here? I'm all for tough, realistic training, but I have never been mugged whilst lifting weights.

***Plasma*** · Posted On: 2/17/2006 11:19am

Real Okwinawan Karate, they punch rocks, and hit them with metal objects to tougher themselves up. Was the instructor Okwinawan?

There is a line between training and abuse.

**Mor Sao** · Posted On: 2/17/2006 11:43am

no such beast as Sanchin Karate. Sanchin or Sam Chien is a major form that came through Southern Chinese Kung fu systems and made its way to Okinawa. Basically its a strength form which includes tensing and untensing your muscles while you perfrom strikes to train certain ranges of movement that will help you hit as well as protect when you are hit.

All training is done progressively and you do not start out whacking yourself or students with full power.

You build up.

Sanchin was trained for 3 years and nothing but in old school Okinawan karate schools way back.

Southern Mantis has a version as well Wu Tzu Kuen(Five Ancestor) fist.

**Coyote** · Posted On: 2/17/2006 11:44am

I say that if they are stupid enough to pay somebody to hit them, then they deserve it.
Isn't Sanchin Japanese for "The Way of Abusive Instructors"?
Wasn't there a video of something like this here on Bullshido?

**Kobayashi** · Posted On: 2/17/2006 11:50am

I saw that same Discovery special (about a year ago or so) and laughed like you did. As memory serves (although I could be wrong here), I don't think the Karate was Okinawan, rather Japanese. And yes, the training seemed brutal to the point that it will catch up with you in later life. IMO, training to take a hit and conditioning your body is one thing; getting beat on is another.

Originally Posted by KageKaze

Real Okinawan karate, they punch rocks, and hit them with metal objects to tougher themselves up.

Okinawans primarily hit the makiwara to condition the hands and feet, although some kick large naval ropes (about 6 " in diameter) with their big toes to develop a nasty toe kick. Personally, I wish I had never started makiwara training as I will probably develop arthritis in my hands from it.

**Kobayashi** · Posted On: 2/17/2006 11:53am

Originally Posted by Dale Dugas

no such beast as Sanchin Karate. Sanchin or Sam Chien is a major form that came through Southern Chinese Kung fu systems and made its way to Okinawa. Basically its a strength form which includes tensing and untensing your muscles while you perfrom strikes to train certain ranges of movement that will help you hit as well as protect when you are hit.

All training is done progressively and you do not start out whacking yourself or students with full power.

You build up.

Sanchin was trained for 3 years and nothing but in old school Okinawan karate schools way back.

Southern Mantis has a version as well Wu Tzu Kuen(Five Ancestor) fist.

Dale is correct, but that is what they called the style in the show - I figured the sensei founded his own style. Ironically, I don't remember them practing Sanchin kata in the documentary.

**Coyote** · Posted On: 2/17/2006 12:08pm

The worst Master Ahn ever did was give somebody a good smack with the shinai when they fucked up.

***DerAuslander*** · Posted On: 2/17/2006 12:09pm

Sanchin is a central kata in Okinawan Goju-ryu karate. It is used as a form of tanrenho, of body training, involving breathing exercises, and yes, the beating you saw, though as Dale said, it is a progressive method of training in body hardening.

In some of the Shorin styles, the Naihanchi kata (Naebojin hyung in Korean karate) is used for much the same purpose.

**Mor Sao** · Posted On: 2/17/2006 12:14pm

Uechi-Ryu has a version which is done differently than Goju-Ryu. Uechi is done with open hands versus the closed fists.

Its THE form of Okinawan karate of the Naha Te lineages.

I remember that program and the fat guy was a Goju Ryu student who did get a beating from his teacher. Okinawan Karate is sometimes referred to as Kichigai Karate or Insane Karate as the training seems to go WAY beyond what most dilletantes would even attempt.

It weeds out the wussbags very early when you start to kick each other in the thighs with shin kicks.

:icon_tong