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The Way of Sanchin Kata: The Application of Power by Wilder, Kris(March 23, 2007) Paperback
When Karate or Ti was first developed in Okinawa it was about using technique and extraordinary power to end a fight instantly. These old ways of generating remarkable power are still accessible, but they are purposefully hidden in Sanchin Kata for the truly dedicated to find. This book takes the practitioner to new depths of practice by breaking down the form piece-by-piece, body part by body part, so that the very foundation of the kata is revealed. Test It. Every chapter, concept, and application is accompanied by a Test It section, designed for you to explore and verify the kata for yourself. Sanchin Kata really comes alive, when you can feel the thrill of having those hidden teachings speak to you through your body across the ages. No other document, or video, available today provides such depth and exploration of Sanchin Kata. Simply put, once you read this book and test what you have learned, your Karate will never be the same.
- GenresMartial Arts
Unknown Binding
First published April 25, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 31, 2015
Original 2012 review:
Tremendous depth and detail, I'd call this a must read for anyone studying a style that practices Sanchin, particularly Goju. Mr. Wilder breaks down the kata at a very fine level, discussing each move and concept in detail.
I read the book slowly to assimilate each chapter and plan to read it again in a year or two when my own study is a little more advanced.
A little more detail for the 2015 reading:
I originally read this book in 2012 as an Orange Belt. The kata Sanchin Ichi is the required grading kata for Green Belt (directly after Orange) in our syllabus. Sanchin is considered the foundational kata of Goju Ryu, and I wanted a deeper understanding of how everything worked. Kris Wilder is considered one of the leading practitioners of Sanchin in the world, so I thought that some of that deeper understanding might be found in the pages of this book, along with increased practice of the kata. It did help me towards a deeper understanding of the kata, but I knew even while I read the book there was still a lot I wasn’t getting. I just didn’t have the experience or depth of knowledge yet.
So I promised myself I’d return to the book as a Shodan (First Degree Black Belt). I got a lot more out of the book this time, and I’m making a similar promise after this reading: I’ll return to this book after I grade for Sandan (Third Degree Black Belt) which is at least 4-5 years from when I’m typing this.
The Way of Sanchin Kata takes every piece of the kata, and not just the visible pieces, but the concepts that go into and behind things. On this second reading of the book, the things that stand out to me are things I may have noticed the first time I read the book, but that didn’t speak to me with only two and a half years of karate practice. At that point, I think the deeper understanding I was looking for came out to big things that would improve my Sanchin.
There come a variety of moments in your training when you decide to take your karate in the direction you want it to go. Buying The Way of Sanchin Kata was an early one of those moments for me. I wanted my Sanchin, the fundamental kata of my chosen style, to be better and I wanted to push harder on my own outside of the dojo.
That's still true, but the difference now is that I’m looking for a truly deeper understanding of things, not just to improve my kata, although that’s a nice byproduct. I’m trying to study things closer than I have in the past.
Stand out chapters for me this reading are those on The Crescent Step, Breathing, and Ten-Minute Sanchin, although there are little bits of revelation and thought provoking moments scattered through the text. In particular, Ten-Minute Sanchin. This is the first place the author puts the kata together as a whole, describing each movement distinctly and the act of a gentle shime, testing, of proper postures, stance, and movements by a patient tester. The idea of the kata taking ten minutes intrigues me. In some advanced classes, we’ve stretched it out for corrections and discussion, but never that far and never with such significant testing at a time. What’s described here is a two-person focused version and requires significant dedication and patience by both parties. It’s not a group activity, and it seems like a very interesting exercise.
I do still have a little intellectual discomfort with Chapter 18, The Energetic and Mechanical Structure. It starts with a discussion of ki, often defined (and noted in the text) as “spiritual energy” or “life force”, and while I’m completely up for philosophical discussions, I’d prefer to leave mystical forces out of my karate. But the chapter transforms into a quick discussion of pain compliance versus actual physical immobilization with the point made to always default to mechanical. A complete technique is more important than force of will. Which is not to say that mental intent and confidence aren’t important. The author certainly doesn’t dismiss mindset and other chapters discuss the mind and its connection to the body.
Overall rating: 4 stars. I got more out of the book this time than I did the first time. I think, when I go back to it again in a few years, with a longer period of practice and experience with Sanchin, I’ll probably get at least a little more yet. Still on my recommended list for anyone looking to push their knowledge of Sanchin kata, regardless of your root system or school.
There’s also a great chapter introducing the idea of hojo undo with an eye towards Sanchin specifically, detailing exercises and benefits to the makiwara and chiishi.
Tremendous depth and detail, I'd call this a must read for anyone studying a style that practices Sanchin, particularly Goju. Mr. Wilder breaks down the kata at a very fine level, discussing each move and concept in detail.
I read the book slowly to assimilate each chapter and plan to read it again in a year or two when my own study is a little more advanced.
A little more detail for the 2015 reading:
I originally read this book in 2012 as an Orange Belt. The kata Sanchin Ichi is the required grading kata for Green Belt (directly after Orange) in our syllabus. Sanchin is considered the foundational kata of Goju Ryu, and I wanted a deeper understanding of how everything worked. Kris Wilder is considered one of the leading practitioners of Sanchin in the world, so I thought that some of that deeper understanding might be found in the pages of this book, along with increased practice of the kata. It did help me towards a deeper understanding of the kata, but I knew even while I read the book there was still a lot I wasn’t getting. I just didn’t have the experience or depth of knowledge yet.
So I promised myself I’d return to the book as a Shodan (First Degree Black Belt). I got a lot more out of the book this time, and I’m making a similar promise after this reading: I’ll return to this book after I grade for Sandan (Third Degree Black Belt) which is at least 4-5 years from when I’m typing this.
The Way of Sanchin Kata takes every piece of the kata, and not just the visible pieces, but the concepts that go into and behind things. On this second reading of the book, the things that stand out to me are things I may have noticed the first time I read the book, but that didn’t speak to me with only two and a half years of karate practice. At that point, I think the deeper understanding I was looking for came out to big things that would improve my Sanchin.
There come a variety of moments in your training when you decide to take your karate in the direction you want it to go. Buying The Way of Sanchin Kata was an early one of those moments for me. I wanted my Sanchin, the fundamental kata of my chosen style, to be better and I wanted to push harder on my own outside of the dojo.
That's still true, but the difference now is that I’m looking for a truly deeper understanding of things, not just to improve my kata, although that’s a nice byproduct. I’m trying to study things closer than I have in the past.
Stand out chapters for me this reading are those on The Crescent Step, Breathing, and Ten-Minute Sanchin, although there are little bits of revelation and thought provoking moments scattered through the text. In particular, Ten-Minute Sanchin. This is the first place the author puts the kata together as a whole, describing each movement distinctly and the act of a gentle shime, testing, of proper postures, stance, and movements by a patient tester. The idea of the kata taking ten minutes intrigues me. In some advanced classes, we’ve stretched it out for corrections and discussion, but never that far and never with such significant testing at a time. What’s described here is a two-person focused version and requires significant dedication and patience by both parties. It’s not a group activity, and it seems like a very interesting exercise.
I do still have a little intellectual discomfort with Chapter 18, The Energetic and Mechanical Structure. It starts with a discussion of ki, often defined (and noted in the text) as “spiritual energy” or “life force”, and while I’m completely up for philosophical discussions, I’d prefer to leave mystical forces out of my karate. But the chapter transforms into a quick discussion of pain compliance versus actual physical immobilization with the point made to always default to mechanical. A complete technique is more important than force of will. Which is not to say that mental intent and confidence aren’t important. The author certainly doesn’t dismiss mindset and other chapters discuss the mind and its connection to the body.
Overall rating: 4 stars. I got more out of the book this time than I did the first time. I think, when I go back to it again in a few years, with a longer period of practice and experience with Sanchin, I’ll probably get at least a little more yet. Still on my recommended list for anyone looking to push their knowledge of Sanchin kata, regardless of your root system or school.
There’s also a great chapter introducing the idea of hojo undo with an eye towards Sanchin specifically, detailing exercises and benefits to the makiwara and chiishi.
July 20, 2016
I've never really seen this much in-depth treatment of a single kata. There are books out there that delve into a single kick, but nothing like this.
Sanchin is a kata used in several forms of Karate. Wilder goes over this in a chapter devoted to what can be known about this form. He also delves into western physiology, eastern holistic practices, and even mathematics (he's taken alot of flack in reviews for including the Fibonacci ratio) to create a very inclusive treatment of the topic.
The best part of this book comes in the piece-by-piece examination of what each body part is supposed to be doing during the Kata, and the breathing process. The numerous tests he includes to make sure you're doing it all properly are indispensable.
Whether I agree with training methods, like the makiwara, or not, is irrelevant, in my opinion. If you don't use it, or won't, then ignore it. A section on it in this book does not make it inferior for including it. There is a cross-over step he uses in Sanchin that I was not taught, and would be loathe to try, as I've been taught in Judo and other styles not to cross my feet like that. This doesn't detract from the book: it's just a style difference.
The care and attention to detail are apparent throughout, and make this a worthy addition to the library of anyone who uses Sanchin, and material to think about for any practitioner of a kata-based style.
Sanchin is a kata used in several forms of Karate. Wilder goes over this in a chapter devoted to what can be known about this form. He also delves into western physiology, eastern holistic practices, and even mathematics (he's taken alot of flack in reviews for including the Fibonacci ratio) to create a very inclusive treatment of the topic.
The best part of this book comes in the piece-by-piece examination of what each body part is supposed to be doing during the Kata, and the breathing process. The numerous tests he includes to make sure you're doing it all properly are indispensable.
Whether I agree with training methods, like the makiwara, or not, is irrelevant, in my opinion. If you don't use it, or won't, then ignore it. A section on it in this book does not make it inferior for including it. There is a cross-over step he uses in Sanchin that I was not taught, and would be loathe to try, as I've been taught in Judo and other styles not to cross my feet like that. This doesn't detract from the book: it's just a style difference.
The care and attention to detail are apparent throughout, and make this a worthy addition to the library of anyone who uses Sanchin, and material to think about for any practitioner of a kata-based style.
April 20, 2020
Sanchin may be the topic of this book, but sanchin teaches us the nuance of karate fundamentals, and therefore so does this book.
Whether or not you have studied this specific kata is not all that important, because the lessons involving internal structure, optimal usage of the correct muscles, mentality, etc, are all widely applicable.
I have been working on the kata shisochin (which is related to sanchin) and was just about ready to say "I'm ready for the next one now!" when I read this book. Now I see I could spend another decade or two on shisochin if I wanted to truly refine it.
Bottom line: this is a great book for all karateka or other martial artists, offering traditional insight on the details of creating strong internal structure, framed in a modern (and more Western) light.
Whether or not you have studied this specific kata is not all that important, because the lessons involving internal structure, optimal usage of the correct muscles, mentality, etc, are all widely applicable.
I have been working on the kata shisochin (which is related to sanchin) and was just about ready to say "I'm ready for the next one now!" when I read this book. Now I see I could spend another decade or two on shisochin if I wanted to truly refine it.
Bottom line: this is a great book for all karateka or other martial artists, offering traditional insight on the details of creating strong internal structure, framed in a modern (and more Western) light.
January 4, 2010
Interesting, a long book focusing on a single, outwardly simple kata that teaches a great deal.
February 11, 2022
Campur aduk membaca buku ini ...
Sensei Wilder menulis kaidah-kaidah melatih jurus Sanchin, jurus yang merupakan dasar dari beberapa aliran tua Karate yang menginduk kepada ilmu beladiri kota Naha di Okinawa. Meskipun apa yang ditulis sangat bermanfaat bagi para praktisi, saya merasa bahwa umumnya kaidah yang ditulis di buku ini merupakan hasil kesimpulan beliau sendiri setelah melalui perjalanan panjang, bukan rangkaian keilmuan yang beliau terima secara lengkap dari seorang guru. Tidak ada yang salah dari pendekatan seperti itu, apapun yang kita terima dari seorang guru akhirnya akan mengejawantah menjadi pemahaman kita sendiri setelah melalui tahun-tahun perenungan dan penekunan, tapi beliau menulis buku ini seperti sebuah memoar dan dan ada ketidaktersambungan antara satu kaidah dengan kaidah yang lain -yang tidak akan terjadi jika beliau sebelumnya menerima satu set lengkap dan terjalin utuh dari seorang guru-.
Buku yang layak dibaca dan direnungi untuk para praktisi berbasis Naha-Te, atau aliran sejenis, namun sebaiknya tidak untuk dijadikan referensi tunggal, seseorang tetap perlu pemahaman yang utuh yang hanya bisa diberikan oleh seorang guru -atau buku yang lebih terstruktur-.
Sensei Wilder menulis kaidah-kaidah melatih jurus Sanchin, jurus yang merupakan dasar dari beberapa aliran tua Karate yang menginduk kepada ilmu beladiri kota Naha di Okinawa. Meskipun apa yang ditulis sangat bermanfaat bagi para praktisi, saya merasa bahwa umumnya kaidah yang ditulis di buku ini merupakan hasil kesimpulan beliau sendiri setelah melalui perjalanan panjang, bukan rangkaian keilmuan yang beliau terima secara lengkap dari seorang guru. Tidak ada yang salah dari pendekatan seperti itu, apapun yang kita terima dari seorang guru akhirnya akan mengejawantah menjadi pemahaman kita sendiri setelah melalui tahun-tahun perenungan dan penekunan, tapi beliau menulis buku ini seperti sebuah memoar dan dan ada ketidaktersambungan antara satu kaidah dengan kaidah yang lain -yang tidak akan terjadi jika beliau sebelumnya menerima satu set lengkap dan terjalin utuh dari seorang guru-.
Buku yang layak dibaca dan direnungi untuk para praktisi berbasis Naha-Te, atau aliran sejenis, namun sebaiknya tidak untuk dijadikan referensi tunggal, seseorang tetap perlu pemahaman yang utuh yang hanya bisa diberikan oleh seorang guru -atau buku yang lebih terstruktur-.
September 13, 2020
Excellent! A comprehensive look at a foundational Okinawa kata. This book looks at San chin from the Goju Ryu perspective, which has a straight line embusen and closed fists as opposed to the Uechi Ryu t shaped embusen and open hands. Ultimately, the gross movements of the kata are the same.
Wilder not only explains the techniques of San chin, but gets into the science behind it and dispels several myths about the kata along the way.
A must read for the serious karateka.
Wilder not only explains the techniques of San chin, but gets into the science behind it and dispels several myths about the kata along the way.
A must read for the serious karateka.
October 25, 2020
I found this book very helpful in understanding some of the why’s of the Kata and for the meticulous explanations of key movements. I am excited to go back and correct the major weaknesses in my form to improve my Sanchin.
November 12, 2021
I wish more books about forms would cover biomechanics
Not only does this cover how movements a and stances are done, it covers why, and how to test for proper technique.
Not only does this cover how movements a and stances are done, it covers why, and how to test for proper technique.
December 3, 2013
Best book on the market on this subject in my opinion. I heard alot of complaints about some of the background info in the book, not sure why. Even if that stuff doesn't tickle your fancy, the bulk of the book is actual instruction on how to do the kata in way that will build functional, measurable skill. Not just anecdotes, not just vague allusions to mysterious martial ability...actual testable, usable stuff. That alone makes it worth buying, and honestly puts it miles above alot of the material on Sanchin Kata available.
February 9, 2014
I don't do sanchin kata, but I know my own forms well enough to profit from what Wilder is doing here. This is how forms should be studied. A good form will stand up to this level of scrutiny and teach you more every time you look at it again. If the forms you're doing don't have this kind of depth, move on to better material.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews