Sanchin

Sanchin is the basis of all that we do in Uechi Ryu. There are many techniques and tips related to Sanchin. These are the ones that I’ve picked up over the years.

Sanchin stance

Feet

• The forward foot should be one foot distance away from the rear foot. The heel of the forward foot should align with the toes of the rear foot. The forward foot should be rotated outward by 1 heel’s distance.
• The soles of your feet should be in full contact with the floor. Imagine there are pegs on the balls and heels of your feet driving into the ground. Feel your legs tighten as your feet grip the floor.

Legs and Hips

• Your knees should be bent slightly.
• Your hips should be tucked forward.

Torso

• Your back should be straight.
• Sink into your stance - tighten your diaphram.

Head

• Your head should be looking forward and chin level.
• Breathe normally.

Arms

• Your shoulders should be rolled forward (don’t lean forward)
• Imagine that there are weights pulling your elbows down to the ground. This should tighten your lats.
• Your elbows should be in front of your body about a fist distance from your body.
• Your fingers should be together.
• Your fingertips should be level with your shoulders.
• Your hands should be wide enough to be just visible on the right/left sides of your body if someone were to stand behind you and look in your direction.
• Thumbs should be tucked in.

Sanchin opening

1. Bring hands to hips
2. Strike outward with both hands. Your fingers should either be straight or outward (like a palm strike, a la Art Rabesa). Hands should be at belt level.
3. Tighten hands into fists
4. Simultaneously pull back toward your body and pull your hands slightly toward the center as you rotate your arms upward. Thrust outward into your Sanchin stance with your hands open.

Sanchin strike

1. Bring your rear hand slightly toward the center (block) as you bring your hand back into a rear elbow strike.
2. Your palm should be facing upward and be no further back than your chest.
3. The height of your hand should be about nipple height.
4. Your shoulder should be down.
5. When you strike outward, leverage your core by bringing your arm slightly inward as you strike out.
6. Keep your arm loose and palm facing up until you are 90% of the way to impact, then flip your hand at the last moment and tighten for a stronger strike.
7. Return your arm to the Sanchin stance by rotating toward the center and up - similar to step 4 of the Sanchin opening.

Turning

1. When turning, lift your heel and then bring your body around far enough to get off the line of attack.
2. Look to where you are turning first.
3. During the turn, bring your entire upper body around as a unit rather than head, then shoulders, then arms, then legs.

Doubles

1. Like the Sanchin strike, keep your arms loose until impact and rotate them at the last moment.
2. Keep your shoulders down.
3. Hands should be about 1.5 - 2 hands apart from eachother.
4. When bringing your arms back, do not just bring them straight back. Leverage your core and bring them slightly to your center as you pull backward.

Wauke block

1. Bring your blocking arm down and your guiding hand to your blocking arm’s inner elbow
2. Do not collapse your arm close to the body. Your blocking arm should start at about belt level.
3. Perform the wauke block (like an exaggerated circle block)
4. Be sure to complete the block bringing your arm into Sanchin
5. Pull the blocking hand to your waist and your other hand to normal strike location
6. Thrust outward with both hands - the strikes are with the palm to just below the rib and right at the top of the chest muscle.
7. The lower hand’s fingers should not be facing down. Instead, the lower hand’s fingers should face outward.