Sanchin Is It Dangerous To Practice?

[Hack Foo Doe]

All

This is possibly from misinformation, I read somewhere a while back but I never got to ask the question A brief discription follows:-

"Sanchin translates as "3 Battles" or "3 Conflicts". This has many meanings. First it refers to the struggle to control the body under physical fatigue. With fatigue the mind begins to lose focus and thus the spirit begins to diminsh as well. Therefore Sanchin develops discipline, determination, focus, perserverance and other mental attributes. The Chinese refer to this as Shen (spirit), Shin (mind) and Li (body). Another possible interpretation refers to the "Three Burners" of the body as decribed in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

One of two "heishu " Kata of Goju-Ryu, Sanchin is probably the most misunderstood Kata in all of Karate. In contrast, it is probably the single most valuable training exercise in Goju-Ryu. Like the other Kata of Goju-Ryu, Sanchin ( Samm Chien in Chinese) can be found in several Chinese arts, particulary the southern styles including four styles of Crane Boxing, Dragon Boxing, Tiger Boxing, Lion Boxing, Dog or Ground Boxing and Monk Fist. Sanchin has such aspects as deep, diaphramatic breathing found in many internal arts as well as external attributes like mechanical alignment and muscular strength.

Because many martial artists have little or no understanding of the true history and nature of the Chinese arts from which Okinawan Goju-Ryu has its roots, Sanchin has become little more than an isometric form performed with dangerous tension and improper breathing techniques.

The original Sanchin that Higaonna Sensei learned from RuRuKo (1852-1930) was performed with open hands and with less emphasis on muscle contraction and "energetic" breathing. With the changes brought about by Emperor Meiji (Meiji Restoration Period 1888-1912), Higaonna Sensei changed the open hands to closed fists as the martial meaning was no longer emphasized. Later Miyagi Sensei would again alter the Kata in pattern alone."

My question is 'Is Sanchin dangerous to practice?'

I read that if the breathing drills are done incorrectly it causes internal damage and can reduce or cause premiture death through Rupture arteries etc in the lung/diaphram.

I await your responses and answers to resolve, confirm or squash any myths about this lovely kata practiced by many styles.

[TonyU]

I'm not familiar with that kata as I don't practice it. I have a few friends that do though.
Through the years I've heard the same thing. My question would be, if it is dangerous where's the documentation of people being injured by it? In actuality, the opposite is true. Many Goju practitioners have lived long and healthy lives. The same with a few American Goju guys I know.
I think (Goju people help me here) like any good kata certain things will self correct themselves. If you start breathing wrong you will know it and change the way you do it. The lung is a very interesting and versatile organ. There's not much you can force it to do. But, again, I'm speculating here.

[jabonn]

You have a couple of different flavors of Sanchin. The Uechi-ryu version would be considered an aerobic workout compared to the Goju-ryu version. In Uechi-ryu the breathing is best described as up and down rather than in and out. The lungs are usually held at 40% with small breathes being made. There is not valsalva involved as the the karate-ka is using controlled breathing while performing this kata. This is where the 'hissing" sound comes in after a moment is performed.

Outsiders view the abnormal breathing and tension, associated with Sanchin, to be hard on the body (lungs and heart). Their belief is Sanchin raises the blood pressure to dangerous levels. I have been doing Sanchin for a number of years and I have had no adverse issues or known of anyone within Uechi-ryu that died as a result of Sanchin.

[jwinch2]

Consciously increasing your rate of respiration does not equal an aerobic workout. Even unconscious increases in respiration typically are not nearly as related to aerobic demand as they are CO2 production and blood pH which. CO2 is increased primarily due to anaerobic metabolism and pH drops for a similar reason. Oxygen utilization has a much less strict relationship with breathing. Either way, the breathing patterns being described in Kata training do not equal aerobic work. In fact, it is far from it.

Now back to your regularly scheduled discussion...

[jabonn]

Consciously increasing your rate of respiration does not equal an aerobic workout. Even unconscious increases in respiration typically are not nearly as related to aerobic demand as they are CO2 production and blood pH which. CO2 is increased primarily due to anaerobic metabolism and pH drops for a similar reason. Oxygen utilization has a much less strict relationship with breathing. Either way, the breathing patterns being described in Kata training do not equal aerobic work. In fact, it is far from it.

Now back to your regularly scheduled discussion...

Jason,

Uechi Sanchin is performed at a faster rate than Goju-ryu's version. This is what I meant about being Aerobic. Both styles do not perform the kata in anywhere near an aerobic workout fashion. It was simply an inside joke that only Okinawan Karate-ka would understand.

[jwinch2]

Gotcha! You'd be amazed at what some people believe.... Thanks for the heads up on the inside joke...

[Cliff Hargrave]

My question is 'Is Sanchin dangerous to practice?'

Yes, very dangerous. Don't do it or you will die. You have been warned.

[jwinch2]

Yes, very dangerous. Don't do it or you will die. You have been warned.

Cliff, have you ever considered public service? You're a natural...

[Cliff Hargrave]

On a serious note though Jason, do you think there is any way a person can damage their body with just some tensing and breathing? It seems rather far fetched. It sounds like old martial arts BS to me.

[jabonn]

On a serious note though Jason, do you think there is any way a person can damage their body with just some tensing and breathing? It seems rather far fetched. It sounds like old martial arts BS to me.

Jason,

I'll ask a little more specific question - Is Sanchin breathing/tension similar to power lifting? (say 400 pound bench press)

[JWhiteSensei]

I'll take that one. No. Sanchin is more a kinetic (terrible terrible spelling) exercise as that it uses muscle tension on muscle tension, or muscle against muscle, and the tensing and easing of those muscles to build strength. Bruce Lee was heavily into this form of exercise for a while and kept it in his routine in smaller ways for a very long time.

We practice the kata Sanchin as well as several other Higaonna Te kata. Some of these are also closed fist but ther also a good many such as Tensho that use open hands. Mabuni also created several kata based on his Teacher, Higaonna's kata. I have never heard of anyone being injured by practicing these kata, Sanchin or the others, nor any ill effects brought on by them. My old Sensei used to actually push on your fists while performing the punches and try to hold back the blocks as you did them. Then he would slap your legs, lightly punch you, or push you while you were doing the kata. I can't say that I miss those days at all.

[elder999]

My question is 'Is Sanchin dangerous to practice?'

I read that if the breathing drills are done incorrectly it causes internal damage and can reduce or cause premiture death through Rupture arteries etc in the lung/diaphram.

I await your responses and answers to resolve, confirm or squash any myths about this lovely kata practiced by many styles.

Is moving your bowels dangerous?

Jabonn mentioned the valsalva contraction-this is the "bearing down" for a bowel movement. It can, coupled with holding or breathing incorrectly, cause a heart attack-men, like Elvis, are found dead on the toilet for this reason. Of course, Elvis used drugs, and was overweight.

In any case, the short answer is no, not if you're otherwise healthy, and perform the kata correctly. If, however, there is some other condition that makes one a heart-attack candidate-even mild arteriosclerosis, then it could be dangerous-of course,in that case,so could walking up a staircase, or sex...

And Cliff's right: keep doing it, and you'll die.