When practicing Sanchin kata, the first crucial aspect is to maintain the correct posture.
Sanchin kata consists of various triangular shapes, where the angles of these triangles are extremely important.
In the upper body, the angles of the elbows and armpits are crucial, while in the lower body, the angles of the feet and the legs connecting to the core are essential.
Since the angles of the feet and legs in the lower body can easily change during movement, careful attention is required.
By moving in a way that keeps the angles of the feet and legs consistent, the lower body can be connected spirally with the upper body.
Therefore, a key indicator to ensure these angles remain unchanged is whether the finishing point of the kata aligns with the starting point on the performance line.
If there’s a discrepancy, it indicates a change in angles.
Hence, beginners should aim to move while maintaining the correct posture of the lower body for the time being.
In other words, it’s about ensuring one can always return to the starting point of the kata.
In Sanchin, this refers to the performance line directly ahead, while in Naihanchin, it’s the point on the performance line when facing sideways.
If the endpoint deviates from the starting point on the performance line, it implies a shift in stance or alignment.
Now, why is it essential to maintain these postures correctly during kata practice?
The reason lies in how moving correctly in the prescribed form of the kata integrates the body deeply.
As the body integrates, the structural center shifts to the sacrum, and the center of movement shifts from the legs to the tanden.
The sacrum being the structural center should never be moved; manipulation of the sacrum is strictly prohibited.
On the other hand, the tanden serves as the focal point of energy release, hence the surrounding muscles need to be kept soft.
In essence, while the surface of the body may have tension, the core around the tanden should remain soft. If the tanden is the core, it must be pliable.
This allows for the generation of energy, which acts as the driving force behind movement.
The movement originating from the tanden as the primary force of energy release occurs in harmony with gravity. It’s a result of harmonizing with gravity rather than relying on it.
Harmonizing with gravity doesn’t mean yielding to it by relaxing the hip joints to let the weight sink downwards. Instead, the opening of the tanden occurs in harmony with gravity.
As children, we naturally possessed this harmony with gravity within our bodies. However, as we age, we gradually lose this ability to harmonize with gravity.
A comparison between how an adult falls backward versus how an infant rolls backward illustrates this difference clearly.
An adult tends to fall backward, relying mostly on abdominal muscle strength, even if they can roll skillfully.
In contrast, an infant rolls gracefully, maintaining a constant speed. This is because the infant’s body possesses the inherent ability to harmonize with gravity.
During childhood, the body naturally strives to harmonize with gravity, but as we enter adolescence, this inclination fades, eventually shifting towards the willpower of thought.
As a consequence, the tanden closes.
In other words, as thinking develops, the vitality of the body’s core diminishes.
The development of the ego and the state of the tanden are closely related.
As thinking emerges, the tanden closes, and its life force dwindles.
In essence, the development of thought robs the body of its vitality.
This relationship between head-centered thought and bodily vitality is reminiscent of the story of the two trees in the Garden of Eden in the Old Testament: the Tree of Knowledge and the Tree of Life.
To revive the inner vitality of the body, it’s necessary to quiet the mind.
So, why does practicing Sanchin kata rejuvenate and invigorate the practitioner?
It’s deeply related to the opening of the tanden.
However, the gate of life force that is the tanden cannot be opened through one’s intention alone.
To achieve this, it’s necessary to revive the bodily willpower that was lost with the development of thought.
The explanation has been lengthy, but in summary, through practicing Sanchin kata, when the structural center of the body becomes the sacrum, and the center of movement shifts to the tanden, the body becomes a unified entity. Only then can one truly manifest the techniques of karate.