If you've studied karate, you might have heard of sanchin, a form of training that helps the practitioner build strength and flexibility. Originating in China, where qigong breath work is a primary focus of both martial arts and traditional medicine, the sanchin breathing technique directs qi, or vital life energy, into the lower abdomen, where it becomes the foundation of the practitioner's power.
Theory
Sanchin breathing works by stimulating and filling what's called the tanden in Japan, or the dantien in China --- terms that translate as "the cinnabar field" or "the red field." Located three finger-widths below the navel inside the belly, the tanden is an energy organ that stores qi, according to Phillip Starr, founder of Yilichuan Kung-Fu and author of "Martial Mechanics: Maximum Results with Minimum Effort in the Practice of the Martial Arts." The tanden is also called "the cauldron" or "the golden stove," since this is the place where your body "cooks" energy for use by the rest of the body. Sanchin breathing works to draw qi abundantly from your environment and concentrate it in the tanden.
Purpose
In performing the sanchin kata, a series of controlled martial movements, in combination with the sanchin breathing technique, a karate practitioner develops a particularly desirable type of physical strength, according to Kris Wilder, instructor at the West Seattle Karate Academy and author of "The Way of Sanchin Kata: The Application of Power." Rather than the heavy muscles you can achieve with Western strength training like weight lifting, sanchin builds flexible muscle tone that will not slow you down while performing karate.
Cautions
Never force your breath or hold it. Breathing in tension can seriously damage your internal organs, especially if you do so while performing vigorous physical movements. When doing sanchin breathing, inhale completely through the nose, only using as much muscle tension as you need to hold your spine straight. Exhale through the mouth, mildly restricting the breath in the epiglottis to make the characteristic "hoh" sound. "The object is not to use the epiglottis as a cork," advises Bill Glasheen, biomedical engineer and goju sanchin practitioner, on the website Uechi-Ryu Karate. Forcing the breath can lead to hemorrhoids, hernias and blackouts, as well as other serious medical problems like strokes and aneurysms.
Technique
To practice sanchin breathing, stand with your spine straight. Breathe in through the nose, keeping your shoulders dropped in their joints. Visualize the air flowing up the front of your nasal passages to the top of the head, down the spine to the tailbone, and up into the tanden. Exhale, moving the breath up from the tanden, past the solar plexus, and slowly from the mouth, completing the circuit of energy. Repeat. The website of the Jundokan South Africa organization notes that Sensei Miyagi Chojun taught this sanchin method to help students refresh the mind and body.
Considerations
In addition to increasing your physical strength and flexibility, sanchin can help you achieve a calm, focused awareness and access heightened spiritual states, according to Nathan Johnson, traditional Okinawan karate teacher and author of "Barefoot Zen: The Shaolin Roots of Kung Fu and Karate." A good instructor who has studied sanchin techniques can help you avoid any pitfalls you might encounter as you deepen your sanchin practice.
References
- "Martial Mechanics: Maximum Results with Minimum Effort in the Practice of the Martial Arts"; Phillip Starr; 2008
- "The Way of Sanchin Kata: The Application of Power"; Kris Wilder; 2007
- Uechi-Ryu Karate: Sanchin Breathing: Are You Hurting Yourself?
- Jundokan South Africa: Kihon Kata Sanchin
- "Barefoot Zen: The Shaolin Roots of Kung Fu and Karate"; Nathan Johnson; 2000
