Sanchin [三戦] Shime [締め]

三戦締め

“Sanchin seeks to develop the muscles and bones of the body to help the practitioner withstand blows from an opponent, while drilling the basic mechanics of a strike that depends on a stable base.” - unknown

Sanchin [三戦]

• three battle, war, match

Shime  [締め] 

• tie up, bind, fastening, tightening
• judo choking (strangling) techniques
• completion, conclusion, rounding off 

It becomes apparent the English definitions don’t exactly state what three battles infers, as well as what tightening means when put together. It is known that environment and beliefs go a long way to add to the meaning so it does mean something special in a Japanese martial cultural dojo or especially in American dojo.

In one source it translates to three battles closed, what ever that means. 

“Sanchin, meaning "three battles/conflicts/wars" is usually interpreted as the battle to unify the mind, body, and spirit; however, there are other interpretations.” -unknown

Shime infers some sort of test that, research says, supposedly tests structure, etc., which doesn’t really deal with mind, body (?), and spirit. 

Sanchin uses kata/karate methods in combination with a type of breathing as well as dynamic tensioning and relaxation in its practice and performance.

Shime doesn’t test for whatever the mind part means or the spirit, for that matter. It is seldom explained but assumed the student will pick it up on their own.

I suspect that what you need to learn from sanchin is not testable. Such as muscle and breathing processes. I also believe the degree of dynamic tensioning is performed to hard and for too long a duration. It is thought to be an exercise that builds strength, etc. but I don’t believe that to be true.

Muscle dynamic tension is not the way to strong hard muscles, that comes from practices like hojo undo and other weight bearing programs. Dynamic tensioning uses a good deal of energy so the dynamic tensioning must be momentarily held AND not held for longer duration.

When used; light, maybe medium, strikes to get a feel for a microsecond of positive relaxation then that dynamic tensioning, to armor, up to absorb the force and power delivered.

Also, in being tested, one should also instantly move the body properly; before, when hit and after; thus tracing how the combination is relaxed, tension (armor), while moving (deflect strike and its force and power), and gaining a positional advantage to avoid, escape and evade, or to counter until “man, down now” OR “you, gone now” is achieved within the social and legal laws, mandates and rules of violence.

Rooting is also set and maintained way to long because if you root, you are not moving. Rooting can take energy and force and power and deplete it when, in the fight, you are ALWAYS MOVING, so hits, strikes, kicks, twists, etc., can be applied ensuring 90% of our energy is used for maximum effect of “man,down now OR… “

To become immobile and unmovable in sanchin dachi is NOT what we should be learning and practicing for fense, because social, and especially asocial, violence is NOT a rooted stationary event. It’s messy, fast, furious, surprising, dangerous and deadly! It’s NOT a game or a test subject to get another colored belt because it most assuredly is grave harm or death and a legal matter most dangerous to one’s life.

Sanchin is about learning certain fundamental principles like structure as well as tensioning and relaxation and movement. 

Rooting is not about powerful strikes and kicks because rooting removes the greatest power generation concept we humans have, “MOVEMENT” of the body!

Even in sanchin Shime, the microsecond the strike or kick lands; you tension and move and relax and keep moving, all to your strategic advantage.

I like sanchin, it feels good but I keep my eye on the ball, ball is always moving, as to what I need should I ever make the mistake and get caught in “the fight!”

In my training days my mind always considers, “avoidance (escape & evasion) first and foremost; the moral, social and especially legal ramifications; then the fight and applying necessary force to end it now; and the aftermath, should the fight be applied for legal, moral and social self-defense! This becomes an understanding that drives how to prepare in all facets of fense, not just the fun and test worthy stuff.

There are other factors involving sanchin and sanchin shime but this allows for one’s imagination to flourish. If you want to hear more thoughts just send me a message.