Important Facts Name

Important Facts
Name:  Sanseiryu
Meaning:  36 Conflicts
Origin:  China
Creator:  Unknown

Sanseiryu

Sanseiryu is the last of the three original kata brought back from China by Kanbun Uechi Sensei. Some people claim that there was a fourth kata learned by Master Uechi that he didn't teach to his students because he didn't think he knew it well enough to teach it. Most people believe this to be a myth and that there was only three. Regardless of which story is true, Uechi-ryu as we know it presently ends with Sanseiryu in terms of new kata.

Sanseiryu, Kanei Uechi's favorite kata, really expands from where Seisan leaves off. It's a form that utilizes angles and distance unlike any of the kata. It truly emphasizes driving into an opponent in an way that is only shown superficially in Sanchin and Seisan. Some people believe that once Sanseiryu is learned and understood to a point, Sanchin begins to make much more sense. In other words, it gives a new conceptual meaning to how we perform Sanchin and what we as practitioners get out of the first kata.

Sanseiryu

a. Stand with heels together and feet at 45 degrees.

b. Bow, and step out into a left sanchin stance in post position.

c. Throw a right middle-area block followed by a left middle block. Slide forward in a left sanchin stance while blocking with the the left hand and throw a right shoken (one knuckle) punch to the middle area.

d. Slide back to a left sanchin stance and cross the hands in shoken fists in front of you. The right hand is on top.

e. Turn 180 degrees to a right sanchin stance, keeping the hands in the same position. Throw a left middle block and slide into a right leaning stance throwing a right elbow strike. Slide back to a right sanchin stance and throw a right middle-area block and a left boshiken to the nose. Throw a left middle block with a right hand nukite to the ribs.

f. Turn 180 degrees to a left sanchin stance in post position. Throw a left middle-area block and a left front kick hip high. Slide back to a left sanchin stance and cross the hands in shoken fists in front of you. The right hand is on top.

g. Turn 45 degrees to the right and throw a double high block with haraken fists.

h. Turn 90 degrees to the left a perform the Seichin "beachball" block. Turn 45 degrees to the left in a left sanchin stance with the hand in sanchin position.

i. Turn 45 degrees to the right and drive into a right T-stance while throwing palm-heel strikes with both hands. Throw a right gedan block and scoop with the right hand and throw with both.

j. Turn 180 degrees to a left sanchin stance with both hands in sanchin position with fists in shokens. Perform a sanchin arm strike with the shoken fist. Slide forward and perform another arm strike. Slide forward and perform a third arm strike then drive into a right T-stance and perform a scoop with the right hand and throw with both.

k. Turn 90 degrees to the left in a left sanchin stance. Throw a left middle block and drive into a right T-stance, a right forearm strike, a right back first, and a right shoken punch to the middle area.

l. Turn 135 degrees to the left in a left sanchin stance. Throw a left middle block and drive into right leaning stance and throw a right elbow strike. Adjust the stance to a T-stance and perform a right scoop and and two-handed throw.

m. Turn 225 degrees into a left sanchin stance with hands in sanchin position. Perform a right sanchin arm strike.

n. Turn 90 degrees to the left in a left cat-stance. Throw a left middle block and a left knee strike. End with hands in wa-uke position.

o. Turn 180 degrees to a right cat stance. Throw a right middle block and a right knee strike. End with hands in wa-uke position.

p. Turn 90 degrees to the left in a left sanchin stance. Throw a left middle-area block while stepping forward into a right sanchin stance while striking with left open handed crane hand shoulder height.

q. Step back to a left cat stance and throw a left middle block with a left knee strike. Keep hands in a wa-uke position.

r. Come back to a neutral position, pull hands to the sides and bow.