Introduction to Kata Sankan-Te

Sankan-te is the third kata created by Kancho approximately 3 years after Nikan-te. This kata follows a similar embusen to a Goju-Ryu kata, Gekisai which was once part of the GKR syllabus. Kancho did not set out to copy Gekisai’s embusen but noticed the similarities as he was creating Sankan-te.

Sankan-te is a kata that flows continuously like Nikan-te, although this kata contains open and closed hand techniques. With Kancho’s multi-technique combinations featuring strongly across all three of his kata, Kancho notes in Sankan-te, there should be one breath for each grouping of techniques so as not to interrupt the ibuki waza (breathing technique) and for the techniques to flow.

Kancho says of Sankan-te, that it is a fairly straightforward kata with quality combinations. He did consider changing it with Nikan-te in the order of his kata as it can be considered easier to learn, however he decided to keep his kata in the original order they were created and thus, keeping Sankan-te as the third kata.

As with Kancho’s previous kata (Shokan-te and Nikan-te), Sankan-te is an organic creation born from Kancho practising kata and combinations on an almost daily basis.

GKR Karate – Sankan-Te

Tips for Sankan-te

Counts 2 and 7: Ura Uchi (Back-Fist Strike)
- The vertical back-fists in counts 2 and 7 are actually part of a 4-move hand- combination. This is because once a student has learned the kata, Kancho Sullivan prefers the first 3 counts are all performed to the same count.
- The first three moves are all performed with the same hand while the hips are on a 45-degree angle. These are the inside hooking block, the hammer-fist and back fist. It finishes with Gyaku tsuki (reverse punch) where the hips drive forward to Shomen (facing forward) position.
- After the Tetsui, the fist should avoid circling across the body to arrive at the Ura uchi. Instead, try to bring the fist from the Tetsui to the Ura uchi along a vertical line. This hand-combination in also found in kata Sepai.
- The backfist, while in Zenkutsu dahci and having the hips 45-degrees, should still finish similar to the Kihon final position, where the fist whips back to be above the elbow (making a vertical line through the forearm).
- The fist or the Ura uchi should be slightly below the eyes, while the Hikite fist should be in the traditional position.
Counts 5 and 10: Kaishu Gedan Uke (Open Hand Sweeping Block)
- This shares many identical characteristics of the opening sequence of Nikan-te. The fundamental difference is that in Sankan-te, the feet do NOT move to an inverted Zenkutsu dachi. While the length is two shoulder-widths, it is NOT one shoulder width wide. The feet remain on the same line.
- The sweeping block drops down behind the front leg and sweeps across to finish just in front of the leg.
- The open Hikite hand is at the solar plexus and vertical, like a Kake uke hikite.
- The body weight is two thirds back, similar to an inverted Zenkutsu dachi (found in Nikan-te and Sepai count 5).
Counts 12 and 14: Otoshi Tetsui Uchi (Downward Hammer-Fist Strike) with Ura Uchi (Back-Fist Strike)
- Counts 12 and 14 comprise of a combination also found in kata Sepai. This consists of rotating from a Sanchin dachi (hourglass stance) to a Yoko Heiko Sanchin (Side-facing, parallel stance where the feet are not in line). As the body pivots to the side, the front hand drops to execute a hammer-fist and then instantly comes back up to execute a whipping back-fist.
- The hammer fist should point towards the front and aim at Gedan level.
- The back-fist should come up vertically (avoid circling across the body) and strike at nose height.
- The hips and stance do not move after the hammer-fist strike. It is a fast-whipping action purely from the front hand.
- The Hikite comes to the traditional position with the hammer-fist and remains in place during the back-fist.
- The final position has the backfist snap back to the vertical position, similar to Kihon) with the fist just below eye height.
Counts 16 and 24: Mae Geri (Front Kick) and Mawashi Empi (Round Elbow Strike)
- Counts 15 and 23 finish with a Chudan Oi tsuki in Sanchin dachi.
- As the front kick extends out, the torso must remain posture up (avoid ‘turtle shelling’) while the hands must also remain in place. This is similar to Taigyoku Nidan where the torso and arms must hold firm during the front kick.
- The hips should remain square during the kick, this allows the hips to rip to a Hanmi (45-degree) position to give more power to the Mawashi empi (round elbow strike).
- The round elbow must land with the Zenkutsu dachi, hips in Hanmi position, with the Hikite in the traditional position.
Counts 19 and 26: Ura Uchi (Back-Fist) with Kiai
- Count 18 ends with the right leg back in Zenkutsu dachi. For count 19, the rear leg (right leg) will lift and raise the knee. It will also shorten to Heiko dachi, while rotating to face side on. Count 26 is the opposite as it starts with the left leg back.
- Count 18 finishes with a right-hand reverse punch. This same arm (right arm) will then come behind the head to execute the back fist, landing the back fist with the Heiko dachi stance. The path this back-fist takes is similar to Saifa during the spinning turns with hammer-fist. Count 26 is the same however with the left-hand.
- The Hikite hand also closely resembles Saifa. In counts 18 and 25, the Hikite is in the traditional position. For counts 19 and 26, this hand will assist the spin by rotating across the body (like Saifa). It differs from Saifa as after assisting the body with the rotation, it returns hand open in the vertical Hikite position (identical to Kake uke).
- We kiai as the backfist and stance land simultaneously.
Counts 20 and 27: Otoshi Hikite (Downward Pull) with Yoko Shita Tsuki (Side Directed Short Punch).
- Counts 19 and 26 finish with a back-fist. For counts 20 and 27, this back-fisting hand will open and face toward the direction of the opponent. It will then grab and Otoshi hikite (downwards pull) to the traditional Hikite position (floating ribs), however the hand remains open and the palm faces down.
- Counts 19 and 26 finish with the Hikite hand being open, palm forward and fingers vertical. For counts 20 and 27, the Hikite hand will execute a Yoko shita tsuki (side directed short punch). The punch does NOT pull back prior to punching, rather it is fired from the Hikite position. A very small hip tremor (Gamaku) is permitted to help assist with power.
- While there may be a hip tremor, the hips start and finish in a regular Heiko dachi.
Counts 28 and 31: Kosi Gamae (Hip Guard) Meoto-De (Husband and Wife Hands)
- Make sure the heels, toes and knees all come together.
- The Hikite hand is in the traditional position but it is allowed to come forward slightly from the floating ribs to allow the other hand to come on top.
- This move occurs twice in Sankan-te, however both occasions are just a transition point between counts. It is because we transition through this posture that it’s important to make note of it to ensure transitions are correct.
- This move (whether its own count or a transition phase) is found in many kata, such as Bassai-dai, Empi, Kanku-dai Kanku-sho and Sochin. Sometimes both hands are closed (like in Sankan-te) and on occasion in other kata, one hand may be open.
- Meoto-de (husband and wife hands) in application implies both hands are doing different things yet both work together towards the same goal. For example, one hand may be trapping while the other is twisting, destabilising, controlling etc.
- Koshi (hips) Kamae (guard). Note: In Japanese, whenever a word starting with ‘K’, has an adjective place in front of it, the letter ‘K’ is replaced with a ‘G’. So, while Kamae means guard, as it has an adjective (hips) before it, it becomes Gamae. Another example is the word Kick. In Japanese the word for kick is ‘Keri’. But if we place an adjective in front of it, (like Front), then kick changes from ‘Keri’ to ‘Geri’.
Counts 28 and 31: Haito Uchi (Ridge-Hand Strike)
- On count 28 we step back with our left leg and Haito with our right arm. Count 30 is stepping back with the right leg and executing Haito with the left arm.
- As we step back, we prepare for the Haito by bringing our striking arm down behind our body. It does not prepare behind the back. This keeps the arm relatively straight. The palm will face away from the body.
- As we prepare for our Haito, the Hikite hand moves in front of the body as a type of guard. It may also cross toward the opposite shoulder (staying out from the body) to allow for more momentum when the Haito is delivered.
- The Haito should land as the stance finalises and the hips should be square.
- Both wrists should be flat with the thumbs covering the palms.
Counts 29, 30, 31 and 32: Gyaku Tsuki (Reverse Punch) and Yoko Ura Uchi (Side Back-Fist)
- During these counts, we are facing toward the front of the dojo, but we are stepping toward the back corners of the dojo. On counts 29 and 30, we step back with our left leg while counts 31and 32, we step back with the right leg.
- Counts 29 and 31 are both Gyaku tsuki (reverse punches). On the techniques prior (the Haito strikes), the hips are 45-degrees, which means the hips should thrust forward to square to create more power in the reverse punches.
- As we reverse punch, the Hikite hand moves to the preparation for the Ura uchi (Back-fist) with the elbow up protecting the jaw and pointing towards the opponent.
- As the back-fists are executed, the hips should thrust back to Hanmi (45-degrees) position. The reverse punch returns to the traditional Hikite position, and the back-fists snap back to their original position.