Kata

Training in kata is the primary method of learning. It is the spirit of the martial artist as he conducts a real fight with opponents seen in a scenario of the mind. It builds strength, speed, balance, and many other skills a martial artist needs to become proficient.

Some Kata’s are short in length and others are long. They all have a place in the whole training. The first kata (SanZhan) learned is just as important as the last. Each was created to achieve a certain degree of proficiency in a conflict. However, the more kata learned does not necessarily mean that you will be better. It is the quality of the execution of the form, not the quantity of forms learned.

The primary method of training by the Chinese and Okinawan martial artists were through the movements of “form”. These forms consisted of a series of techniques that were based on the fighting experiences of warriors learned from actual combat. They also used methods learned from observing various animals fighting, such as tigers, cranes, snakes, etc. They created forms that would represent these animal’s movements.

These forms were gathered, refined and passed down through many generations of warriors. Training usually began with the beginning student first learning how to hold their hand and position their bodies to deliver a punch, block, or evade an attack. These individual movements, called “technique”, were then strung together in a short series of actions that would be perfected before learning the complicated combat forms. These movements were taught in several short forms consisting of just a few techniques. The student would practice all fighting forms in an exact manner to learn their master’s concept of combat. These forms would be performed with the spirit of a real fight by visualizing in the mind offensive and defensive movements.

Later when the form became perfected through practice the student could change parts of it to fit their ability. These changes would reflect the student’s personal understanding of the techniques and their own physical limitations. This variation of the form would become the expression, or “the art” of the martial artist. When the forms are perfected, the student then begins to learn how to apply the techniques with power in mock fighting sequences. These mock fights resemble real fighting even though they are practiced in a prearranged manner. In addition to the forms the student learns how to develop power and speed through special breathing exercises and reaction exercises with a partner.

Half-hard/soft hand forms (Te kata no Ban Ying Ruan)
• Fierce Tiger awakens(Okosuku)
• Three Conflicts (SanZhan)
• Four Direction Conflict (Shiho Chien)
• Twenty-four (Nisei shiho)
• Thirty-Six (Sanseiru)
• Seventeen (Kururunfa)
• Eighteen (Saipai)
• Thirteen (Seisan)
• 108 hands (Suparenpai)
• KambunUechi/ZhouZiHe No. 1 (KanZiHe dai ichi)
• KambunUechi/ZhouZiHe No. 2 (KanZiHe dai ni)
• Four Animals (SiHe)
• 13 Ultimate Defenses (Shihsan Tai Bau)
• Tiger Going Down Mountain (Sya Shan Hu)
• Tiger Leaving Cage (Chu Lan Hu)
• Tiger Going Up Mountain (Shang Shan Hu)
• SeiShin


Weapons art (Kobujutsu)
Iron truncheon art (Sai jutsu)
• Tawada no sai
• Chatanyara no sai
• Ginowa no sai
Short staff art (Jo jutsu)
• Nijuatamaku no jo
Grinding handle art (Tuifa jutsu)
• Hamahiga no Tuifa
Staff art (Bo jutsu)
• Tokumine no kun
• Choun no kun
• Suishi no kun
Twin rods art (Nunchaku jutsu)
• Taira no nunchaku
Scythe art (Kama jutsu)
• Neada no kama
10,000 power chain (Manrikigusari)
Four inch hand rod (Kenshikibo)
• Kaminarite no kenshikibo
Oar art (Eaku jutsu)
• Tsuken Akachu no eaku
• Sunachien no eaku

Ying Gong is Hard Gongfu and is considered, external power. Nei Gong is Soft Gongfu and is considered, internal power. There should be a balance of the hard and soft power in daily training. The Sanshin Academy stresses this balance of natural forces in the human body, which is known as Qi/Ki and Shen/Shin. They are controlled by the mind using breathing and harmony of movement. The precise movements found in all of SanShin’s Kata control these forces. The Senseis at SanShin Academy are mindful of the student’s use of breath when performing the movements of each form because this determines their level of progress in the art. The forms at the SanShin Academy are based on the Qi Gong (ChiGong) sequences created by the famous General Kou during the Tang Dynasty. These movements were passed down from father to son until Kou Shou who at the age of 103 taught them to Lo Cheng-Hsien in Taiwan. Kou Shou had no son to pass the art to, so therefore he was permitted to teach outside the family line. Mr. Lo passed them on to Soke Byers.