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Martial Arts Book Review - The Way of Sanchin Kata by Kris Wilder

Author: Shawn Kovacich
Date Posted: September 11, 2007

I just recently finished reading Kris Wilder’s, “The Way of Sanchin Kata,” and boy let me tell you I was thoroughly impressed. It has been years since I first learned this kata, and embarrassingly almost as long since I last practiced it. Kris’s breakdown and explanation of this kata and all its finer points is nothing short of remarkable and is without a doubt one of the finest examples of this kata that I have ever seen in literature.

I will even go so far as to say that the only way that you could find a better introduction to this kata is to actually have someone that has genuinely mastered it instruct you. The key statement here is, “genuinely mastered it” not someone that is merely familiar with it. I am familiar with Sanchin kata, but I sure am not competent enough performing it at this time to instruct it. I have yet to see anything else in print, or on video for that matter, that comes close to Kris’s instructional ability with this kata.

Now I must admit that I fully intended to have this review completed and posted weeks before I actually accomplished that task. However, after reading through Kris’s book the first time, I had to actually go through it several more times and I even practiced various portions of the kata while holding this book in one hand as I went through the movements. I could really tell that it has been awhile since I last practiced this kata, and I was really grateful to have Kris’s book as a guide to get me through it. Not only did this book prove to be a great resource for refreshing my memory on this particular kata, but it taught me so much more that I hadn’t even known before.

As with any kata, and I do mean any kata, the principles and underlying techniques which a kata is designed to teach are far more important and beneficial to the martial artist than the mere combinations of punches, blocks, and kicks. The benefits of learning and practicing Sanchin kata on a consistent basis are not something that you will miraculously see overnight. However, you will start seeing the benefits after a couple of months of consistent practice.

Kris starts off his book with a very informative section on the history of the Sanchin kata followed by some very profound information on the learning process and how it can impede or enhance your learning potential.

From here Kris spends the rest of the book breaking down each individual component of the kata in precise and exacting detail from the placement and “rooting” of your feet all the way up through various parts of your body to your fists. Each chapter is very well done and is consistent in its information and importance to each particular movement in the kata as well as the kata as a whole.

I personally found the sections and information detailing the correct body posture and breathing to be the most beneficial along with the proper parts of the body to tense and relax during the execution of the kata. That by no means is meant to place any other portions of the book as less important; it merely means that these particular portions stood out for me and my background as more beneficial. Although the book was loaded with lots of very informative illustrations, I really would have liked to have seen some of the body positions utilized with real people instead of drawings.

I highly recommend this book to anyone wishing to realize their true potential not only with Sanchin kata, but any kata that they happen to practice.

About The Author

Shawn Kovacich has been practicing the martial arts for over 25 years and currently holds the rank of 4th degree (Yodan) black belt in both Karate and Tae Kwon Do. Shawn has also competed in such prestigious full-contact bare knuckle karate competitions as the Shidokan Open and the Sabaki Challenge, among others. In addition to his many accomplishments, Shawn is also a two time world record holder for endurance high kicking as certified by the Guinness Book of World Records. Shawn is the author of Axe Kick the third volume in the highly acclaimed Achieving Kicking Excellence™ series. of martial arts books, and is currently working on several additional marital arts and self-defense books. Which are due to be released in 2007.

Article Source: JKD Street Combat - online collection of martial arts book reviews.

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