Heian Sandan Meaning in Karate

Heian Sandan is the third peaceful mind pattern and focuses on close range fighting skills. This form introduces the horse stance which builds leg strength and lateral stability for students. It features several combinations where the practitioner blocks and strikes with the same arm movement. The sequence also includes a stamping kick used to break the balance of an opponent. Students learn to use their elbows and back fists for striking in tight spaces. A student uses an elbow block to stop a body punch during a drill. Mastering this form requires rotating the body quickly to generate momentum for short range strikes. Shifting the weight sideways allows a person to avoid an attack while staying close to strike.