Pinan Sandan Meaning in Karate

Pinan Sandan is the third form in the peaceful mind series and emphasizes close range fighting skills. This pattern introduces the horse stance and the use of the elbow as a striking weapon. It features several combinations where the practitioner must block and then grab the arm of the opponent. The sequence teaches students how to use their body weight to increase the power of short strikes. Practitioners learn to stay low to the floor to maintain a very stable and strong base. A student performs an elbow strike to the ribs of a target during a drill. Proper hip rotation is the key to generating force in the many short range moves. This form develops the physical strength needed for grappling and fighting in tight spaces.