Pinan sono go
Name
Romaji: Pinan sono go
Japanese: 平安その五 / 平安五段
Meaning: Fifth Pinan form. Pinan (平安), the Okinawan reading of the characters, conveys peace, calm, safety or serenity. Here calm means controlled readiness, not passivity. Sono go identifies the fifth form. See Pinan for the shared name, history and place in Kyokushin.
Introduction
Pinan sono go completes the five basic Pinan forms after ichi, ni, san and yon. It integrates defence and counterattack, crossed and gripping hand actions, lateral stamping, kicking and elbow work, jumping, controlled landings and Manji uke. Contrasts between slow preparation, fast techniques, jumps and stable landings develop rhythm, timing and whole-body control.
Place in the system
Group: Pinan. Level: Intermediate / advanced foundation.
Pinan sono go completes the five basic Pinan forms after ichi, ni, san and yon. It integrates defence and counterattack, crossed and gripping hand actions, lateral stamping, kicking and elbow work, jumping, controlled landings and Manji uke. Contrasts between slow preparation, fast techniques, jumps and stable landings develop rhythm, timing and whole-body control.
Technical profile
The technical character combines the stances and techniques below with changes of direction, coordinated hips and hikite, breathing, rhythm, kime and zanshin. The teaching sequence has 20 main counts.
Kiai: count 10 on Migi tettsui gedan after Yoko fumikomi; count 14 on landing in Kake-dachi with Seiken gedan jūji uke. Preserve slow Haishu preparation and the contrast between combinations, jumping and stable landing.
Embusen and technical diagram
Diagram unavailable: The embusen diagram described in the source is absent from this edition. Follow the directions and movement sequence in the text.
The 20 counts include 180° turns, diagonals, lateral action and jumps. The count-14 jump must end in a technical landing, not decoration. Check the final directions in counts 16–20, the active Musubi transition, pivot feet, gaze and final position without extra adjustments.
Stances
Kokutsu-dachi: opening Uchi uke/Chūdan gyaku tsuki. Heisoku-dachi: active gathered Waki no kamae. Zenkutsu-dachi: Morote, Jūji uke, Chūdan oi tsuki and Shōtei gedan uke. Kiba-dachi: lateral Yoko fumikomi/Tettsui and Manji uke. Tsuruashi-dachi: balance and recovery around Teisoku mawashi geri and Hiji jōdan uchi. Kake-dachi: stable crossed landing after jumps. Musubi-dachi: final transition before the last Manji uke; count 18 is active, not a pause.
Principal techniques
- Uchi uke / Chūdan gyaku tsuki: defence and direct counter. Waki no kamae: gathered preparation for direction change or control.
- Morote uchi uke: reinforced block with support. Seiken gedan jūji uke / Shutō jōdan jūji uke: crossed low/high control.
- Ryō shō tsukami uke: controlled grip or catch, opening a line for Chūdan oi tsuki; retain hikite in count 9.
- Teisoku uke: leg block during the 180° turn. Yoko fumikomi / Tettsui gedan: lateral stamp and low attack or downward control in Kiba-dachi.
- Haishu uke: slow open-hand control with gaze. Teisoku mawashi geri / Hiji jōdan uchi: circular kick and elbow against different lines, connected by the hips. Count 12 continues into the jump to Kake-dachi with Morote uchi uke; control the complete combination.
- Jump to Kake-dachi: repositioning and distance control, with a stable technical landing.
- Morote jōdan age tsuki: upward double attack or breaking action from Kokutsu-dachi.
- Shōtei gedan uke: low control preparing the final sequence. Manji uke: simultaneous control of two directions or levels, one arm low and the opposite arm up/back, with clear head direction and stable Kiba-dachi.
Start and finish
Begin in Fudō-dachi, facing shinden. After announcing Pinan sono go, perform the slow yoi movement into Heikō-dachi according to the dojo standard. In mugōrei, perform without ongoing counts after hajime. Only the 20 main counts are numbered; start, yoi, naore and yasume are separate.
At naore, bring the right foot back with a 45° clockwise turn into Fudō-dachi. At yasume, return to the resting position.
Movement sequence
The following teaching sequence supports practice and revision according to the selected Galaz Dojo/modern Kyokushin standard; it does not replace dojo instruction.
| No. | Direction | Stance | Technique | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Turn 90° left | Hidari kokutsu-dachi | Hidari seiken uchi uke / migi seiken chūdan gyaku tsuki | Turn anticlockwise into Hidari kokutsu-dachi. Block hidari uchi uke and punch migi chūdan gyaku tsuki. |
| 2 | Gather in 90° clockwise | Heisoku-dachi | Migi waki no kamae | Turn clockwise, gather into Heisoku-dachi and slowly retract the right fist to migi waki no kamae, left fist above it. |
| 3 | Turn 90° right | Migi kokutsu-dachi | Migi seiken uchi uke / hidari seiken chūdan gyaku tsuki | Turn clockwise into Migi kokutsu-dachi. Block migi uchi uke and punch hidari chūdan gyaku tsuki. |
| 4 | Gather in 90° anticlockwise | Heisoku-dachi | Hidari waki no kamae | Turn anticlockwise, gather into Heisoku-dachi and slowly retract the left fist to hidari waki no kamae, right fist above it. |
| 5 | Forwards | Migi zenkutsu-dachi | Migi seiken morote uchi uke | Advance into Migi zenkutsu-dachi and block morote uchi uke. |
| 6 | Forwards | Hidari zenkutsu-dachi | Migi seiken gedan jūji uke | Advance into Hidari zenkutsu-dachi and block gedan jūji uke from jūji kamae. |
| 7 | Same position | Hidari zenkutsu-dachi | Migi shutō jōdan jūji uke | Drive the arms up to shutō jōdan jūji uke, retaining the stance and centre. |
| 8 | Same position | Hidari zenkutsu-dachi | Ryō shō tsukami uke / migi shutō waki no kamae | Turn both shutō hands clockwise, indicate a gripping block and retract to migi shutō waki no kamae. |
| 9 | Forwards | Migi zenkutsu-dachi | Migi seiken chūdan oi tsuki | Advance into Migi zenkutsu-dachi and punch chūdan oi tsuki with clear hikite. |
| 10 | Turn 180° and stamp | Kiba-dachi | Migi teisoku uke / migi yoko fumikomi / migi tettsui gedan, kiai | Turn 180° anticlockwise with teisoku uke, stamp yoko fumikomi into Kiba-dachi and strike migi tettsui gedan with kiai. |
| 11 | Slow block preparation | Kiba-dachi | Hidari haishu uke | Slowly extend the open left hand to haishu uke, retracting the right hand to hikite. Follow the movement with the gaze. |
| 12 | Kick, elbow and jump | Hidari kake-dachi | Migi teisoku mawashi geri / migi hiji jōdan uchi / migi morote uchi uke | Kick teisoku mawashi geri, retract to Tsuruashi-dachi, strike hiji jōdan uchi against the left hand and jump into Hidari kake-dachi with migi morote uchi uke. |
| 13 | Turn 90° anticlockwise | Hidari kokutsu-dachi | Migi morote jōdan age tsuki | Turn into Hidari kokutsu-dachi and punch migi morote jōdan age tsuki. |
| 14 | Jumping turn | Kake-dachi | Seiken gedan jūji uke, kiai | Jump and turn 90° anticlockwise. Land low in Kake-dachi and block seiken gedan jūji uke with kiai. |
| 15 | Turn 90° right | Migi zenkutsu-dachi | Migi seiken morote uchi uke | Turn clockwise into Migi zenkutsu-dachi and block morote uchi uke. |
| 16 | Diagonally left | Hidari zenkutsu-dachi | Migi shōtei gedan uke | Move 45° anticlockwise into Hidari zenkutsu-dachi and block migi shōtei gedan uke. |
| 17 | Turn left | Hidari kiba-dachi | Hidari gedan barai / manji uke | Turn the hips 90° anticlockwise into Hidari kiba-dachi. Block hidari gedan barai and form manji uke structure with the opposite arm upwards and backwards. |
| 18 | Gather in | Musubi-dachi | Retained manji structure | Bring the left foot to the right into Musubi-dachi, retaining arm structure and zanshin. |
| 19 | Diagonally right | Migi zenkutsu-dachi | Hidari shōtei gedan uke | Move 45° clockwise into Migi zenkutsu-dachi and block hidari shōtei gedan uke. |
| 20 | Turn right | Migi kiba-dachi | Migi gedan barai / manji uke | Turn the hips 90° clockwise into Migi kiba-dachi. Block migi gedan barai and form manji uke structure with the opposite arm upwards and backwards. |
Breathing, rhythm and kiai
Use natural, controlled breathing and exhale with the technique. Breathing supports kime without making the body rigid. Distinguish the technical groups below: preparation, turns, blocks, attacks and transitions must not become a uniform race. Maintain zanshin between them.
Kiai: count 10 on Migi tettsui gedan after Yoko fumikomi; count 14 on landing in Kake-dachi with Seiken gedan jūji uke. Preserve slow Haishu preparation and the contrast between combinations, jumping and stable landing.
Technical key points
Keep initial defence/counter coordinated in Kokutsu-dachi and Waki no kamae active in Heisoku-dachi. Centre crossed blocks and catching hands; keep count-9 hikite. Coordinate the count-10 leg block, stamp, Kiba-dachi and low tettsui. Perform Haishu uke slowly. Connect circular kick, elbow and the crossed-stance Morote landing, then distinguish the upward double attack and count-14 jump. Finish with clear low Shōtei control and Manji uke, retaining lateral stability and the active count-18 transition.
Common errors
Avoid passive gathered stances, disconnected defence/counter, weak support hands, confused crossed-block levels, loose gripping movements or hikite, a stamp without lateral stability, rushed Haishu uke, disconnected kick/elbow/jump, crossed landings without balance, jumps used for display, unclear final Manji directions, a pause at count 18, extra steps or loss of kime and zanshin.
Bunkai and application
Use the functions described under Principal techniques as simple applications, linking stance, direction, distance, defence and counterattack. Practise with a partner under control, at a complexity appropriate to this kata.
- Uchi uke / Chūdan gyaku tsuki: defence and direct counter. Waki no kamae: gathered preparation for direction change or control.
- Morote uchi uke: reinforced block with support. Seiken gedan jūji uke / Shutō jōdan jūji uke: crossed low/high control.
- Ryō shō tsukami uke: controlled grip or catch, opening a line for Chūdan oi tsuki; retain hikite in count 9.
- Teisoku uke: leg block during the 180° turn. Yoko fumikomi / Tettsui gedan: lateral stamp and low attack or downward control in Kiba-dachi.
- Haishu uke: slow open-hand control with gaze. Teisoku mawashi geri / Hiji jōdan uchi: circular kick and elbow against different lines, connected by the hips. Count 12 continues into the jump to Kake-dachi with Morote uchi uke; control the complete combination.
- Jump to Kake-dachi: repositioning and distance control, with a stable technical landing.
- Morote jōdan age tsuki: upward double attack or breaking action from Kokutsu-dachi.
- Shōtei gedan uke: low control preparing the final sequence. Manji uke: simultaneous control of two directions or levels, one arm low and the opposite arm up/back, with clear head direction and stable Kiba-dachi.
Training method
- Review Pinan sono ichi, ni, san and yon.
- Learn slowly without force.
- Divide into sections.
- Practise Uchi uke/Gyaku tsuki in Kokutsu-dachi.
- Practise Waki no kamae in Heisoku-dachi.
- Practise Morote uchi uke.
- Practise Gedan jūji uke and Shutō jōdan jūji uke.
- Connect Ryō shō tsukami uke and Chūdan oi tsuki.
- Isolate count 10: Teisoku uke, Yoko fumikomi, Kiba-dachi and Tettsui gedan.
- Practise slow Haishu uke.
- Connect Teisoku mawashi geri and Hiji jōdan uchi.
- Practise the jump to Kake-dachi with Morote uchi uke.
- Practise Morote jōdan age tsuki.
- Isolate the count-14 jump, Gedan jūji uke and kiai.
- Practise Shōtei gedan uke and Manji uke in Kiba-dachi.
- Add breathing, rhythm, kime and kiai.
- Perform without counting, maintaining zanshin.
- Practise simple partner bunkai, then return to the kata.