Pinan sono san ura
Name
Romaji: Pinan sono san ura
Japanese: 平安その三裏 / 平安裏三段
Meaning: Third Pinan form, ura. Sono san means the third form. Ura means rear, reverse or inner side; in kata it names a circular or reversed variant. Some sources use Pinan sandan ura; Galaz Dojo uses Pinan sono san ura consistently. See Pinan for the shared background.
Introduction
Pinan sono san ura develops the technical foundation of Pinan sono san through larger circular movements. The same demands on direction, stance and technique remain, with increased difficulty in pivoting, balance and landing. This is controlled practice of technique through rotation, not a decorative spinning version.
Place in the system
Group: Pinan ura. Level: intermediate / advanced foundation. Learn this after performing Pinan sono san steadily, with a sound understanding of its embusen, stances, techniques and transitions. Ura does not teach the basic form from scratch. Kicks require controlled recovery; close techniques and any crossed landings must already be understood.
Gaze must find the direction before rotation finishes. Turn through the pivot, hips and centre without throwing the upper body; maintain body height. Coordinate feet, hips, hikite, breathing, stance and kime. Land in a clear direction without extra adjustment steps, preserving zanshin between techniques and through the finish. Rotation serves the technique; speed cannot replace balance or a technical finish.
Technical profile
Rotation, pivoting, balance, stance transitions and technical completion organise the 20 main teaching counts. The principal rotation angles are 360°, 450°. The stances and techniques below retain their own structure throughout circular movement.
Kiai: 10 on Migi seiken chūdan oi tsuki after 360°; 20 on the final Migi hiji ushiro ate / Hidari jōdan ushiro tsuki in Kiba-dachi.
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 underlying embusen follows the basic form, with side and main lines, transitions and the closing direction. Circular movements lengthen the route without removing its directional requirements. Read every direction with its sequence count; a diagram would not specify all details of hips, gaze, hikite, kicks, hands or breathing.
Check 450° in counts 1 and 4, 360° in 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20, all gathered and lateral stance changes, the kick/elbow groups in 12, 14 and 16 and the side shifts in 19–20. Count 19 must not become so large that Kiba-dachi is lost; count 20 must not become an uncontrolled jump.
Stances
Kokutsu-dachi: rear-weighted opening Uchi uke after 450°, without falling forwards. Musubi-dachi: active gathered Uchi uke/Gedan barai and preparation for kicks and lateral work. Zenkutsu-dachi: Morote uchi uke, Yohon nukite, Chūdan oi tsuki and transitions, maintaining length after rotation. Kiba-dachi: stable lateral base for short techniques, kicks, elbows, uraken and the finish. This is the most compact, close-range Pinan ura form so far.
Principal techniques
- Seiken uchi uke: inner middle-line block/control in Kokutsu-dachi after 450°. Uchi uke / Gedan barai: simultaneous two-level control in active Musubi-dachi, not two loose arm motions.
- Seiken morote chūdan uchi uke: reinforced middle block with support and centre. Osae uke / Chūdan yohon nukite: connected downward control and attack after 360°.
- Tettsui jōdan yoko uchi: short side strike in Kiba-dachi after 180°; in count 9, the left arm comes quickly over the right before the strike finishes.
- Seiken chūdan oi tsuki: complete the thrust only once the body lands steadily after rotation in counts 10 and 18. Ryō ken koshi kamae: active gathered preparation.
- Ushiro mawashi geri / Yoko geri: the actual kick combination in counts 12, 14 and 16, changing angle and attack line; distinguish the kicks, control both and retract before landing in Kiba-dachi. These are not two uncontrolled leg swings.
- Hiji chūdan uke: close elbow block/control connected to landing, stance and body turn. Uraken sayū ganmen uchi: quick head-level side strike with a clear line and recovery.
- Hiji ushiro ate / Jōdan ushiro tsuki: rearward or lateral close techniques after repositioning, maintaining direction, hips, lateral stability and zanshin. Hikite stays active.
Start and finish
Begin in Fudō-dachi, facing shinden. Announce Pinan sono san ura, then perform a slow yoi according to dojo standard, finishing in Heikō-dachi or the locally selected yoi position. At mugōrei, continue without ongoing counts after hajime. The 20 numbered main counts exclude start, yoi, naore and yasume. At naore, return to Fudō-dachi according to dojo standard. Keep looking in the previous direction until the turn is complete. 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 | 450° anticlockwise | Hidari kokutsu-dachi | Hidari seiken uchi uke | Rotate 450° anticlockwise on the right foot into Hidari kokutsu-dachi and block chūdan with left Uchi uke. |
| 2 | Gather in | Musubi-dachi | Migi uchi uke / hidari gedan barai | Bring the right foot to the left into Musubi-dachi. Place the right hand in Gedan barai position and perform Uchi uke / Gedan barai according to dojo standard. |
| 3 | Same position | Musubi-dachi | Hidari uchi uke / migi gedan barai | Perform mirrored Uchi uke / Gedan barai, retaining the body centre and Musubi-dachi. |
| 4 | 450° clockwise | Migi kokutsu-dachi | Migi seiken uchi uke | Rotate 450° clockwise on the left foot into Migi kokutsu-dachi and block chūdan with right Uchi uke. |
| 5 | Gather in | Musubi-dachi | Hidari uchi uke / migi gedan barai | Bring the left foot to the right into Musubi-dachi. Place the left hand in Gedan barai position and perform Uchi uke / Gedan barai according to dojo standard. |
| 6 | Same position | Musubi-dachi | Migi uchi uke / hidari gedan barai | Perform mirrored Uchi uke / Gedan barai, retaining posture, direction and centre. |
| 7 | Turn 90° left onto the main line | Hidari zenkutsu-dachi | Seiken morote chūdan uchi uke | Move the left foot 90° anticlockwise into Zenkutsu-dachi and block with Morote uchi uke. |
| 8 | 360° clockwise | Migi zenkutsu-dachi | Hidari osae uke / migi chūdan yohon nukite | Keeping the hands in position, rotate 360° clockwise on the left foot into Migi zenkutsu-dachi. Control with left osae uke and thrust migi chūdan yohon nukite. |
| 9 | 180° anticlockwise | Kiba-dachi | Hidari tettsui jōdan yoko uchi | Pivot on the right foot and rotate 180° anticlockwise into Kiba-dachi. Bring the left arm over the right hand and strike Hidari tettsui jōdan yoko uchi. |
| 10 | 360° clockwise | Migi zenkutsu-dachi | Migi seiken chūdan oi tsuki, kiai | Keeping the left hand in position, rotate 360° clockwise on the left foot into Migi zenkutsu-dachi and punch Migi chūdan tsuki with kiai. |
| 11 | 180° anticlockwise | Musubi-dachi | Ryō ken koshi kamae | Pivot on the right foot and turn 180° anticlockwise into Musubi-dachi. Place both fists at the hips in Ryō ken koshi kamae. |
| 12 | 360° clockwise + kick sequence | Kiba-dachi | Migi ushiro mawashi geri / migi yoko geri / migi hiji chūdan uke | Keeping the hands in position, rotate 360° clockwise on the left foot and kick migi ushiro mawashi geri. Before setting down, perform migi yoko geri. Retract the leg, set Kiba-dachi and immediately block with migi hiji chūdan uke. |
| 13 | Same direction | Kiba-dachi | Migi uraken sayū ganmen uchi | Strike migi uraken sayū ganmen uchi and return the fist to the hip. |
| 14 | 360° anticlockwise + kick sequence | Kiba-dachi | Hidari ushiro mawashi geri / hidari yoko geri / hidari hiji chūdan uke | Rotate 360° anticlockwise on the right foot and kick hidari ushiro mawashi geri. Before setting down, perform hidari yoko geri. Retract the leg, set Kiba-dachi and immediately block with hidari hiji chūdan uke. |
| 15 | Same direction | Kiba-dachi | Hidari uraken sayū ganmen uchi | Strike hidari uraken sayū ganmen uchi and return the fist to the hip. |
| 16 | 360° clockwise + kick sequence | Kiba-dachi | Migi ushiro mawashi geri / migi yoko geri / migi hiji chūdan uke | Rotate 360° clockwise on the left foot and kick migi ushiro mawashi geri. Before setting down, perform migi yoko geri. Retract the leg, set Kiba-dachi and immediately block with migi hiji chūdan uke. |
| 17 | Same direction | Kiba-dachi | Migi uraken sayū ganmen uchi | Strike migi uraken sayū ganmen uchi and return the fist to the hip. |
| 18 | 360° anticlockwise | Hidari zenkutsu-dachi | Hidari seiken chūdan oi tsuki | Rotate 360° anticlockwise on the right foot into Hidari zenkutsu-dachi and punch hidari chūdan oi tsuki. |
| 19 | Movement and 180° turn | Kiba-dachi | Hidari hiji ushiro ate / migi jōdan ushiro tsuki | Advance the right foot towards the left to protect the gedan line, continue into Kiba-dachi, then turn 180° on the right foot into a new Kiba-dachi. Strike hidari hiji ushiro ate and migi jōdan ushiro tsuki simultaneously. |
| 20 | 360° jump/movement right | Kiba-dachi | Migi hiji ushiro ate / hidari jōdan ushiro tsuki, kiai | Retain the arms, jump or move the body 360° right in one integrated action. Land in Kiba-dachi and finish with migi hiji ushiro ate, hidari jōdan ushiro tsuki and kiai. |
Breathing, rhythm and kiai
Distinguish the rotations, gathered preparations, ordinary turns, blocks, attacks and combinations described below. Slow controlled passages retain their timing; explosive passages still require a stable finish. Do not let rotation make breathing shallow or hurried. Gaze, pivot, landing, breathing, kime and zanshin create rhythm.
Kiai: 10 on Migi seiken chūdan oi tsuki after 360°; 20 on the final Migi hiji ushiro ate / Hidari jōdan ushiro tsuki in Kiba-dachi.
Technical key points
Gaze must find the direction before rotation finishes. Turn through the pivot, hips and centre without throwing the upper body; maintain body height. Coordinate feet, hips, hikite, breathing, stance and kime. Land in a clear direction without extra adjustment steps, preserving zanshin between techniques and through the finish. Rotation serves the technique; speed cannot replace balance or a technical finish.
Check 450° in counts 1 and 4, 360° in 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20, all gathered and lateral stance changes, the kick/elbow groups in 12, 14 and 16 and the side shifts in 19–20. Count 19 must not become so large that Kiba-dachi is lost; count 20 must not become an uncontrolled jump.
- Seiken uchi uke: inner middle-line block/control in Kokutsu-dachi after 450°. Uchi uke / Gedan barai: simultaneous two-level control in active Musubi-dachi, not two loose arm motions.
- Seiken morote chūdan uchi uke: reinforced middle block with support and centre. Osae uke / Chūdan yohon nukite: connected downward control and attack after 360°.
- Tettsui jōdan yoko uchi: short side strike in Kiba-dachi after 180°; in count 9, the left arm comes quickly over the right before the strike finishes.
- Seiken chūdan oi tsuki: complete the thrust only once the body lands steadily after rotation in counts 10 and 18. Ryō ken koshi kamae: active gathered preparation.
- Ushiro mawashi geri / Yoko geri: the actual kick combination in counts 12, 14 and 16, changing angle and attack line; distinguish the kicks, control both and retract before landing in Kiba-dachi. These are not two uncontrolled leg swings.
- Hiji chūdan uke: close elbow block/control connected to landing, stance and body turn. Uraken sayū ganmen uchi: quick head-level side strike with a clear line and recovery.
- Hiji ushiro ate / Jōdan ushiro tsuki: rearward or lateral close techniques after repositioning, maintaining direction, hips, lateral stability and zanshin. Hikite stays active.
Common errors
Common errors are late gaze, lost direction, short or misaligned stances after rotation, a forward-collapsing Kokutsu-dachi, passive gathered preparation, unstable lateral or crossed landings, techniques delivered before landing, weak hikite, missing supporting hands, disconnected combinations, unretracted kicks, arm swings without hip connection, extra steps and kiai without kime. Correct each against the specific stance, technique and count requirements on this page; maintain the finish and zanshin.
Bunkai and application
Keep applications technically clear and close to the basic form. The functions under Principal techniques cover defence, control, strikes and counters. Rotation changes direction, distance, angle or opponent before the technical finish; gaze and zanshin prepare balance, intent and continued readiness. Practise with a partner under control and keep complexity appropriate to the kata.
Training method
- Review Pinan sono san without ura turns.
- Check embusen and main counts.
- Isolate 450° rotations to Kokutsu-dachi.
- Practise Uchi uke/Gedan barai in Musubi-dachi.
- Practise Morote uchi uke and Yohon nukite.
- Add Chūdan oi tsuki after 360°.
- Practise transition to Kiba-dachi with Tettsui jōdan yoko uchi.
- Practise Ryō ken koshi kamae.
- Practise 360° rotation without kicking.
- Practise Ushiro mawashi geri separately.
- Practise Yoko geri separately.
- Combine kicks, recovery to Kiba-dachi and Hiji chūdan uke.
- Practise Uraken sayū ganmen uchi in Kiba-dachi.
- Practise the Hiji ushiro ate/Jōdan ushiro tsuki finish.
- Add breathing, rhythm, kime and kiai.
- Perform the whole kata slowly without counting.
- Practise simple partner bunkai, then return to the kata.