Pinan sono san
Name
Romaji: Pinan sono san
Japanese: 平安その三 / 平安三段
Meaning: Third 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 san identifies the third form. See Pinan for the shared name, history and place in Kyokushin.
Introduction
Pinan sono san follows Pinan sono ichi and ni. It develops compact close-range work, changes from gathered to lateral or forward stances, double-level control, kicks, elbows and rearward techniques. Explosive hips and trunk support short movements; large arm swings do not create the form’s power.
Place in the system
Group: Pinan. Level: Foundation / intermediate.
Pinan sono san follows Pinan sono ichi and ni. It develops compact close-range work, changes from gathered to lateral or forward stances, double-level control, kicks, elbows and rearward techniques. Explosive hips and trunk support short movements; large arm swings do not create the form’s power.
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: counts 10 and 20. Preserve the contrast between gathered double blocks, forward attacks, kick/turn/elbow groups, Kaiten ashi and the lateral finish.
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-count pattern combines side and forward lines with compact stance changes. Pay particular attention to the 90° turns after kicks in counts 12, 14 and 16, Kaiten ashi in count 19 and the lateral final movement in count 20. The last movement is controlled repositioning, not an uncontrolled large jump. Check pivots, final position and gaze without extra steps.
Stances
Kokutsu-dachi supports initial Uchi uke. Musubi-dachi is active and gathered for simultaneous blocks and kick/side preparation. Zenkutsu-dachi supports Morote uchi uke, Yonhon nukite, Chūdan oi tsuki and transitions. Kiba-dachi provides lateral stability for elbows, short strikes and the finish. Formal preparation also uses Heikō-dachi. Avoid treating gathered stances as pauses or making Kiba-dachi narrow and high.
Principal techniques
- Seiken uchi uke: middle-line control or deflection. Uchi uke / Gedan barai: simultaneous control of two levels in Musubi-dachi.
- Seiken morote chūdan uchi uke: reinforced middle defence, with supporting hand and centre line.
- Shōtei osae uke / Chūdan yonhon nukite: downward control and a thrust through the opened line.
- Tettsui jōdan yoko uchi: short side strike from Kiba-dachi with hips and gaze. Seiken chūdan oi tsuki: centred forward thrust with kime.
- Ryō ken koshi kamae: both fists actively prepared at the hips. Jōdan mae geri: clear knee lift and retraction, creating distance or opening a line.
- Hiji chūdan uke: close elbow control from the hips in Kiba-dachi. Uraken sayū ganmen uchi: quick side attack at head level with recovery.
- Kaiten ashi: controlled rotational entry and repositioning into Kiba-dachi.
- Hiji ushiro ate / Jōdan ushiro tsuki: close attacks towards the rear or side, with clear body direction.
Start and finish
Begin in Fudō-dachi, facing shinden. After announcing Pinan sono san, 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 left foot back with a 45° anticlockwise turn to Fudō-dachi. 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 | Turn 90° left | Hidari kokutsu-dachi | Hidari seiken uchi uke | Turn anticlockwise into Kokutsu-dachi and block chūdan with left uchi uke. |
| 2 | Gather in | Musubi-dachi | Migi uchi uke / gedan barai | Bring the right foot to the left and perform the combined uchi uke / gedan barai according to dojo standard. |
| 3 | Same position | Musubi-dachi | Hidari uchi uke / gedan barai | Perform the mirrored block sequence, retaining centre and posture. |
| 4 | Turn 180° right | Migi kokutsu-dachi | Migi seiken uchi uke | Move the right foot back and turn clockwise into Kokutsu-dachi. Block chūdan with right uchi uke. |
| 5 | Gather in | Musubi-dachi | Hidari uchi uke / gedan barai | Bring the left foot to the right and perform the combined uchi uke / gedan barai according to dojo standard. |
| 6 | Same position | Musubi-dachi | Migi uchi uke / gedan barai | Perform the mirrored block sequence, retaining direction and centre. |
| 7 | Turn 90° left onto the main line | Hidari zenkutsu-dachi | Seiken morote chūdan uchi uke | Turn into Zenkutsu-dachi and block with morote uchi uke. |
| 8 | Forwards | Migi zenkutsu-dachi | Hidari shōtei osae uke / migi chūdan yonhon nukite | Control with left osae uke and advance with right chūdan yonhon nukite. |
| 9 | Turn 180° left | Kiba-dachi | Hidari tettsui jōdan yoko uchi | Rotate anticlockwise into Kiba-dachi. Quickly bring the left arm over the right and strike tettsui towards jōdan. |
| 10 | Forwards | Migi zenkutsu-dachi | Migi seiken chūdan oi tsuki, kiai | Advance and punch chūdan oi tsuki with clear kime and kiai. |
| 11 | Turn 180° left | Musubi-dachi | Ryō ken koshi kamae | Turn anticlockwise into Musubi-dachi and place both fists at the hips. |
| 12 | Kick and 90° turn | Kiba-dachi | Migi jōdan mae geri / migi hiji chūdan uke | Kick jōdan mae geri, retract the foot and turn the body 90° anticlockwise into Kiba-dachi 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 | Kick and 90° turn | Kiba-dachi | Hidari jōdan mae geri / hidari hiji chūdan uke | Kick jōdan mae geri, retract the foot and turn the body 90° clockwise into Kiba-dachi 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 | Kick and 90° turn | Kiba-dachi | Migi jōdan mae geri / migi hiji chūdan uke | Kick jōdan mae geri, retract the foot and turn the body 90° anticlockwise into Kiba-dachi 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 | Forwards | Hidari zenkutsu-dachi | Hidari seiken chūdan oi tsuki | Advance and punch chūdan oi tsuki. |
| 19 | Heikō-dachi → kaiten ashi → Kiba-dachi | Kiba-dachi | Hidari hiji ushiro ate / migi jōdan ushiro tsuki | Advance the right foot into Heikō-dachi and continue with kaiten ashi into Kiba-dachi. Strike hidari hiji ushiro ate and migi jōdan ushiro tsuki simultaneously. |
| 20 | Movement right | Kiba-dachi | Migi hiji ushiro ate / hidari jōdan ushiro tsuki, kiai | Move the body right, land steadily in Kiba-dachi and finish with migi hiji ushiro ate, hidari jōdan ushiro tsuki and kiai. |
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: counts 10 and 20. Preserve the contrast between gathered double blocks, forward attacks, kick/turn/elbow groups, Kaiten ashi and the lateral finish.
Technical key points
Coordinate the two-level block in Musubi-dachi, the supported Morote block and Osae/nukite. Keep Kiba-dachi wide and stable enough for short hip-driven tettsui, elbow and uraken. Retract kicks before the 90° turns and establish lateral structure before the elbow/uraken finish. Keep Ryō ken koshi kamae active. Control Kaiten ashi and the final lateral shift; distinguish compact preparation, explosive technique and recovery.
Common errors
Avoid passive Musubi-dachi, unsynchronised double blocks, a missing Morote support hand, disconnected Osae/nukite, arm swings instead of hip-driven strikes, narrow or high Kiba-dachi, unretracted kicks, unclear 90° turns, loose elbow/uraken, uncontrolled Kaiten ashi or final jumping, late gaze, extra steps and a loss of readiness.
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.
- Seiken uchi uke: middle-line control or deflection. Uchi uke / Gedan barai: simultaneous control of two levels in Musubi-dachi.
- Seiken morote chūdan uchi uke: reinforced middle defence, with supporting hand and centre line.
- Shōtei osae uke / Chūdan yonhon nukite: downward control and a thrust through the opened line.
- Tettsui jōdan yoko uchi: short side strike from Kiba-dachi with hips and gaze. Seiken chūdan oi tsuki: centred forward thrust with kime.
- Ryō ken koshi kamae: both fists actively prepared at the hips. Jōdan mae geri: clear knee lift and retraction, creating distance or opening a line.
- Hiji chūdan uke: close elbow control from the hips in Kiba-dachi. Uraken sayū ganmen uchi: quick side attack at head level with recovery.
- Kaiten ashi: controlled rotational entry and repositioning into Kiba-dachi.
- Hiji ushiro ate / Jōdan ushiro tsuki: close attacks towards the rear or side, with clear body direction.
Training method
- Review Pinan sono ichi and ni.
- Learn slowly without force.
- Divide into sections.
- Practise Uchi uke in Kokutsu-dachi.
- Practise Uchi uke/Gedan barai in Musubi-dachi.
- Practise Morote uchi uke.
- Connect Osae uke and Yonhon nukite.
- Practise Tettsui in Kiba-dachi.
- Practise Chūdan oi tsuki and count-10 kiai.
- Practise Ryō ken koshi kamae.
- Practise Jōdan mae geri with retraction.
- Practise the kick and 90° turn into Kiba-dachi.
- Practise Hiji chūdan uke and Uraken in Kiba-dachi.
- Isolate Kaiten ashi in count 19.
- Practise the final Hiji ushiro ate/Jōdan ushiro tsuki.
- Add breathing, rhythm, kime and kiai.
- Perform without counting, maintaining zanshin.
- Practise simple partner bunkai, then return to the kata.