Pinan sono yon
Name
Romaji: Pinan sono yon
Japanese: 平安その四 / 平安四段
Meaning: Fourth 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 yon identifies the fourth form. See Pinan for the shared name, history and place in Kyokushin.
Introduction
Pinan sono yon follows the first three Pinan forms. It combines double open-hand defence, high side kicks and close elbows, slow balance preparation, explosive attacks, a crossed-stance uraken, front-kick and two-punch combinations, head control with a knee technique and a circular closing defence.
Place in the system
Group: Pinan. Level: Intermediate.
Pinan sono yon follows the first three Pinan forms. It combines double open-hand defence, high side kicks and close elbows, slow balance preparation, explosive attacks, a crossed-stance uraken, front-kick and two-punch combinations, head control with a knee technique and a circular closing defence.
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 Uraken sayū ganmen uchi in Kake-dachi, not on Chūdan mae geri; count 19 on Hiza geri together with the pulling hand action. Rhythm distinguishes double blocks, balance preparation, explosive kick/elbow, protected shuto, crossed-stance uraken, slow Kake wake kamae, kick/two punches, Morote, grip/knee and circular 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.
Follow the 20 counts through side, main and diagonal directions, balance positions and the circular finish. Count 18 only marks the grip from the preceding position; it does not create a new stance. In count 19 the right foot is placed diagonally in front, the left foot must not move, and the turn pivots on the right foot into the final shuto section. Check gaze, landing and end position without extra steps.
Stances
Kokutsu-dachi supports the initial double shuto blocks and final Shutō mawashi uke. Zenkutsu-dachi supports Jūji uke, Morote uchi uke, Shutō ganmen uchi, Kake wake kamae and punching sequences. Tsuruashi-dachi is controlled balance before and after Jōdan yoko geri and after Chūdan mae geri. Kake-dachi is the stable crossed landing for the short uraken after mae geri.
Principal techniques
- Shutō uchi uke / Shutō jōdan uke: simultaneous middle/high protection.
- Seiken gedan jūji uke: downward crossed block or catching control with a clear centre. Seiken morote uchi uke: reinforced middle block with a working support hand.
- Jōdan yoko geri / Uraken jōdan yoko uchi: coordinated side kick and arm technique. Hiji jōdan ate: close elbow after the kick, placement and hip turn.
- Shutō ganmen uchi / Shōtei jōdan cover: head-level strike with the opposite hand protecting.
- Chūdan mae geri / Uraken sayū ganmen uchi: front kick followed by a short attack and kiai in Kake-dachi, changing position at close range.
- Kake wake kamae: slow crossed preparation, opening or separating control.
- Nihon chūdan tsuki: two successive middle punches after the front kick; keep their order and hip connection.
- Grip indication / Hiza geri: control of the head or upper body with a pulling hand action and knee technique.
- Shutō mawashi uke: circular control and closing zanshin in Kokutsu-dachi.
Start and finish
Begin in Fudō-dachi, facing shinden. After announcing Pinan sono yon, 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 to Fudō-dachi according to the dojo standard. 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 shutō uchi uke / migi shutō jōdan uke | Turn anticlockwise into Kokutsu-dachi and perform the coordinated double shutō block. |
| 2 | Turn 180° right | Migi kokutsu-dachi | Migi shutō uchi uke / hidari shutō jōdan uke | Turn clockwise into Migi kokutsu-dachi and perform the mirrored double shutō block. |
| 3 | Turn 90° left onto the main line | Hidari zenkutsu-dachi | Migi seiken gedan jūji uke | Turn into Zenkutsu-dachi and block gedan jūji uke with a clear crossed structure. |
| 4 | Forwards | Migi zenkutsu-dachi | Migi seiken morote uchi uke | Advance and block morote uchi uke with a clear supporting hand. |
| 5 | Balance preparation | Tsuruashi-dachi | Waki no kamae | Slowly bring the left leg to Tsuruashi-dachi and draw both hands to right waki no kamae. |
| 6 | Side kick and elbow | Hidari zenkutsu-dachi | Hidari jōdan yoko geri / hidari uraken jōdan yoko uchi / migi hiji jōdan ate | Kick yoko geri and strike uraken simultaneously. Retract the foot, set down in Zenkutsu-dachi and finish with hiji jōdan ate against the open hand. |
| 7 | Balance preparation | Tsuruashi-dachi | Waki no kamae | Turn the body 45° and slowly raise the right leg to Tsuruashi-dachi, hands in left waki no kamae. |
| 8 | Side kick and elbow | Migi zenkutsu-dachi | Migi jōdan yoko geri / migi uraken jōdan yoko uchi / hidari hiji jōdan ate | Perform the mirrored kick-and-elbow sequence, controlling kick retraction and hip rotation. |
| 9 | Turn left | Hidari zenkutsu-dachi | Migi shutō ganmen uchi | Turn the upper body and gaze towards the new direction. Perform shutō ganmen uchi with the opposite hand protecting. |
| 10 | Diagonal kick and kake-dachi | Migi kake-dachi | Migi chūdan mae geri / migi uraken sayū ganmen uchi, kiai | Kick chūdan mae geri, retract the leg, step or jump into Migi kake-dachi and strike uraken with kiai. |
| 11 | Turn 135° left | Hidari zenkutsu-dachi | Kake wake kamae | Turn anticlockwise into Hidari zenkutsu-dachi and slowly enter kake wake kamae. |
| 12 | Forwards | Migi zenkutsu-dachi | Migi chūdan mae geri / nihon chūdan tsuki | Kick mae geri, advance into Migi zenkutsu-dachi and deliver two chūdan punches. |
| 13 | Turn 90° right | Migi zenkutsu-dachi | Kake wake kamae | Turn clockwise into Migi zenkutsu-dachi and slowly enter mirrored kake wake kamae. |
| 14 | Forwards | Hidari zenkutsu-dachi | Hidari chūdan mae geri / nihon chūdan tsuki | Kick mae geri, advance into Hidari zenkutsu-dachi and deliver two chūdan punches. |
| 15 | Diagonally left | Hidari zenkutsu-dachi | Hidari seiken morote uchi uke | Move 45° anticlockwise and block morote uchi uke. |
| 16 | Forwards | Migi zenkutsu-dachi | Migi seiken morote uchi uke | Advance and block morote uchi uke. |
| 17 | Forwards | Hidari zenkutsu-dachi | Hidari seiken morote uchi uke | Advance and block morote uchi uke. |
| 18 | Same direction | Hidari zenkutsu-dachi | Indicated grip towards the head | Open both hands and indicate gripping an imagined opponent's head. This is a grip indication from the previous position, not a new stance. |
| 19 | Knee technique and turn | Hidari kokutsu-dachi | Migi hiza geri / hidari shutō mawashi uke, kiai | Pull the hands down and kick migi hiza geri with kiai. Place the right foot diagonally in front of the left, then turn 180° anticlockwise into Hidari kokutsu-dachi with shutō mawashi uke. |
| 20 | Forwards | Migi kokutsu-dachi | Migi shutō mawashi uke | Advance into Migi kokutsu-dachi and finish with shutō mawashi uke and zanshin. |
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 Uraken sayū ganmen uchi in Kake-dachi, not on Chūdan mae geri; count 19 on Hiza geri together with the pulling hand action. Rhythm distinguishes double blocks, balance preparation, explosive kick/elbow, protected shuto, crossed-stance uraken, slow Kake wake kamae, kick/two punches, Morote, grip/knee and circular finish.
Technical key points
Keep the opening shuto pair coordinated and the crossed block centred. Give Morote its support hand. Distinguish slow Tsuruashi-dachi/Waki no kamae preparation from explosive yoko geri/uraken and hip-driven elbow placement. Protect with the opposite hand in Shutō ganmen uchi. Land Kake-dachi securely, perform Kake wake kamae slowly, retract mae geri, preserve the two-punch order and connect the grip and knee. Apply the count-18 and count-19 footwork exactly before the stable Kokutsu-dachi finish.
Common errors
Avoid asynchronous double blocks, an unstructured cross, missing support or protective hands, passing through Tsuruashi-dachi without balance, uncoordinated side kick/uraken, an arm-only elbow, unstable Kake-dachi, rushed Kake wake kamae, unretracted kicks or reversed punch order. Do not invent a stance at count 18, lift the knee without the hand pull, move the left foot in count 19 or weaken the final Kokutsu-dachi.
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.
- Shutō uchi uke / Shutō jōdan uke: simultaneous middle/high protection.
- Seiken gedan jūji uke: downward crossed block or catching control with a clear centre. Seiken morote uchi uke: reinforced middle block with a working support hand.
- Jōdan yoko geri / Uraken jōdan yoko uchi: coordinated side kick and arm technique. Hiji jōdan ate: close elbow after the kick, placement and hip turn.
- Shutō ganmen uchi / Shōtei jōdan cover: head-level strike with the opposite hand protecting.
- Chūdan mae geri / Uraken sayū ganmen uchi: front kick followed by a short attack and kiai in Kake-dachi, changing position at close range.
- Kake wake kamae: slow crossed preparation, opening or separating control.
- Nihon chūdan tsuki: two successive middle punches after the front kick; keep their order and hip connection.
- Grip indication / Hiza geri: control of the head or upper body with a pulling hand action and knee technique.
- Shutō mawashi uke: circular control and closing zanshin in Kokutsu-dachi.
Training method
- Review Pinan sono ichi, ni and san.
- Learn slowly without force.
- Practise the double shuto blocks.
- Practise Gedan jūji uke and Morote uchi uke.
- Practise Tsuruashi-dachi and Waki no kamae.
- Coordinate yoko geri and uraken.
- Practise Hiji jōdan ate after the kick landing.
- Practise Shutō ganmen uchi with protection.
- Practise Kake-dachi and uraken.
- Practise slow Kake wake kamae.
- Practise mae geri and Nihon chūdan tsuki.
- Practise the Morote sequence.
- Connect grip and Hiza geri.
- Isolate count 19: diagonal right-foot placement and right-foot pivot, left foot fixed.
- Practise the final shuto.
- Add breathing, rhythm, kime and kiai.
- Perform without counting, maintaining zanshin.
- Practise simple partner bunkai, then return to the kata.