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Shotokan Technique · Stance

三戦立ちSanchin-dachi — Hourglass stance

Sanchin-dachi (三戦立ち, “three-battles / hourglass stance”) is a short, rooted tension stance with the feet turned inward, the knees squeezed diagonally in and the toes gripping the floor. It is rare in Shotokan — essentially a Naha-te import — appearing only in Nijūshiho and Unsu.
TypeStance (dachi)
Weight50 / 50
FeetTurned inward
CharacterWhole-body tension
Rare inShotokan

See the technique型

Toggle between the phases. These are simplified schematics of the shape of the technique — pair them with the step-by-step below and your instructor.

A diagram shows the shape, not the speed or feel. For full-motion form, watch the reference video below and train it live.

How to perform it

  1. Set a short stance: the big toe of the rear foot roughly level with the heel of the front foot, feet about shoulder-width apart.
  2. Turn both feet inward — front foot toes in about 30–45°, rear foot straight or slightly in.
  3. Bend both knees and tense them diagonally inward, as if squeezing toward the centre, gripping the floor with the toes.
  4. Keep the hips and torso square to the front, pelvis tucked, buttocks and lower abdomen engaged.
  5. Hold the weight 50/50, upright and rooted, with strong breathing and isometric core tension.

Key points

  • Short stance, feet turned inward, knees squeezed in.
  • Hips square to the front, pelvis tucked.
  • Whole-body tension with controlled breathing.

Common mistakes

Making the stance too long or too wide.
Knees collapsing together, or not tensed inward at all.
Straightening the knees and losing the sprung base.
Buttocks protruding or hips bladed to the side.

Where you’ll see it

Sanchin-dachi appears across the Shotokan kata syllabus, including:

NijūshihoUnsu

Application (bunkai)分解

The inward tension and gripping toes make it a rooted, close-range platform that resists being pushed or pulled, paired with the compression-and-release breathing the two kata are built around.

Note: applications are interpretive and one shape carries several valid uses — explore them with a qualified instructor.

Watch a reference performance演武

To see Sanchin-dachi performed at full speed, watch instructor demonstrations:

▶ Watch “Sanchin-dachi” on YouTube

Related techniques

Hangetsu-dachi半月立ちFudō-dachi不動立ちKiba-dachi騎馬立ち

Sanchin-dachi — frequently asked questions

Is sanchin-dachi a tension stance?
Yes. It emphasises inward isometric tension of the knees and hips, gripping toes, an engaged core and strong breathing — the “three battles” of mind, body and breath. It is high and rooted rather than long.
Which Shotokan kata use sanchin-dachi?
Only Nijūshiho and Unsu, and only briefly. It does not appear in the basic or intermediate kata.
What is the difference between sanchin-dachi and hangetsu-dachi?
Both are inward-tension stances with the knees squeezed toward the centre. Sanchin-dachi is short and compact; hangetsu-dachi is longer and adds a semicircular stepping path.
How far apart are the feet in sanchin-dachi?
About shoulder-width laterally, with almost no length — the rear big toe roughly on the same line as the front heel. It is a short stance, a common point of correction.