Sochin

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Sochin (壯鎭) (Japanese: "Tranquil Force") is a kata practiced in many styles of karate. It may have derived from Dragon style, and was taught in the Naha-te school in Okinawa by master Seisho Aragaki. It was then passed down to Shito-ryu. Later, a variation of it was introduced into Shotokan by Grandmaster Gichin Funakoshi's son, Yoshitaka^[1].

The rhythm of the kata is dynamic. It is characterized by slow, deliberate movements interspersed with explosive outsbursts of speed. In the Shotokan version, the powerful dominant stance in this kata is sochin-dachi ("rooted stance"). In the Shito-ryu version, it employs several stances including nekoashi-dachi ("cat stance") and zenkutsu dachi ("front stance"). Rhythm is important in the execution of this kata.

[edit] Reference

• 1. ^ Redmond, Rob, Kata: The Folk Dances of Shotokan, 2006 (http://www.24fightingchickens.com/kata)

[edit] External links

• Sochin kata diagram
• "Bushido-dai" Shito-ryu club page, including Sochin description