Senri Zen Sou Hou
Keihaku Oka wrote about Sokuho Jutsu（walking and runnning method） called "Senri Zensou Hou" in the document , which he learned from his teacher, Fukyu in the middle of the Edo period (1771).
According to it, there are 3 styles of walking/running, "Shin", "Gyou" and "Sou". In addition, there are walking styles especially for uphill and downhill and long distance "Shichitai Hou". If you master all of them, it would make you possible to walk/run 160km per day.
[Note] In " Senri Zensou Hou", walking and running are described as one world - "Hosyuu". For convenience, I describe it as "walking" here.
1.Mitsuashi Unfu no Hout
[3 waking styles]
1 Shin no ashidori : Body weight is distributed 50/50 between right and left legs
2 Gyou no ashidori : Body weight is distributed 60/40 between right and left legs
3 Sou no ashidori : Normal Edo Period Walking Style
2. Katakinu Hakamacyaku no setsu Unhu no Hou
When wearing a Kamishimo (formal kimono),
body weight should be distributed 60/40 between left and right legs.
It should be done without being noticed by anyone.
3. Uesaka Unfu no Hou
When going uphill, the following steps prevent your legs from tiring quickly.
- If there are stairs or log steps, use them. If not, just walk on the trail road.
- Walk in “Gyou” style at the beginning. With a 60/40 weight distribution on the right and left legs for the first 18m, and switch to 40/60 for the next 18m.
- Walk with the torso fully erect in “Shin” style for the next 18m. Repeat the above set.
- Avoid taking long strides.
4. Shitasaka Unfu no Hou
When going downhill,
- The techniques are basically the same way as uphill, but take even smaller strides.
- Take smooth trails as much as possible (Be careful of rabbit holes and other obstacles)
- Walk for 18m intermittently raising your arms above your head.
->Then, 18m while focusing on not moving your shoulders and waist too much.
->walk the next 18m while swinging your arms
Repeat the above steps
- Keeping the lower back stable is very important.
5. Hirachi Unfu no Hou
- On flat ground,, the style changes every 109m with Shin, Gyo, and Sou.
- When using the Gyo style, the leg that carry weight lightly should be kept loose and relaxed.
- This way you don’t need to stop for breaks because you can keep up this running style even over long distances.
Don’t make a detour.
6. Tokikirihayaashi Unfu no Hou
If you try to walk to Ishishimizu-Hachimangu from Higashi-Sanjo in Kyoto (20km),
you should make a schedule and prepare to leave Kyoto at 6 am and go back home around 10am on the next day.
- Eat a large meal, but be careful not to eat too much!!
- Bring 2 rice-balls and 3 umeboshi (pickled plums)
- Put the rice-ball pouch just below your navel area to help focus your energy to the Tanden point so you won’t get hungry even if you walk long distance.
- When you get thirsty, eat umeboshi.
- Walk using the Shin and Gyou styles
- Keep a steady pace and focus on the Tanden point.
- Walk for the first 300m and then mix all 3 (Shin, Gyou, and Sou) styles for about 1.5km.
- Walk alternating between all 3 styles and gradually increase your speed as you get closer to your destination.
The text says to use Shin and Gyou, but I interpret this to mean use Sou as the main style and to mix in Shin and Gyou as well.
To make the same 40km journey (round trip) in 4 hours, means the traveler must average just over 10km per hour.
It’s like a full marathon, in which the runner gradually speeds up.
7 Shichitai no Hou
This is the most important key. If you master it, you will be really faster.
Shichitai
ⅠLead with your head. Walk while leading with your head in front of your body
ⅡLead with your chest. Walk while leading with your chest.
ⅢWalk in the Shin style. Walk while trying to keep your lower back still and limit excess movement
Ⅳ Gyou style (Body weight is distributed 60/40 between right and left legs)
Ⅴ Gyou style (Body weight is distributed 40/60 between right and left legs)
Ⅵ Righthand method - Walk swinging only the right arm
Ⅶ Lefthand method - Walk swinging only the left hand
This technique is very effective but it is hard to describe.
The oral tradition is better than words.
The writer seems to struggle with writing.
8 Senri hiyaku no Hou
These techniques make you walk 40km per day more than usual.
It would be possible for a healthy person to walk 160km per day.
If you try to walk to Ise from Kyoto (144km away) in a day
- Cook rice as you like, sun-dry them a little softly, make rice balls and put them on your navel.
- Prepare ten Umeboshi (Pickled plums).
- Collect the whole body's Ki (spiritual energy) around the navel and Kikai (Tanden point - just below the navel).
- Leave Kyoto at seven 4 am in the morning (4 am), walk 2-300 meters, and then use the Shichitai style.
- Walk slowly from Kyoto to Otsu (11 km) leading with your head,
and from Otsu to Kusatsu (15 km) leading with your chest.
From there, walk in the Gyou style -
walk for about 10km with a 60/40 distribution on your right and left legs,
and alternate for the next 10km.
- This is the basic explanation. Please refer to your master for further details.
I have kept it a secret for many years, but I hope this helps others.
If a runner leaves home at 4 am and arrives at their destination at 6pm, they would cover 144km in 14 hours, which equates to a 10km per hour average.
Considering most would be traveling with a fair amount of belongings, this is a very fast pace.
The above is a short description of Senri Zenrunho.
I think it's a very valuable written record about running techniques that would normally only be shared through oral tradition.
We do not know the exact normal way people walked and ran in the Edo Period,
so it’s not an exact science,
but I think the most important thing is for runners to focus Tanden point (just below of the navel) and gradually increase speed while alternating running styles to prevent getting tired over long distances.>
Moreover, I've heard that the mental challenge of running long distances is the most difficult thing to overcome.
That is why I think the Shichitai is useful,
because the variation involved helps to relieve the physical and mental burden a runner faces on a long journey.
Based on my research, I tried to estimate each way of running described in Senri Zensou Hou.
These waking styles make you keep walking without fatigue.