Tensho - 転掌

Tensho means rotating palms or literally ‘revolving hands’, from the characters Ten - 転 (‘revolve’) and Shō - 掌 (‘palm’ of ‘hand’). So Tensho describes the movements of the palms that characterize this Kata.


Tensho was developed by Chojun Miyagi after his return from China in 1916 where he had been researching the origins of Okinawan Martial Arts. This Kata was created in 1921 as a softer Sanchin no Kata. Tensho is the soft and circular, Yin - 陰, counterpart to the hard and linear, Yang - 陽, Sanchin no Kata. It emphasizes the soft aspects of Naha-te system and encompasses continuous, flowing movements. It may be a variant of the Southern Chinese Kung Fu form Rokishu - 六基手 (‘six functions of the hands’). Hard dynamic tension are combined with deep breathing and soft flowing hand movements. This Kata has also its roots in White Crane Boxing and Monk Fist Boxing and influenced by Naha village area in Okinawa.


Tensho not only employs far more sophisticated hand techniques, it also teaches a far more efficient and subtle form of body tension. Movements in Tensho are flowing but under tension with deep breathing. Tensho is about refinement, perfection, concentration and focus. This Kata will teach you the importance of forefinger and thumb positioning when you twist your palm. Likewise the order of closing the fingers in order to make your Koken solid.


It turns out that, proper breathing and good extensive research of Kata like Tensho and Sanchin no Kata, can be good for your health, “A Tensho a day, sends the doctor away”. Every morning, 60 times of breathing out (large breath) and breathing in (large breath) through the nose, helps to keep you healthy. The correct way of breathing is to first breathe out, then breathe in. In the modern way we are taught to breathe in, then breathe out. In Karate we first concentrate the power by breathing out in a stroke. In breathing for health, when we breathe in, we change this breath to energy and circulate it in the body to store for the flowing energy.


Tensho was one of Mas Oyama’s favorite Kata and made its way into the curriculum of Kyokushin Karate as a Southern Kata because of Mas Oyama’s extensive background in Goju-ryu, under sensei Nei-Chu So, and his teacher, Gogen Yamaguchi. Mas Oyama trained from time to time with Gogen Yamaguchi, even joining the latter’s Goju-kai and obtaining the rank of 7th Dan Black Belt.

Tensho - 転掌
video instructions

# Explanation step by step 2e Dan
Begin the Kata in FUDO DACHI. Move into MUSUBI DACHI and MOKUSO on the command MOKUSO. On the next command Tensho, open eyes and wait until the command YOI. Then start perform a slow YOI DACHI with IBUKI that ends in HEIKO DACHI
1. On the command HAJIME/ICHI move into right SANCHIN DACHI, and simultaneously slowly blocking SEIKEN MOROTE UCHI UKE ending in SANCHIN no KAMAE.

No IBUKI breathing.
2. In the same position bring the left fist back into HIKITE (to the ready punch position), execute (at a moderate speed) a right TENSHO (at the inside, a right KAKE JODAN UKE, reverse the hand, hooking the outside, with a URA KAKE UKE). Bring back the right open hand in HIKITE, quick inhale, and strike a right SHOTEI JODAN UCHI with IBUKI.
3. Execute a right SHUTO HIZO UCHI (block in a circular movement), continuing with the right open hand in HIKITE, quick inhale, and strike a right SHOTEI GEDAN UKE with IBUKI.
4. From this position slowly block with a right KOKEN JODAN UKE (with TATE KOKEN upwards touch the thumb tot the ring finger), quick inhale and follow with a right SHUTO SAKOTSU UCHI KOMI with IBUKI.
5. Block an opponent's attack to the side, or brush off to the side the hand that has grabbed, with a right KOKEN YOKO CHUDAN UKE (with YOKO no KOKEN sidewards touch the thumb tot the middle finger), quick inhale and follow with a right SHOTEI CHUDAN UCHI with IBUKI.
6. Move forward into left SANCHIN DACHI, simultaneously blocking SEIKEN MOROTE UCHI UKE.

No IBUKI breathing.
7. In the same position bring the right fist back into HIKITE (to the ready punch position), execute (at a moderate speed) a left TENSHO. Bring back the left open hand in HIKITE, quick inhale, and strike a left SHOTEI JODAN UCHI with IBUKI.
8. Execute a left SHUTO HIZO UCHI (block in a circular movement), continuing with the left open hand in HIKITE, quick inhale, and strike a left SHOTEI GEDAN UKE with IBUKI.
9. From this position slowly block with a left KOKEN JODAN UKE (TATE KOKEN), quick inhale and follow with a left SHUTO SAKOTSU UCHI KOMI with IBUKI.
10. Block an opponent's attack to the side, or brush off to the side the hand that has grabbed, with a left KOKEN YOKO CHUDAN UKE (YOKO no KOKEN), quick inhale and follow with a left SHOTEI CHUDAN UCHI with IBUKI.
11. Move forward into right SANCHIN DACHI simultaneously blocking SEIKEN MOROTE UCHI UKE

No IBUKI breathing.
12. In the same position execute (at a moderate speed) with both hands a TENSHO. Bring back the open hands in HIKITE, quick inhale, and strike a SHOTEI MOROTE JODAN UCHI with IBUKI.
13. Execute a SHUTO MOROTE HIZO UCHI (block in a circular movement), continuing with the open hands into HIKITE, quick inhale, and strike a SHOTEI MOROTE GEDAN UKE with IBUKI.
14. From this position slowly block with a KOKEN MOROTE JODAN UKE (TATE KOKEN), quick inhale and follow with a SHUTO MOROTE SAKOTSU UCHI KOMI with IBUKI.
15. Block an opponent's attack to the side, or brush off to the side the hands that are grabbed, with a KOKEN YOKO MOROTE CHUDAN UKE (YOKO NO KOKEN), quick inhale and follow with a right SHOTEI MOROTE CHUDAN UCHI with IBUKI.
16. From this position quickly execute, in a forward direction, a double grabbing movement (positioned at height of neck) and return both hands open, into HIKITE, whilst inhaling. Execute MOROTE CHUDAN YONHON NUKITE to the solar plexus with IBUKI (1).
17. Repeat the double grabbing movement and return both hands, open, into HIKITE, whilst inhaling. Execute MOROTE CHUDAN YONHON NUKITE with IBUKI (2).
18. Repeat the double grabbing movement and return both hands, open, into HIKITE, whilst inhaling. Execute MOROTE CHUDAN YONHON NUKITE with IBUKI (3).
19. Quickly move back with the right leg into left SANCHIN DACHI and execute a fast SHUTO MAE MAWASHI UKE, inhale and execute SHOTEI MOROTE UCHI (part of UKE with right hand JODAN left hand GEDAN) with IBUKI.
20. Quickly move back with the left leg into right SANCHIN DACHI and execute a fast SHUTO MAE MAWASHI UKE, inhale and execute SHOTEI MOROTE UCHI (part of UKE, with left hand JODAN right hand GEDAN) with IBUKI.
21. Move the right foot back into MUSUBI DACHI and the MOKUSO position is retained.
The Kata is completed on the command NAORE the FUDO DACHI position is taken.

At the command YASUME relax and at ease.


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Video

Tensho - 転掌
source Youtube


Documentation

Instructions Tensho - 転掌


Kihon Waza
Dachi Waza

Fudo Dachi
Mosubi Dachi
Joi Dachi
Heiko Dachi
Sanchin Dachi


Te Waza

Shotei Jodan Uchi
Shuto Hizo Uchi
Shotei Chudan Uchi
Morote Chudan Yonhon Nukite
Shotei Morote Uchi
Shotei Morote Jodan Uchi
Shuto Morote Hizo Uchi
Shuto Morote Sakotsu Uchi Komi
Shotei Morote Chudan Uchi
Morote Chudan Yonhon Nukite


Uke Waza

Seiken Morote Uchi Uke
At the inside, start with a right KAKE JODAN UKE, reverse the hand, hooking the outside, with a URA KAKE UKE.Tensho
Shotei Gedan Uke
Koken Jodan Uke
Koken Yoko Chudan Uke
Shotei Morote Gedan Uke
Koken Morote Jodan Uke
Koken Yoko Morote Gedan Uke
Shuto Mae Mawashi Uke


Kihon Jutsugo

Kamae - 構え, means posture or base. Kamae is to be differentiated from the word Dachi - 立ち. Dachi refers to the position of the body from the waist down, Kamae refers to the posture of the entire body, as well as encompassing one's mental readiness.Kamae
Mokusō - 黙想, means meditation, part of the training of mushin; the call to meditate.Mokuso
Hajime - 始め, means begin.Hajime
Hikite - 引き手 means drawing hand: Hiku - 引き, to draw or pull, and Te - 手, the hand.Hikite
Ibuki is karate’s hard breathing method. Ibuki breathing is a study of tension, which is necessary to truly understand relaxation. While ibuki breathing serves as a dynamic tension exercise, its true value is ki development, since it teaches the breathing control necessary for kiai. Ibuki breathing is performed in two ways, one long, and one short. Ibuki
Koken upwards, touch the thumb to the ring finger.Tate Koken
Koken sideward, touch the thumb to the middle finger.Yoko no Koken
Naore - 直れ, is a command to go back into the beginning Kamae.Naore
Yasumi - 休み, is a command to rest or relax.Yasume