Learn and Teach Tensho Kata for Goju Ryu

We are starting weekly online karate classes from the 3rd of August 2024: email [e-mail] to get added to the sign-up list. Whether you are white or black belt, you can learn Tensho, the great balancing kata that pairs beautifully with Sanchin kata. In this video, we give a brief overview of the history of Tensho, the sequence, and most importantly, how to teach this kata to anyone, and especially how (and why) we teach it to children.
Chapters:
00:00 - 01:37 - History of Tensho Kata
01:38 - 05:59 - Sequence of Tensho Kata
5:50 - 09:25 - Teaching Tensho to children using famous kung fu animals
We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments! Please like and subscribe for new videos every Friday at 2pm CAT.
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Video produced by:
Zoe Jagger-Hinis
zoehinis.com/

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Thank you for watching and subscribing! Any topic requests?

[@laojiayilu6771]

I have two Suggestion 😁. More of Sanchin Kata or Kote Kitae , Ude Tanren exercises😀

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Hello! We have a Sanchin series already: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d4eyemmKbJaAars but we will look at an ude tanden video in the future as well! Thank you for watching and commenting 🙇‍♀️

[@stefansandbergsweden]

Have you done anything on Tensho as partner push hands?

[@stefansandbergsweden]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oF6UmJWCeLZkjLc

[@Isabella-s4s]

Gekki sai sho pls

[@terrysanders2817]

Involving the KFP cast to the second version was a stroke of genius. Well done! Terry.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Truly, my husband is a karate genius, though he doesn't think so! _ Zoe

[@davinaerwee2349]

I love the way you teach this. You showed it to me about 5 or 6 years ago now and my students love it. Especially the little ones. Thank you Chè Sensei 😊

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Ah, thank you Sensei Davina! We love that the kids love it - Tensho really is a beautiful kata 💛

[@gaglet]

Not in my style, always wanted to learn this one though. Used your video today to learn. Even though I’m 42, I still used your kids teaching section for the last portion, really helpful! Thanks

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Tensho is such a beautiful kata - what a special gift Miyagi left for us! And its always nice when people from other styles want to learn Goju katas, especially since we're not trendy at the moment. (I wish to learn Anan, what a beautiful kata!) Thank you so much for taking the time to watch and comment

[@gaglet]

@@GojuRyuKarateCentre no problem. I found doing it was really beneficial due to the way movement works, you come away knowing every centimetre of a movement. I wish we did some tbh. I will continue to learn some in the background :) I will look up that other one too :)

[@sandykumar745]

U r really the best sensai in the word for teach Not only I but I think everyone impressed by your teaching techniques U r really genius Thanku thanku so much

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

You are so kind to say this, Sandy! We are grateful that you have spent time watching and commenting on our little channel. Thank you for this beautiful comment :)

[@roseaweinberg]

Great teaching of Tensho! I'm training Goju in Canada and I appreciate your teaching videos to enhance my learning and training. Thank you!

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Great to hear! We have met some truly lovely Canadians on our travels, and it is on our bucket list to visit beautiful Canada! (Ché wants to visit in winter, I want to visit in the summer lol) Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment 🤗

[@roseaweinberg]

Let me know when you’re ready to come to Canada and I will connect you with our Sensai so you can come to teach at our dojo.

[@anneliesereckewitz2613]

Great video. I tell my students a story to help remember this kata. I really like your animal hands. I appreciate how you address the slight variations that some dojo have in their kata.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Thank you so much, Anneliese! We like to look at all the different variations and celebrate them, rather than labeling them as right or wrong. Your students are lucky to have you!

[@joeldombecki2140]

Hi Sensei. I would respectfully request you to please do a video and explain the breathing in Tensho Kata. Thank you for all of your efforts making these videos. I really appreciate you.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Dear Joel, Thank you so much for your kind words, truly 🙇🏻‍♀️ We actually recently covered the breathing in Tensho in a recent livestream! kzbin.info/www/bejne/p4PIaKyPobSma68 We hope you will find it useful 🙏

[@joeldombecki2140]

@@GojuRyuKarateCentre Thank you!!!

[@daisydoes3166]

Thank you for this. My Sensei started teaching this kata to us today and needed a reference to practice at home. Domo arigato gozaimasu 🥋😊🙏🏼

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Ah, we are so happy to hear this! Tensho is such a beautiful kata, we are excited for you to begin your journey with this special kata. Thank you for watching and commenting! Much appreciated 🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️

[@ShoshinMartialArts]

Your techniques are really great nd perfectly executed. Great work 👏👏👏💐

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Thank you I have been taught by great teachers , very lucky Che

[@sustainablejaejay]

This is fantastic! Your videos have really helped my training. I practiced Shotokan growing up and after a 25 year hiatus from Karate, recently started training at a OGKK dojo near my home (mainly online during the pandemic), and love it! Now that I’m old(er), I’m really drawn to the “softer” energy/ki building aspects of Goju-Ryu, such as in Tensho. Thanks a lot for this!

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Ah, wonderful! We are so happy to hear that you have discovered Goju Ryu, and are part of our extended OGKK family 🥋 Some of our best friends do Shotokan, and we have learned much from them too. Truly hope the pandemic and lockdown passes quickly where you are, and you can return to training in the dojo. Where are you based? Luckily we have been able to train since September last year, though under very strict conditions to make sure everyone is safe. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@sustainablejaejay]

@@GojuRyuKarateCentre thanks very much, appreciate it! Good to hear you’ve been able to train together during these tough times. I’m in Houston, Texas (US).

[@dmxmartialarts]

Brilliant, thank you for sharing.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Ah, so kind! Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment 🙇🏻‍♀️

[@matthews1082]

Sanchin-Tensho I think, was the earlier version which Chojun Miyagi taught around 1919 or 1920 at the Karate Research Club where different members took turns to teach others their Kata/ideas. I think he might have toyed with combining the 2 Kata at some point, but finally, in his wisdom, decided to keep the 2 Kata separated.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

They do work better seperated, truly. Also, wish I could time travel and be in that research club! Imagine what they discussed (hope not too much of it is lost.)

[@jasonmorgan2799]

Been practising this today, thank you Sensei. I was getting my hands and blocks mixed up. I feel more confident practising it now.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Such a wonderful kata, and an excellent student 👏👏👏

[@laojiayilu6771]

Thank you very much, again! Great teaching approach! Never trained this Kata myself, as it does Not exist in our Style, but it greatly reminded me on the Chinese Wing Chun Firma I used to learn. Look like a lot of similar principles. Thank you!

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Thank you for these lovely words! Yes, the Chinese influence is so clear in Tensho, and we should always keep in mind the many beautiful influences that make up different styles - all the wonderful flavours that combine to make distinct martial arts. What style do you train in? Thank you for watching!

[@joumasepoes88]

Lekker vid Sensei. I'm not Goju Ryu but Matsubayashi Ryu. I do love Goju Ryu Katas though. I hope all is well out in Joburg. I do miss my home.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Thanks Robert We seem ok in Jhb Glad there is something Lekker in out videos Keep in touch Che

[@Burvedys]

My two cents adjusted for quantitative easing (or whatever you call that money printer goes brrrr process). It's kihon (although Okinawans had no kihon before Japanese, but that's another story) exercise called rokkishu (six hands: roku + shu) that comes from Fujian Baihe-quan (Fujian white crane kung-fu which gave birth to Wing Chun as well). Miyagi-sensei (not that "wax on, wax off", but the irony is... yes, that another one does that too) combined it into the kata for learning purposes, although such kihon is in elder sister style To'on-ryu and our rough cousin Uechi-ryu (the latter has funny double-hands movement like making some order of goods on the shelf). And these six hand positions are as follows: horizontal hook from inside, horizontal hook from outside, pushing palm (but in four directions: jodan, gedan, chudan, and otoshi/osae), circular hook down, wrist-head up, wrist-head outside. Being from the family of tea merchants, Miyagi Chojun should know math better (more than 6 hands here, methink, not mentioning morote-osae and tora-guchi) but, on the other hand, he knew calculations better as he has changed a name from six hands to these rotating palms (whatever number you'll find). :) Funny though of embusen, that in Jundokan of Miyazato-sensei you end up two steps behind the starting point (i.e. 3 steps forward and 4 backwards but then the last half step makes it full) while in other schools (like old-enough Shoreikan) they (meh, Toguchi-sensei, let's point out) added three steps of sanchin-gata (chudan ude-uke + gyaku-zuki) in the beginning to compensate for this like it is more or less in shisochin (uechiryuish, I would say), sanseru, seisan, suparimpei. But I agree, tensho is a good kata as Ju to compensate for sanchin as Go (problem is, that if you put Uechi-ryu style breathing in tensho-gata, you'll reverse engineer Goju-ryu back to that whooping crane of Ryuruko or Whoever he was...). :)))

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Thank you for this exceptional, detailed and charming explanation - to receive this kind of rarefied knowledge on our videos makes all the editing worth it! What a trip through history, overlapping styles and technique - thank you for taking the time to type this out. You are a treasure to us!

[@elhajjzafeermuhammad1530]

YEAH BUDDY 👍🏿. Teaching should always be relatable.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

We wish that we could only heart this comment ten times! 💕💕💕💕 Karate should be relatable - otherwise it becomes stuffy and static, and it goes the way of the Dodo.

[@toninhamalta474]

Que maravilha... igual o meu Sensei me ensinou hoje. Vou aproveitar para fazer com perfeição, assistindo o seu vídeo. Sensacional👏👏👏👏🙏🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Ah, muito obrigado por suas palavras gentis e calorosas, Toninha! Com seu estudo diligente, sua jornada de karatê será realmente ótima. Somos gratos por você assistir nossos pequenos vídeos :)

[@johnarokium8068]

Great video on Tensho kata and excellent methodology to teach kids this kata.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Thank you so much! This is our hope - to make this beautiful kata accessible to everyone 🥋

[@ruimendessansao3930]

very good, nice and clear for learn thank

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

You are so welcome! Thank you for supporting our channel, we really appreciate it 🙇🏻‍♀️

[@karatejutsudojosociety]

Absolutely brilliant 🙏🏼❤️

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

💛💛💛

[@Tamales21]

Great work as always

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Thank you so much! 🙇‍♀️

[@mallagaming6133]

Sir thanku i learned sepia kurunfa and sisen from your vedioes very appreciative your class one request to you sir show the technique by side and by angle

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Hello! Thank you so much for taking the time to watch and comment 🙇🏻‍♀️ We did this video a long time ago, and we have learned much since then. If you check out our more recent kata videos, you will see more side by side comparisons that you can follow! We have been working hard to improve our videos so that viewers have a better experience, and can enjoy learning more. Wishing you all the best on your karate journey!

[@evanlouis1073]

Loved this explanation, Domo Arigato🙏

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Thank you so much! Dou itashimaste 🙇🏻‍♀️

[@davidacobb1]

I love how you teach it to the kids. What exactly were the terms you used when doing the Mawashi Uke? The echo made it hard for me to understand.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Ah, thank you! So we use a sort of nursery rhyme: Pick up the book (bottom hand rises) Book is boring (bring that hand in) First mosquito (block face) Second mosquito (block stomach) Dead mosquito (extend hands) I will go double-check the subtitles as well to make sure they are clear! We have since gotten a lapel mic, so we hope you will watch our later videos for their better production quality! Thank you so much for taking the time to watch and comment 🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️

[@ajithdesilva4280]

Beautifully Explained, thank you

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Ah, thank you so much! We love Tensho and sharing it with the world 🙏

[@brianjohnson4616]

Nice, I saved the video. Question: do you ever do two man drills to reinforce the techniques actual self-defense applications?

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Thank you so much! Yes, we have a whole bunch of them - check out this one here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jWPEiGOHgtyrppI - it should auto-suggest more like it :)

[@mattt1974UK]

I've never thought to teach this to my young kids but like you say, with the meditative aspect of the deep breathing it would be great. I've incorporated the Chinese horoscope animals into my dojo teaching and refer to them when doing Gekisai dai ichi with a little story that helps memorise the moves. Thank you.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Wonderful! Please do share with us - kids often struggle with the sequence of Geki and having a mnemonic for them would be awesome.

[@mattt1974UK]

@@GojuRyuKarateCentre Ok, I'll put something together that explains it and let you know when it's ready.

[@neildesaldanha1806]

Hello sensei your videos are great

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Hey, thanks, Ilan! That's so kind of you to say ☺

[@tulliosponzilli361]

Arigato gozaimasu! I love your version for kids!! It will help me a lot!!!! (Shito-ryu practicioner)

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Hai, dou itashimashite! We love to hear from our shito-ryu friends! Please let us know how it goes with showing this beautiful kata to kids 🤗

[@Wulfdojo]

Kinda gotta hang in there til the end to get the payoff, but that was genius the way you taught it. Very good idea for kids.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Ah, thank you Sensei Ron! This was filmed ages ago, we have learned to trim the excess from our videos, as well as the value of adding chapters. We are so glad you stuck with it long enough to see the value of it 🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️

[@catarinogarza7891]

Thank you for another great video. I do not have a Goju- Ryu dojo anywhere near me(U.S.A), so I have been learning on my own. My question is that after the first two Gekisai kata can one learn the others in no particular sequence ? A suggestion for a topic is a comparison of Goju-Ryu to other styles of Karate-Do. Thank you again.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Thank you for the kind words! We are glad that our videos are helpful 😊 It helps to learn the kata in their sequence, as each one builds on the concepts introduced in the previous kata. Will definitely look at doing a video on what makes Goju Ryu such a distinctive style!

[@joumasepoes88]

I know several Goju guys here in the states maybe I can point you in the right direction. Where are you

[@nickyjohnson3618]

Awesome!

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Great

[@luizalexandrezacarkintrent6554]

Thank you Sensei!

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Only a pleasure! Thank you for watching 🙇‍♀️

[@angelinadamatta2670]

Thank you sensei!

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Thank you too!

[@SaulGarcia-sc2dl]

Maestro me queda mucho a deber en la aplicación de la cadera en la kata pero ya vi su video del makiwara y comprendo por qué

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

I am so glad that you are finding your way through this beautiful and demanding Kata!

[@richarddebeer1039]

Beautiful kata, Kanazawa Sensei went over to Okinawa and got taught an ancient kata from Gojo Ryu called Hakutsuru. Is this correct? Could also be Niju Hachi Ho?

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Hi Richard These kata I haven’t been shown, I’d have to look them up. I do know that there are some “ older” less taught kata. They remain part of some Goju school systems, but not all Generally the common kata are the main 12 GekiSai dai 1 GekiSai dai 2 Saifa Seiyunchen Shishochen Sanseiru Seipai Kururunfa Seisan Supeirunpi Sanchen Tensho Regards Che

[@eugenealexander5152]

Bravoo!

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Thank you

[@lucutes2936]

Thx

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Most welcome!

[@theshows3435]

Gestuga Tenshō

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Bankai ~

[@azragulers6597]

Bu gün sınav varrrr

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

sınavda iyi şanslar!

[@Brainwashed101]

The less direct way is to have your students wax on, wax off, paint the fence, paint the house, and sand the floor. In all seriousness, great tutorial!

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

100%, thats how i learnt, but the karate kid reference is lost on some little ones, with arrival of cobra kai, thats changed for my older kids. Thanks for the comment.

[@mallagaming6133]

Arikato

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Hai, dou itashimaste 🙇

[@neildesaldanha1806]

372 subscribes mor than you are at 1000 subscribes

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

And now we are just 20 away!

[@maduroholdings]

Yes love it thank you did you say mosquito.? Rip the mosquito dead mosquito?

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Definitely RIP mosquito! The kids love to smack the mosquito dead at the end of every mawashi uke 🤣 Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment! 🙇🏻‍♀️

[@maduroholdings]

More than watch and comment you are teaching me step by step through the movements I only hope to one day show you what I learned lol

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Ah, that's so wonderful to hear! Drop us a video at our email - [e-mail] :) We would love to see your progress!

[@scatflores8958]

Seems like a weak version of the actual kata. Watch Wilfredo Rodin to learn the proper form.

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

Hi thanks for the comment I take it you are referring to Wilfredo Roldan Hanshi from the Nisei Goju Ryu , based out of New York . Lineage is back to USA Goju under Peter Urban Grand Master. The black panther dojo produced many great practitioners. Here is where my respect ends, I enjoyed finding some videos and watching. My form is open to criticism, it’s far from perfect. I take advice from people who have an eye for mistakes, and understand which school I come from, so they can give clear and credible advice. I’ll work on my strength Che Ps my lineage is to Okinawa ( the OGKK)

[@metekosar2820]

Kata doesn't work in street fighting. İt is 😊😀😁😂Try in street fighting😀😁😂

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

No one said kata is for street fighting - kata is to get stronger and better at responding to attacks by building muscle memory. It is part of an entire learning system, and doesn't mean anything without bunkai (application). Thanks for taking the time to comment

[@metekosar2820]

@@GojuRyuKarateCentre if you want stronger practice body building😀 No need 10 20 30 katas😁😂😃