Karate | Okinawan Goju-ryu |Tensho kata (part one)

The name Tensho means "rotating hand palms" and "changing grips." A kata that was formulated on Okinawa by karate master Chojun Miyagi, but whose techniques and principles originated from the Chinese martial arts.

The general purpose of exercising Tensho kata in a hard physical way is to activate the tendons and muscles that are located around the joints, to load up bioelectricity, harmonize breath, motion, and posture, and to construct body armor against external attacks.

Depending on the goals the performance can change from soft to hard, fast to slow, from big to small. Tensho is a specific form, with its own techniques, but it is the principles behind it that are the most important. In a hard form of Tensho kata, as performed in this video clip, it is the principles of isokinetic movement and isometric positioning of muscles/tendons/joints aligning it with diaphragmatic breathing.

Performer Lex Opdam
Origins of the shown form: Okinawan Goju-ryu karate
Lineage of the performer: (Okinawan Goju-ryu karate: IOGKF-Meibukan-MMF)
Video was taken in Nijmegen, Netherlands, oktober 2020.

---
While these short video examples are freely accessible, they are intended for Martial Mindfulness practitioners. The context of the content is covered during the lessons and the examples shown are to support home training.
---