FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHO CAN DO TENSHINKAN?
Tenshinkan can be practiced by everyone.
Children, women, men, young and old alike.
In the beginning the pace is slow as the student must learn the basics. Later on, when the execution of the techniques become more skilful, the pace is increased. In this way a greater benefit from the exercise is obtained as the training progresses.
IS TENSHINKAN SAFE?
Yes. Today Tenshinkan is a safe and controlled art. It must be understood that Karate, Ju-Jitsu, Aikido and Kobudo originally developed as warfare methods. A martial art, and mainly as a method of self defence, where every part of the human body, hands, feet, elbows, knees, head and limbs are used as a deadly weapon for defence or attack. It was developed as a means to effectively eliminate or kill an opponent.
However, in the past 60 years Martial Art was greatly modified to conform to the strict requirements of that of a safe sport. This in turn implies a strict code and control over it’s strikes, punches and kicks, throws, grappling, Locks and Holds; especially when training with a partner. A variety of safety equipment and protection gear have been developed and are readily available for beginners and seasoned practitioners alike. But of course, in a street situation all this will not apply.
AT WHAT AGE CAN CHILDREN START TENSHINKAN?
Children can start from the age of five, depending on their individual ability, i.e. emotional make-up, concentration span, physical coordination, etc. A screening test will be conducted by the instructor to establish whether a child is ready to do Tenshinkan Karate.
Children are our speciality.
Each child is different. All will be ncouraged and motivated towards their best ability. Progress is gauged on each child’s potential.
WHAT DO I NEED TO START?
You will need a Karate suit (Gi) with the relevant badges. As you progress in the art, sparring will be part of your training and to protect yourself against accidental contact, you must purchase hand mitts. (Consult your instructor).
WHEN IS MY FIRST TEST? HOW OFTEN DO I GRADE?
There is a test (exam) after completing 20 lessons (approximately three months). This is important for personal motivation. Depending on age and individual ability, the grade level achieved will vary. Children under the age of seven normally get one stripe at a time (White 2, then Pre-Yellow) until they master Yellow Belt.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO BLACK BELT?
There is no secret shortcut. It takes hard work to get to Black Belt! Expect to train from three to five years, depending on ability and age and the number of hours trained per week.
Take the following into consideration:
• It takes a minimum of 40 hours per colour belt
• There are 10 belts before Black Belt
• Then Pre-Black and Junior Black (Minimum age – 13 for Junior Black)
• There are 3 Junior Black Belts (each 1 year)
• First Dan (Sho-Dan) Snr (1 year)
• The above times can be shortened if the student attends extra Gashuku Training Camps, and also if the student does extra classes.
IS TENSHINKAN AN ART OR A TRADITION?
Tenshinkan is both an art and tradition that has been handed down through the centuries with its own rules, disciplines and methods. Japanese etiquette, discipline, respect and tradition are strictly enforced as a Code of Honor among Tenshinkan Practitioners.
WHAT ABOUT PHYSICAL HEALTH?
Firstly, as a means of disciplining the body and obtaining physical fitness. It is without equal. It is well known that, when certain muscles of the body are not used, they deteriorate and become weak. Tenshinkan Practitioners, however, must have muscular endurance and tone for these muscles must function on a high efficiency level over extended periods of time.
Due to its many techniques it requires the body to move in all directions. Every muscle in the body is brought into play giving the body a uniform development. The more one practices and the quicker and more vigorous the movements become, the greater is the amount of exercise one gets in a relatively short time.
It develops cardio vascular fitness
To obtain endurance, exercises are performed repititiously. The harder the heart works to send blood and oxygen to the tissues, the more efficient the entire body becomes. The state of fitness obtained is directly related to the degree and intensity of the exercises performed.
It promotes flexibility of the joints
As we grow older, we lose the flexibility of our joints. Sustained exercises inhibit this process. Tenshinkan techniques force your body into such positions that flexibility of the joints is greatly increased.
It promotes coordination and muscular control
Tenshinkan punches and kicks must be delivered precisely and to a definite target point. Constant practice of theTenshinkan techniques instills a controlled coordination of hand, foot and body movements in the practitioner, as well as muscle coordination and control. It is ideally suited for children with coordination problems.
It greatly enhances balance
Tenshinkan techniques require a balanced base from which to work. A punch or kick, when it lands, will experience an equal and opposite stopping force to that which it imparts. It is therefore important that the body is in a strong and stable position. Constant training will automatically ensure proper balance of the body in any situation.
Also, Tenshinkan requires the use of hand and leg techniques. Balance is of prime importance as one has to balance on one leg while executing an effective kick.
Secondly, developing a balanced and disciplined mind is of utmost importance
Tenshinkan helps the individual to think calmly and act correctly whether the situation is turbulent or calm. It instills confidence, self-control and discipline
Thirdly, obtaining a degree of self defence skills and fighting ability is the most rewarding
There is no fighting art in the world likeTenshinkan.Tenshinkan has drawn fighting and defence techniques from many disciplines – Karate, Aikido, Ju-Jitsu and kobujitsu.
It has been formalised, systemised, scientifically evaluated and approved, and greatly studied and extended, as well as demonstrated through the ages to be a hand combat method without equal anywhere.
A personal reference on health from the father of modern Karate
Gichin Funakoshi, who is known as the father of modern Karate, has this to say about Karate in the preface of his autobiography:
“KARATE-DO, MY WAY OF LIFE”
“I was a sickly and frail child. It was suggested that to overcome these handicaps I ought to begin the study of Karate. This I did, but with little interest at first. However, my health began to improve noticeably, and my interest in Karate began to grow. Soon, I found it had cast a spell over me.
As I look back over my life – from childhood to maturity to old age – I realise that it is thanks to my devotion to Karate that I have never once had to consult a physician.
I have never in my life taken any medication : no pills, no elixirs. Not even a single injection. My body had been so well trained that it repels all sickness and disease.”
WHAT WILL TENSHINKAN DO FOR ME?
LEARN SELF DEFENCE
Tenshinkan is one of the best martial art systems to teach you an overall practical integrated self defence system.
Tenshinkan combines techniques from :
Karate (blocks, kicks , strikes, and punches)
Goshin Jitsu (self defence – knife attacks, etc.)
Aikido (body throws – using opponent’s force)
Jui-Jitsu (joint locks, grapple holds and escapes)
Even when you stop training, you never forget what you have been taught.
You may get rusty from lack of training, but it can save your life. If one day you get into a violent or threatening situation and your Tenshinkan training can help you handle / avoid / escape the situation it would have paid for itself over and over. You can never buy back the emotional scars such a bad experience can leave on you. In our ever-increasing violent times it is foolish not to acknowledge self defence.
BUILD CONFIDENCE AND SELF ESTEEM
By practicing Tenshinkan you improve your body skills. This automatically expands your physical abilities. Combine this with the discipline instilled by the practice of a martial art and the fact that you have an ability to handle yourself in a self defence situation, you automatically develop self confidence and it does wonders for your self esteem. You start feeling more confident in yourself from Day One. It’s greatest asset is that it teaches you how to handle fear. Everybody has some hidden fears. Some have constant fear.
For most people the greatest fear is that of intimidation by another person. Many men may feel threatened by strangers or men they do not know, or who are perhaps bigger than them physically.
Most men fear for their own (and their family / partners) physical safety. By ridding yourself of some of these fears you automatically build up your own confidence and improve your self esteem.
INSTILL SELF DISCIPLINE AND INNER STRENGTH
The practice of Tenshinkan martial art is a lot like being in the military.
Your instructor drills you with the Oriental Absolute Obedience Discipline.
Then he drills you physically by pushing you to the limit of your body’s capabilities (practicing techniques to acquire skill).
Then he force-drills you into self defence situations against others (your class mates). Then he drills / lectures you on the mental and physical aspects on how to handle self defence situations.
This instills SELF DISCIPLINE.
Ask any soldier. There is a silent inner strength and confidence in the military discipline.
MENTAL DEVELOPMENT – IMPROVED CONCENTRATION
Develop the Body, Develop the Mind
Tenshinkan martial art training is by far the best sport to develop your mind and to teach you mind development techniques. It requires absolute concentration for the full training period! This helps to improve concentration. You will learn to summarise various situations and improve your ability to deal with them. It expands your memory capabilities. A trained Tenshinkan martial artist must memorise 30 Kata’s (series of up to 84 techniques each) and 100 or more techniques, plus how to put these techniques into effective combinations.
It is as good as a Memory Course.
DEVELOP HAND AND FOOT CO-ORDINATION
Tenshinkan martial art is also by far the best sport to develop hand, foot and eye coordination and to strengthen motor and reflex-or muscles.
In practicing Tenshinkan martial arts one must be able to do all techniques equally well with both the left and right sides – arms and legs.This forces a sharp concentrated effort. The martial art also requires a high degree of balance training, another plus for hand, eye and foot coordination and the strengthening of the reflexor muscles.
Directional training in Kata is also excellent stimulus for the mind.
All Tenshinkan martial art training requires specific body postures and stances which develop the motor and reflex-or muscles to the maximum.
Tenshinkan Martial art also requires speed training (fast in / out attack or defence moves), which also requires explosive tensioning of muscles and also relaxation of muscles at specific given moments in execution of techniques. This in itself is the perfect hand, foot and eye coordination training coupled with strengthening of motor and reflex-or muscles.
It Develops both the left and right brain.
IMPROVE PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
Tenshinkan Martial art develops your overall upper and lower body tone with cardio vascular fitness since the exercise and class drill is both aerobic and anaerobic, burning body fat and improving stamina.
It develops good legs from its stances and jumping / kicking movements.
It gives good upper body toning by doing blocks, punches, strikes and pushups.
KEEP FIGHTING FIT – KEEP FIT FIGHTING
WHY TENSHINKAN
• It is a JAPANESE STYLE
• We are INTERNATIONAL
• We are LEGALLY AFFILIATED to various Karate bodies
• It is a TRUE MARTIAL ART STYLE – This style incorporates techniques from :KARATE (Blocks, kicks, strikes and punches)
GOSHIN-JITSU (a combination of AIKI-DO and JUI-JITSU) Body throws – using opponent’s force. Joint locks, grapple holds, pressure points Knife attack defences, etc.
KOBUDO Weapon training – Traditional Weapons Nunchaku / Kon / Sai / Tonfa/ Tekko / Kamma / Manriki-Gusari / Katana)
• This Style incorporates ADVANCED FIGHTING CONCEPTS :
TAI – SABAKI (Body shifting)
ASHI – SABAKI (Leg shift angular)
SURI – ASHI (Slide / shifting )
YORI – ASHI (Skip / shift step)
MAE – KOMI (Full over)
• We do MIND DEVELOPMENT
• We have SPECIALIZED ANNUAL TRAINING CAMPS (GASHUKU’s)
• We have CHAMPIONSHIPS Local and International
• We have ANNUAL INTER- NATIONAL TOURS & EVENTS
• We are on the INTERNET @
http://www.tenshinkan.com (World Info Site)
https://www.tenshinkan.co.za (South African Web Site)
www.tenshinkan.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ (British web Site)
http://www.tenshinkan.jp ) Japan Website and plenty News of around the world)
• Tenshinkan was established since 1965.