I was flipping through some WC books earlier and noticed the strong similarity between the blocks especially in the first form and the Okinawan form Tensho. Is there a connection?

Originally posted by arnisador

I was flipping through some WC books earlier and noticed the strong similarity between the blocks especially in the first form and the Okinawan form Tensho. Is there a connection?

I've seen that claim made in print a few times. However, I don't know the Tensho kata, so I'd have to see that first.

Cthulhu

If there are any pictures online of the tensho kata? or could you describe some of the blocks ?

Well whaddya know? Turns out I had a zipped vid file of the Tensho kata on my hard drive and forgot all about it!

After watching it, I think it's a stretch to claim any similarity between Tensho and SLT. The only things I can see that are similar, and this is using quite a bit of imagination, are wu sao, MAYBE bil sau, MAYBE tan sao, and huen sao.

They don't look exactly like the Wing Chun techniques...again, it required some imagination on my part to see any similarity.

I've also heard other Uechi/Goju kata supposedly have similarities. I have yet to see that.

Cthulhu

Hello
I know both the Sil Lim Tao and Tensho forms. Yes they both do look similar but the structure and applications are not similar at all.

Hope this helps

Joe Melton

I learned tensho while doing goju-ryu (and really liked it) but only know the Wing Chun forms from books so I'm pleased to hear from someone who knows both.

Having learnt both forms I can see some similarities in both, as long as you look further at the applications of the tan sao in SLT,(palm up knife hand), and the sideways palm strike/knife hand in Tensho. (palm down -like a bil sao)
Sometimes there is more to the movements than would first appear!