Rōmaji Tenkan English convert / divert | Japanese 転換 | |
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Tenkan (転換, lit. convert or divert) is the Japanese name of a movement practiced in several martial arts. It is a 180 degree pivot to one's rear, on the lead foot. That is, if the left foot is forward, the pivot is clockwise, and if the right foot is forward, the pivot is counter-clockwise.
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Judo
Tenkan is a technique used in judo.
Aikido
Tenkan is a very common technique in aikido. Strategically, tenkan is most often used to place tori back-to-back with uke. A few attacks - techniques that commonly begin by executing tenkan include: shōmen'uchi - kaitennage; katate-dori - shihōnage; and morote-dori - kokyūnage.
Some styles of aikido practice six basic ashi sabaki (stepping/footwork) techniques, of which tenkan is one.
Those six basic stepping techniques are: