Miyagi sensei words

"If you practice only Sanchin all your life, you do

not have to practice any other Kata. Sanchin is so

essential and important."

“The hand position at the ending of Sanchin is the

same as that of a Buddha statue."

"Goju is the willow tree blown by the strong wind,"

"There is no one who have eyes at the back of his

head. However, when I walk along the road, in some

cases I feel something strange. I think it is the

so-called sixth sense."

"Studying karate nowadays is like walking in the dark

without a lantern. We have to grope our way in the
dark."

"There are so many things in karate which does not

make sense and there are a lot of things I cannot

understand. Therefore, while our grand masters are

still alive, we have to see them and ask many

questions. I think it is still very difficult to find

the answers even if we did so."

Teachings of Chojun Miyagi Sensei

“Do not be struck by others. Do not strike others. The

principle is peace without incident.”

"You must, above all, learn the art of true and real

patience. Follow the WAY of patience to the seventh

power and never be in a hurry to learn. Always think

first and avoid acting rashly. Never harm anyone or

let yourself be harmed."

”A large space is not required.

It can be practiced alone.

Its practice does not require much time.

Men and women, young or old, can practice karate, it

depends entirely upon one's constitution. Proper kata

can be selected and practiced at one's discretion.

One can practice with empty hands or the use of simple

equipment can also be employed without much expense.

Training in karate improves one's health. This fact is

evident from the physical condition of aged

enthusiasts.

Physical and mental unity develops an indomitable

spirit.”

Chojun Miyagi Sensei

Description of Goju Ryu_Kata of Karate

The founder of Goju-ryu was Chojun Miyagi (1888-1953). He became a disciple of Kanryo Higaonna (1853-1915), the founder of the Naha-te style, when he was 14. He endured harsh ascetic practices and in 1915 went to Fujian Province in China to perfect his skills in the martial arts. He also undertook a lot of research on noted Chinese warriors. As a result, he was able to take over and organize karate techniques and the principles of the martial arts that he had been taught. He consolidated modern karate-do, incorporating effective elements of both athletics and the martial arts in addition to the principles of reason and science.

Chojun Miyagi's most promising disciple, Jinan Shinzato, gave a demonstration at the 'All Japan Martial Arts Tournament Offering Congratulations on the Emperor's Accession' held in Meiji Jingu Shrine in 1929. Afterwards he was asked what school of karate he belonged to. When he returned home, he told master Miyagi about this and Miyagi decided to choose the name Goju-ryu (the hard-soft style), inspired by one of the 'Eight Precepts' of Kempo, written in the Bubishi, and meaning 'The way embraces both hard and soft, both inhalation and exhalation. The main characteristic of Goju-ryu is the 'respiration method' accompanied by vocal exclamations, emphasizing 'inhaling and exhaling'and 'bringing force in and sending force out'.

The kata of Goju-ryu are broadly divided into: Sanchin (basics), Kaishu-gata (open hand forms), and Heishu-gata (closed hand forms). The traditional kata passed down from Kanryo Higaonna to the present include: Sanchin, Saifa, Seienchin, Shisochin, Sanseiryu, Seipai, Kururunfa, Seisan, and Suparinpe (or Pecchurin). In addition to such traditional kata, Goju-ryu has added Kokumin Fukyugata, a series of kata created by Chojun Miyagi for the nationwide popularization of the school-Gekisai I, Gekisai II and Tensho-which complete the kata of Goju-ryu for Tanren.

Goju Ryu History_Part 1

Goju-Ryu Karate

What is Goju-Ryu Karate?

The literal translation of the Japanese term Goju is “hard/soft” - go meaning hard and ju meaning soft. Ryu means school, thus Goju-Ryu is the hard/soft school of Karate.

Goju-Ryu Karate is one of the four original Okinawan styles of Karate, and was founded by Chojun Miyagi (1888-1953). Sensei Miyagi had spent years in China training with the Chinese masters of White Crane style Kung Fu before returning to Okinawa to formulate what is now known as Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate Do.

Traditional Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate has a very pure lineage.

Gojo-Ryu Karate is a traditional martial art that was handed down from the founder Sensei Chojun Miyagi to his student Sensei Anichi Miyagi and then to Sensei Morio Higaonna in an unbroken line, which means the art has not been diluted or embellished through the generations like many other martial arts have. Instead, Goju-Ryu Karate persists as a highly effective fighting system today. It is not a sport style of Karate but offers its students a practical method of self defence in any situation.

Characteristics of Goju-Ryu Karate

Goju-Ryu Karate has a great variety of hand and foot techniques and employs hard and soft techniques with both circular and linear movements. Particular emphasis is placed on strengthening the body and mind with supplementary exercises.

The basic idea of the hard and soft style is use a soft blocking technique to block a hard strike or to deflect the strike rather than to meet force with force. Likewise, when attacking, Goju-Ryu employs a hard technique against a soft target and vice versa. For example, in Okinawan Goju-Ryu a palm heel strike (using the relatively soft palm heel of the hand) is often used to strike something hard like the head. Another example for the hard/soft aspect is a kick (hard) into the groin (soft).

Japanese counting in karate

In most Karate styles, techniques are performed ten times, and it is common use in dojos all over the world to count in Japanese. Just like the bowing, counting in Japanese is a characteristic of Karate.

As a student, you should learn to count in Japanese out loud too, because the time will come when you are giving commands to fellow students (or because you have become a Karate instructor yourself), so you better know how to count in the way Sensei does. Students are familiar to his type of counting in Japanese and will be less startled or giggly if they hear the commands in a familiar way.

Counting and demonstrating

As an instructor, you will find that Japanese counting, performing a technique, and watching your students at the same time is quite demanding and can get you puffed and out of breath in no time.

Important points here: Do the techniques slowly, and count BEFORE you do the techniques. Your students are conditioned to do the technique when they hear the command. Thus, you must not start yourself with your own technique until you have completed the command.

Doing a repetition of 10 techniques is not a race against the clock. You won’t win a medal for rushing through it quickly. The slower you do it, the more people can concentrate on doing each individual technique with power, speed and precision. THAT is what you want to teach them, not to have them rush through it, leaving you breathless in the process.

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