Saturday 30 June 2012

Study Guide of Goju-ryu Karate


Translations:
Geri      -    Kicks                                                    Dachi - Stances
Mae Geri – Front Kick                                          Heisoku Dachi – Attention Stance
Yoko Geri – Side Kick                                          Heiko Dachi – Natural Stance
Ushiro Geri – Back Kick                                       Kiba Dachi – Straddle Stance
Mawashi Geri – Roundhouse Kick                       Zenkutsu Dachi – Forward Leaning Stance
Mikazuki Geri – Crescent Kick                            Kokutsu Dachi – Back Stance
Fumikomi Geri – Stompin Kick                           Neko Aishi Dachi – Cat Stance
Kinsetsu Geri – Joint Kick                         Sanchin Dachi – Three Battle Stance/Hourglass Stance
Mae Tobi Geri – Flying Front Kick                      Shiko Dachi – Sumo Stance
Yoko Tobi Geri – Flying Side Kick                     Musubi Dachi – Formal Attention Stance
Nami Aishi – Inside Snapping Kick
Ashi Barai – Foot Sweep
Hiza Geri – Knee Kick
Miscellaneous
Sensei – Teacher                                         Kiyotsuke - Attention
Sempai – Senior                                          Yoi - Ready
Karate-do – Way of the Empty Hand          Hajime – Go/Begin
Karate-Jutsu – Art of the Empty Hand        Kime - Focus
Rei – Bow                                           Dojo- Place of the Way/Training Hall/Place of Enlightment
Seiza – Kneel                                                Makiwara – Punching Board
Mukso – Meditate                                        Kiai – Shouting Spirit
Yame – Stop                                                Obi - Belt  
Gi – Karate/Judo Uniform                                                 Zuki - Strikes
Ippon – One point                                                         Oi Zuki – Lunge Punch
Karateka – Karate (Empty Hand) Student                     Gyaku Zuki – Reverse Punch
Kihon Kumite – Basic Sparring                                    Morte Zuki – Two Handed Punch
Kata – Forms                                                                  Seiken Zuki – Fore Fist Straight Punch
Jiyu Kumite – Free Sparring                                          Ura Ken - Backfist
Ryu – School/Style                                                        Tetsui – Hammer Fist
Ippon Kumite – One Point Sparring                              Kazama Zuki - Jab
Goju – Hard/Soft                                                            Mawashi Zuki – Roundhouse Punch
   Uke - Blocks                                                               Nukite – Spear Hand
  Jodan Uke – High Block                                            Teisho Zuki – Palm Heel Strike
 Uchi Uke/Chudan Uke – Inside Middle Block            Haito Zuki – Ridge Hand Strike
Gedan Barai – Downward Sweeping Block                 Shuto Zuki – Knife Hand Strike
Soto Uke – Outside Middle Block                                 Empi Zuki – Elbow Strike
Mawashi Uke – Circular Block
Kake Uke – Hooking Block
Counting in Japanese
Ichi – One            Ku - Nine
Ni – Two             Ju - Ten
San – Three
Shi – Four
Go – Five
Roku – Six
Shichi – Seven
Hachi – Eight
Kata Training
Kata – generally translates as form, is a predetermined series of fighting techniques against an imaginary opponent. Kata are templates responding to the Habitual Acts of Physical Violence (HAPV-Theory). Kata is a summarization of effective self-defense techniques to neutralize the acts of physical violence. In these templates in what is called kata, they have blocks, strikes, takedowns, throws, joint-locks, Ne-waza (ground techniques).
The Kata allow the student to fully express the four basic tenants of Karate: Speed, Strength, Beauty, and Technique.
The Six Areas of Kata:
Eyes
Pace
Technique
Breathing
Kiai
Kime
The Kiai points in Kata usually fall on a finishing technique.
To understand and appreciate the solo enactment called kata, one must learn some two-person drills such as self-defense, Bunkai-applications, Ippon Kumite, and flow-drills first.

Basic Drills
Goju-roku Aishi Sabaki-Tai Sabaki – 56 Foot Movements
Sandan Gi – Third Level Training
Goju-ryu Kata Translations
Taikyouku Gedan – First Course Lower
Taikyouku Chudan – First Course Middle
Taikyouku Jodan – First Course Upper
Taikyouku Mawashi-uke – First Course Circular Block
Taikyouku Kake-uke – First Course Hooking Block
Gekisai Dai Ichi – Attack & Smash One
Gekisai Dai Ni – Attack & Smash Two
Sanchin – Three Battles/Conflicts
Tensho – Rotating Hands
Saifa – Smash & Tear/Destroy & Defeat
Seiyunchin – Attack, Conquer & Suppress
Shisoshin – 27 Hands
Sanseiru – 36 Hands
Seisan – 13 Hands
Seipai – 18 Hands
Kururunfa – Holding on Long and Striking Suddenly
Suparimpei – 108 Hands
Karate Titles:
Kyu – Boy/Intiate
Dan – Man
Sempai – Senior
Dai-Sempai – Great Senior
Sensei – Teacher
Dai-Sensei/O’Sensei – Great Teacher or Highest Respected Teacher
Shihan – Master or Expert Teacher
Seito Deshi – a student or disciple of Martial Arts
Uchi Deshi – a personal student who lives and trains with the Sensei or Master of Martial Arts
Renshi – Skilled Expert
Kyoshi – Master Teacher
Hanshi – Model Expert
Kancho – a title given to the head of a dojo or organization
Soke – founder of a system or a style
Meijin – Martial Arts Master
The Five Major Styles of Karate
Goju-ryu - Hard/Soft school
Shito-ryu - Higaonna/Itosu school
Shotokan - House of Waving Pines
Wado-ryu - Way of Harmony School
Kyokushin-kai - Ultimate Truth
General Translations/Definitions
Bunkai – Applications/analysis found in kata (templates) generally thought of as the most commonly attributed fighting techniques for any given movement
Oyo Bunkai – are most commonly viewed as the application principles upon which a technique is based on. Oyo is usually performed as a set of prearranged applications done between partners in a flow drill. It may differ from the single person drill (kata)
Okuden Waza – Secret techniques that have been intentionally concealed in kata. Most of the truly dangerous advanced techniques are deliberately concealed.
(from p.14 of The Way of Kata by Lawrence Kane and Kris Wilder)
The animal that represents the Goju-ryu system is the dragon
The five Karate animals: Tiger, Crane, Leopard, Snake, Monkey
4 Possessions of the Samurai – 1) Integrity 2) Honour 3) Time 4) Loyalty
*Time is more important because once you lose time, you cannot get it back!
The Kanji symbol for our dojo means Integrity or non-corruptive
Karate is the expansion and contraction of the human body, while in motion, in a state of total harmony with the universe to produce maximum destructive power while at the same time neutralizing incoming aggression with the least amount of energy, obtained through hard, physical training to unify the mind, body and spirit for the purpose of self-enlightment and to promote world peace. –Hanshi Christopher Diliberto
Mushin – No mind or detached mind
Fudoshin – Immovable mind
Zanshin – the remaining mind or the mind with no remainder
Mizu no Kokoro – mind like water
Tenets of Goju-ryu
1.      We are proud to study the spirit of Goju
2.      We shall practice courtesy
3.      We shall be quick to seize opportunity
4.      We shall always practice patience
5.      We shall always keep the fighting spirit of Karate-do


History of Goju-ryu Karate
Recommended Reading
An Introduction to Applied Karate by Iain Abernethy (ebook) available at http://www.iainabernethy.co.uk
Jissen Magazine available at http://www.jissenmag.com
Comprehensive Karate by Michael Rosenbaum (ebook) made available at http://iainabernethy.co.uk/news/free-comprehensive-karate-e-book-back-online
                          
                                                                                                                          Jonathan Bynoe