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

http://www.heritagemartialarts.com/about/history-of-goju-ryu-karate/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goju-ryu

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