| Goju ryu karate is a style of Okinawan karate that | | | | martial arts including Kempo, Wushu, and traditional |
| combines both hard and soft Chinese martial arts | | | | Kung Fu. When he got back home to Okinawa, he |
| styles, in fact in the Japanese language "Go" means | | | | would work in the family business selling firewood |
| hard; "ju" means soft and when put together it literally | | | | during the day and taught karate in the evening. He |
| means hard-soft karate. The style uses a number of | | | | would build up a devoted following of students. It would |
| hard hitting strikes with the hands and feet, but also | | | | only be through the efforts of his students that |
| has softer techniques like blocking, joint locks, grappling, | | | | Higaonna would receive the credit he deserved not |
| and throws and takedowns like those found in Judo. | | | | only for developing the martial art, but for also helping |
| Like other styles of karate correct breathing is | | | | to bring it to mainland Japan. |
| stressed along with body strengthening and | | | | Karate as we know it today is a result of thousands |
| conditioning. Goju-ryu use both circular and linear | | | | of years of refinement and has been influenced by |
| movements, and has many different katas. While the | | | | several cultures with their own distinct ideas when it |
| katas aren't useful in an actual street fight they allow | | | | came to self defense and combat sports. These |
| an instructor pass down techniques and concepts as | | | | diverse views have led to the development of |
| well as giving him or her a tool to evaluate the | | | | different styles with different goals, but at the core |
| student's progress. | | | | they have the same values. All styles include punching, |
| Okinawa's history has periods of both Chinese and | | | | kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed |
| Japanese suppression. During these periods | | | | techniques though. The only problem is when |
| conventional weapons were banned. Like any | | | | instructors mix competition techniques with traditional |
| repressed culture, the Okinawan natives still found a | | | | Karate which could get someone killed when it comes |
| way to fight back and that would lead to the creation | | | | to self defense. Old style karate training was brutal. |
| of their own martial arts system that utilized both | | | | This was to reflect the purpose and the intent of the |
| empty handed combat techniques and farm tools as | | | | style. Today the much watered down version of its |
| weapons. Many martial arts weapons that people | | | | former self is practiced. |
| know today were traditional farm tools first and are still | | | | Goju-ryu Karate emphasizes soft circular blocking |
| part of karate training today.The people of Okinawa | | | | techniques with quick strong counter attacks delivered |
| and the other islands of the chain that sat between | | | | in rapid succession. The common misconception is that |
| Japan in China didn't come up with the early forms of | | | | you're learning to wait for the attack. This is not the |
| Karate all on their own though. | | | | case, in a fight you can't wait for someone to strike. |
| Early Okinawa martial artists had many Chinese | | | | The attack is never one punch or a single kick but a |
| influences from sailors and merchants who visited the | | | | barrage of kicks. Not looking for a fight and having a |
| island which was part of a lucrative trade route. The | | | | "self defense" attitude should never be misinterpreted |
| wealth nobles in the islands would also make the trip to | | | | as letting your attacker take the first punch. For real |
| mainland China to train with the legendary Shaolin | | | | Goju-ryu street application, focus on the continuous |
| monks. Like today, the monastery will teach anyone of | | | | attacks. |
| good character who is willing to learn and follow the | | | | We all need ethics to guide you through life. As a |
| rules. These martial arts were kept hidden from the | | | | martial artist you should set the example. You should |
| Japanese overlords, but eventually the secret got out | | | | never be a bully, but hat doesn't mean you can't teach |
| and the style would make its way to mainland Japan. | | | | the realities of Self Defense with your regular karate |
| In the beginning, traditional karate was all about self | | | | instruction. Karate instructors and martial artists in |
| defense, there was no sport. | | | | general need to teach more self defense. It's you're |
| Goju karate was development by Kanryo Higaonna | | | | real responsibility. Don't settle for just sport karate, |
| who grew up on the island of Okinawa. As a teenager | | | | because when you're in a life or death situation it isn't a |
| Higaonna trained with an Okinawan master named | | | | game. Pure Karate has a "whatever works," attitude |
| Arakaki Seisho. Arakaki taught a number of famous | | | | but with increased attention being paid to tournament |
| martial artists in hand to hand combat and weapons | | | | style martial arts this belief has decreased. It is up to |
| training. Arakaki Seisho's techniques and teaching | | | | you to bring back real combat Karate regardless of |
| methods appear in many styles. Higaonna would also | | | | what style you practice. |
| travel to China and study many different Chinese | | | | |