Goju Ryu Meibukan -- Sydney University

News:

Training times have changed! Now it's Wednesday 4pm-6pm, either at Adrian Tan's place OR in the park next to the Main Quad. Please contact Adrian Tan by for further info.

Introduction

Karate is usually thought to be a combination of Chinese and native Okinawan styles of fighting. It has developed on Okinawa since the sixteenth or seventeenth century, partly as a response to a ban on weapons. Many of the weapons used in Okinawan styles were originally farming implements. Karate particularly flourished in the regions of Shuri-Tomari and Naha. Modern karate is divided into about half a dozen main styles (such as Goju Ryu), and these are further divided into schools (such as Meibukan).

In contrast with other types of martial art, karate as a whole emphasises strength and precise movements. About equal weight is placed on punches and kicks. There's often an element of body conditioning. Also, karate teaching inevitably involves a lot of formality.

The Goju style is characterized by breathing techniques, circular movements, a variety of hand techniques, powerful attacks, moderate body conditioning. It is unflowery and functional. There's nothing mystical about it and there are no real secrets; you just practise and practise. It's taught as self-defence, not as a sport. The repertoire includes strikes, blocks, releases, joint breaks, and takedowns. There is little grappling, traps or submission holds.

A normal Meibukan class will involve: stretching and warm up, kihon (basic punches, kicks, blocks), partner exercises, pre-arranged sparring, and kata (set patterns of movement). If the dojo is equipped, then there's also practice with equipment. There is almost no free sparring. It's a moderate to heavy workout, depending on how hard you push yourself.

History

Goju Ryu came from "Naha Te", as practised by Kanryo Higaonna (1853-1910). Naha Te was an aggressive style with heavy conditioning.

Goju Ryu Karate, originally "Goju Ryu Karate Kempo", was founded by Chojun Miyagi (1888-1953), Higaonna Sensei's successor. The word "goju" translates as "hard and soft", and on one account is said to be taken from a quote in an old Chinese book, Wu Pei Chin: "The successful method requires both give and take." Goju has broken into a number of different schools, and was particularly popularized by Gogen Yamaguchi.

After Chojun Miyagi's death, the Miyagi family passed his obi and gi to Meitoku Yagi (1912-2003). Dai Sensei Yagi, during his lifetime, was presented by the emperor with the Fourth Order of Merit for his contributions to karate. He also had interests outside karate: in 1988 he was Japanese national champion in the game of Chinese chess, and in 1989 he was world champion. The crest at the top of this page is the symbol of the Yagi family. "Meibukan" translates as "hall of the pure-minded warrior".

Masaaki Ikemiyagi (1953-) is one of Meitoku Yagi's oldest students and holds the rank of eighth dan. He is currently Vice-President of the Okinawan Goju Ryu association. He is based in Okinawa, and has travelled widely to study other martial art styles.

Johanes Wong is a sixth dan in Goju Ryu and chief instructor of Meibukan in Australia. He has studied Naha Te, judo, jujitsu, tae kwon do, kung fu and hapkido. He has been teaching in Australia since 1974.

And my name is Adrian Tan. I've been a student of Kancho Wong's for nine years. I'm currently nidan (second degree) black belt in karate and nidan in kobudo.

Kaicho Ikemiyagi in action

Joining

Click here for a PDF copy of the application form. (If it doesn't work, save it to disk then open with Adobe Acrobat directly.)

All levels of martial arts experience are welcome, especially beginners. All levels of fitness are welcome.

It's a serious self-defence style. There's also the capacity for students to learn kobudo (weapons). There's usually a visit to Okinawa once every two years. Kaicho Masaaki Ikemiyagi, and the kobudo teacher, Kaicho Takashi Kinjo, will usually visit every alternate year. Other karate masters are frequently invited from Japan to hold seminars. And there are branches of Meibukan in many other countries if ever you go overseas and want to train.

You can't be a member of two karate schools at once (though you can be a member of karate + kung fu, say). If you're currently studying another karate style, it's fine if you want to train with us; it's just that you can't grade.

A requirement of students is that they be of good character -- if you're a thug, we're not going to teach you how to thug more efficiently.

If you're not a thug, feel free to drop by whenever you like. You're very welcome to just sit and watch. You won't know whether you take to the style or the teacher until you've jumped in and tried it. Different martial arts suit different people. If you'd like to see how Meibukan holds up against everything else, there's plenty of martial arts taught at Sydney Uni (capoeira, tae kwon do, judo, kempo, aikido, boxing, fencing, wrestling, archery, SCA fighting), and there are other karate styles taught in Newtown and Redfern (see, for instance, http://www.seidojuku.com.au, which has a very well-outfitted dojo about 15 minutes walk from the university on Abercrombie Street). There are also many well-organized kung fu schools in the city.

Costs

Click here for a PDF copy of the application form. (If it doesn't work, save it to disk then open with Adobe Acrobat directly.)

The Sydney Uni class is currently free.

Most other classes (at other dojos in the school) involve a $45 joining fee and are $7-$12 for one-and-a-half or two hours training. They don't have a monthly or an annual payment system; it's just on a class-by-class basis.

Belt and uniform you supply yourself (see below). There's also two badges to sew on your uniform; I think they come to around $15.

There's a cost each time you grade (I'll have to check, but I think it's $25). You don't have to grade at all if you like; it's what you learn that matters, not your belt colour.

If you want to train in kobudo, you also purchase the weapons yourself, but have a quick chat to your sensei about what to look for.

Uniform

There are plenty of places that sell karate uniforms. The two places I had recommended to me were:

Sensei's Martial Arts Store Shop 4, Barker Street, Rooty Hill NSW 2766 (02) 9832-1389

Zoe's Martial Arts and Boxing Supplies http://www.zoes.com.au/ 810 Princes Highway, Tempe NSW 2044 Phone: 02 9558 8518 Fax: 02 9559 3507 E-mail: [email protected]

Basically, call up and get a price quote, or actually visit the stores, because you'll only be able to tell the quality of the uniform when you examine it yourself.

For a normal cotton gi, I think the cost is in the range of $30-$50. But it's better to get a tougher canvas type, though these might be $80-$100+. I'm told "Tokaido"/"Toukaido" is a good brand.

If price is no object, perhaps the world's best is a Japanese brand called Shureido, but I'm not sure if Sensei's or Zoe's sells it. They might be able to import it specially, or you can contact the Shureido company in Japan yourself and have it shipped out. I think this is their website.

The belt probably costs in the range of $10-$20.

Training times

Grading

Usually you can grade every three or four months. You can grade more than one level at once if you're competent. But you should not be in a hurry to grade.

Grading consists of the kata listed below + basic kihon + knowledge of all the previous kata (so if you're going for orange, you still have to be competent at chun chi).

For shodan, you have to hold provisional black for a year, and you should also go to Okinawa to grade or should wait until Kaicho Ikemiyagi visits Australia.

The black belt kata, and sanchin, came from Kanryo Higaonna. The colour belt kata were developed as preparation for the more advanced kata.

For a more detailed explanation of some of the kata, click here.

White to yellow	Chun chi (old Naha Te kata) Geki sai ich (developed by Chojun Miyagi)
Yellow to yellow two	Sanchin (basic breathing kata) Ippon kumite -- jodan (one-strike sparring)
Yellow two to orange	Geki sai ni (developed by Chojun Miyagi) Ippon kumite -- chudan
Orange to orange two	Shujaku ("red sparrow", developed by Meitoku Yagi) Fukyugata Ich (Adrian's class only)
Orange two to green	Tai chi jo ju ge (also called "taikyoku"; not sure where it came from) Tensho ich (breathing kata performed at start of class, developed by Chojun Miyagi)
Green to green two	Seiryu ("blue dragon", developed by Meitoku Yagi)
Green two to blue	Tensho ni (breathing kata performed at end of class, developed by Chojun Miyagi)
Blue to blue two	Byakkho ("white tiger", developed by Meitoku Yagi)
Blue two to brown	Shuto jo (also called "chu shuto ge"; unsure where this came from) Kihon geri (also called "chu geri ge"; unsure where this came from)
Brown to brown two	Tenchi no ("heaven and earth", developed by Meitoku Yagi) Ippon kumite -- gedan
Brown two to provisional black	Genbu ("black turtle", developed by Meitoku Yagi)
Provisional black to provisional black two	Saifa Sanchin test
Provisional black two to shodan	Saifa Sanchin test Shisochin Sanseiryu Seienchin
Shodan to nidan	Seisan
Nidan to sandan	Seipai

Japanese

Warning: Truly awful Japanese transliterations follow. Will try to verify spelling, etc, when I get a chance.

If you're completely new to karate, you can get some sort of idea of what it involves by reading through this list.

Click here for some general notes on etiquette.

General

Movements

Arigato gozai mashita: Most polite "thank you"; if you just want to say "Thanks", use "arigato" or "domo arigato" or "domo" Bunkai: Application ("Sensei, what's the bunkai of this move?") Chui/Kyotsuke: Attention Counting: Ich, ni, san, shi/yon, go, roku, shichi, hachi, kyu, ju Dojo: Training hall Dozo: Please (as in "Please take this seat", "Please accept this gift") Dozo yuroshiku: Pleased to meet you -en: Suffix you attach to verbs to indicate negative. "Wakarimasen" = "I don't understand" Gi: Uniform Hai: Yes Hajime: Begin Heishu kata: Closed hand form Hidari: Left Hojo undo: Warm up Iie: No Kaicho: Big boss Kaishu kata: Open hand form Kancho: Branch boss Kihon renshu: Basic practice Kihon waza: Basic technique Ko: Wrist Koshi: Waist Kotekitai: Body conditioning Kumite: Sparring Ippon kumite: One point sparring -ka: Suffix you attach to verbs to indicate question. "Wakarimaska?" = "Do you understand?" Migi: Right Miru: Look Moikai: Again Mokuso: Meditation Mote/Hante: Change sides Ni: Preposition indicating direction towards; in Japanese prepositions follow the noun rather than precede it Obi: Belt Onegaishimasu: Please (asking for something) Osu: General expression of respect; don't use outside a martial arts context or you'll get funny looks Otagaini: Towards each other Rei: Bow Ren shu: Prearranged sparring Seiretsu: Line up Seiza: Kneel Sempai: Senior student Shinzen: Small shrine in dojo Shotei: Palm heel Shoumen ni: Towards the front Yakusoko kumite: Prearranged sparring (don't ask me what the difference is with the other names that prearranged sparring goes by) Yame: Finish Yoi: Ready; the basic Goju yoi position is left hand on the back of right hand, left hand open and right hand a fist (symbolizes hard and soft); the yoi position for the Meibukan kata is with both hands raised, left hand against the contact area of the right hand Zanchin: Awareness

Age tsuki: Uppercut Age uke: Rising block Atama ate: Head smash (ie a headbutt) Chudan: Middle Dachi: Stance Gedan: Lower Gedan barai: Lower avoid Geri: Kick Gyaku: Reverse Haito: Reverse knife-hand strike Heiko dachi: Standing stance Hiji ate: Elbow smash Hiki uke: Hook block Hiza geri: Knee kick Hizami tsuki: Jab punch Ipponken tsuki: Knuckle punch Jodan: Upper Juji uke: X block Kakie: Pushing exercise Kata ate: Shoulder smash Kensetsu geri: Stamping kneecap kick Kiai: Shout Kiba dachi: Horse stance Kin geri: Groin kick Kokutsu dachi: Back lunge stance Kosa uke: Cross block Koshi ate: Hip smash Mae geri keage: Front snap kick Mae geri kekomi: Front thrust kick Mae tobi geri: Jump kick Mawashi geri: Round kick Mawashi hiji ate: Circular elbow strike Mawashi uke/tora guchi: Double block (last move of sanchin) Morote tsuki: U punch with both hands Neko ashi dachi: Cat stance Nukite uchi: Spear-hand strike Osae uke: Pressing block Otoshi hiji ate: Downward elbow strike Sanbon tsuki: Triple punch Shotei uke: Palm heel block Shuto: Knife-hand strike Soto ude uke: Outside middle block Suri ashi: Sliding foot step Taisho: Palm strike Tate hiji ate: Upward elbow strike Tsuki: Punch Ude uke: Middle block Ude tandran: Basic blocking and conditioning exercise Uke: Block Uraken: Backfist Ushiro geri: Back kick Ushiro hiji ate: Rear elbow strike Yoko geri: Side kick Yoko kekomi: Side thrust Yoko hiji ate: Side elbow strike Zenkutsu dachi: Front lunge stance

Thoughts

• Notes on visits by masters.
• Personal thoughts on kumite in training.
• Notes from the classic text, The Life-Giving Sword, by Yagyu Munenori.
• Notes from Zen in the art of archery, by Eugen Herrigel.
• In training, you should visualize your opponent with every strike. You're wasting your time if you just go through the motions.
• 75% of your skill as a martial artist is your basic style. It trains you in some techniques, and teaches you bodily mechanics, teaches you how to move. 25% is what you pick up from other styles (other techniques, tactics). 25% is your own genius.
• A technique that requires a little strength is often more effective than a technique that requires none.
• In a real fight, you're going to get hit.
• About repetition... It's boring, but I think it's rather unavoidable. Karate is mainly a striking art, so you need to practise striking. I don't see how punches and kicks are so different from getting to the perfect golf swing or backhand -- you need to repeat the movement over and over to develop the muscles and the body mechanics and the reflex, and every repetition makes it easier, while, on the other hand, every time you're slack in training you lose a little edge. How else do you develop power and speed and ease of movement other than by repetition?
• In kata you practise the sheer movement, aiming for increased strength and speed and ease, for instance. But these aren't the whole story. You also practise visualisation, and you practise transitions. Kata can be understood as a series of transitions; you're conditioning yourself to make that movement next, and you're also developing the transition for its own sake, the body mechanics involved in changing from A to B.
• Really good technique is a combination of getting a lot of little things right.
• Hip movement: In general, if you're striking or blocking forwards, the same hip should be forward as the arm or leg that's performing the technique. If you're blocking gedan barai, the hip that's forward is the opposite to the arm that's performing the technique. In a punch, on impact, move your waist back a little to absorb the shock.
• Stances: Holding the position is part of the training. For instance, holding a cat stance position develops your calf muscles, holding a horse stance develops your thighs...
• Punches: Usually, you punch with just two knuckles (not four). Your elbow should be slightly flexed on impact. Wrist should be in line with forearm, not bent up or down; feel the strength of the punch travelling in a straight line across the top of your arm. Shoulder should not lift as you punch. If you can, you should punch with both sides of the body -- for instance, one hand swinging back and the other swinging forward. Use your waist to get more power. Twist your fist as you strike: if your target is close, hit it with palm supine; otherwise hit it with palm prone. Alternatively, twist on impact. Aim behind your target. Relax your arm as you're punching (it's not like you're doing a sanchin punch -- free your movement up) -- but you clench your fist and tense on impact. Keep your elbow close to your body as you punch -- if you do a yob punch with a swinging elbow, not only do you lose power, but the lateral momentum can be used against you to spin you off balance; elbow strikes in general have this vulnerability. In practice, you chamber fists before you punch, but in bunkai you potentially telegraph your moves by doing so (so instead you do a lot of jab punches, or you find some way to conceal a chambering).
• Blocks: Ude uke and soto ude uke are deflections, not hits. They're also practised finishing with a pull inwards (hard to describe; easier to demonstrate). Blocks should use the waist to power them. This might seem obvious, but it's difficult to anticipate and to block without seeing the attack coming; a normal block has to wait for the opponent to make the first move. Closed hand blocks protect the fingers and tense the forearms; open hand blocks allow the possibility of grabs.
• Kicks: The danger with any kick is that the opponent will catch it. Okinawan kicks are generally ribs or below, and the intent is to break something with each strike. Kicks should also be powered from the waist. When blocking a kick, it is often more dangerous to move away from the kick than to move towards it (where you can stop it before it develops power). Kicks that require you to spin around always expose you for a moment as you spin.
• Kata are a series of stopped positions, but in application the movement is fluid. The interpretation of kata is up to the practitioner; the moves will always have multiple possible applications. And the more you think about them, the more you'll find that every little detail matters.
• All attacks can be used as stop-hits. Most strikes can serve double work as blocks. All blocks can be modified into attacks.
• You have to be able to execute a move perfectly at slow speeds. Do you really think the inaccuracies and fumbles will iron themselves out at high speeds? When you learn anything, you learn it slow before you learn it fast. Have patience.

Newsletters

Newsletters for the honbu dojo. These are prepared by Tricia Nunez. Please contact Tricia at [email protected] if you have anything to add.

• March-April 2004
• May 2004

Links and further information

For more info, check out Kancho Johanes Wong's website, Kaicho Ikemiyagi's website, and this article by Wade Chroniger about Kaicho Ikemiyagi.

Some interviews: with Dai Sensei Meitoku Yagi, Sensei Morio Higaonna and Sensei Anthony Mirakian.

If you just type "Goju" or "Meibukan" or any of the masters' names into a search engine, you're going to get a few hundred hits. And, of course, there's endless information, online and offline, on karate in general. Try something along the lines of "history of karate" or "martial arts styles" if you'd like to compare karate to other styles.

The best book about Meibukan is Yagi, Wheeler, Vickerson, Okinawan Karate-Do Gojyu-Ryu Meibu-Kan, first published 1998, revised edition 2000, LT Designs Ltd.

There are also a number of videotape series for Goju Ryu. The ones produced by Morio Higaonna are the best I've seen. You should be able to find these at any martial arts store, or from numerous online stores.

And there's quite a lot of online karate videos you can download for free. I'll post links up here as I find them:

• http://www.shorinryu.dk/html/Framese_index.htm -- some very good vids (in my opinion at any rate) for Shorin Ryu, the classic Okinawan style from the Shuri Te strand. The vids are all around 20MB. I don't know anything about Shorin Ryu, but, in terms of the performance, I thought the actual moves and overall form were impressive, except that the guy has a tendency to lean forward in his stance. Note also the yakusoku kumite (prearranged sparring) at the bottom of the page.
• http://www.spek.co.uk/karate/media.php -- some Shotokan kata from a tape made in the 1960s. Many of the kata derive from Shorin Ryu. Don't know if you can download the files, or can only watch them in your browser, but it probably won't take long to load. The performances are okay, some better than others, but the video quality is dodge.
• http://www.ninpo.org/ninpotechniques/ninpotechniques.html -- basic ninjutsu training; small files inn Quicktime format; interesting to see all the different ways they do push-ups to strengthen various parts of the hand.
• http://www.all-karate.com/how_to_learn_karate.php and http://www.lyon-karate.com/blocks_movies.php -- Lyon karate -- a Goju style; the instruuctor was graded by Morio Higaonna. Lots of basic kihon Quicktime movies, fairly fast loading.
• http://luraygojudojo.tripod.com/Goju_Ryu_in_Luray_Virginia.htm -- some Goju kata, different from my stylee (if you're in my class, don't copy what you see here). Files might be undownloadable and only watchable in your browser. For my taste the performances had not enough Go and too much Ju, but each to their own.
• http://www.susumuryu.com/syllabus.php -- variations on Goju kata, and some kihonn routines. I like the elbow routine. Files are in Quicktime format and are all around 1MB.
• http://www.gkrkarate.org/pages/Kata/kataidxf.html -- a British website for Go Kan Ryu karate, a style developed by an Australian in the 1980s. Comprehensive footwork charts and discussions here, some bunkai vids (around 2MB each), and kata vids (around 10MB each). Go Kan Ryu draws from a number of styles, including Goju and Shotokan.

Contact

For any enquiries, please contact me at [email protected]. Or, just drop in to a class.

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Last updated: Wednesday 6 April 2005