My journey back into Goju Ryu

[Dani_001]

Hi all.

2017 Post: Hey peeps, so I realized three years later that my opening post is not quite intended to what it's supposed to be. It states "My journey back into Goju Ryu" but it doesn't state why I went back to it. Well, in 2000, I actually started my journey of Martial Arts with Karate. I never knew much of martial arts, but I was an overweight kid with spectacles, so I also couldn't play any of the conventional sports (rugby, soccer, hockey, cricket) due to my spectacles. I then remembered that at high school there was a Karate school. I joined there and had the time of my life. I lost weight, I became confident and became strong. We were always mocked by the conventional sports guys(which I presume is normal) because we were different. After my final year, I lost touch with the school. By then, in their curriculum, I studied their version of Goju Ryu(which was shotokan, goju ryu, shito ryu) as they promoted their own style. I had no idea that they were a McDojo and that their gradings actually meant nothing in the real world. No disrespect, just saying. I then began my years of college and started working. In our Central Business District, there was a Wing Chun/Sanda/ Shaolin five styles school and decided to try something different. I didn't stay long there mainly because I didn't work long in CBD. I then moved over to Seni Silat, which was promoted by a teacher in the greater Cape Town who had come back from Malaysia after his training there for a while, and he was practicing in one of the mosques. I really loved the Seni Silat, I still do. But I was belittled by some of the Muslims because I have a girlfriend, and obviously in Islam, having a girlfriend is frowned upon as marriage is the proper way but they never understood that she has always been there, and at that time, I just recently became Muslim for myself and I wasn't prepared to throw her away because of some idiots that had no say in my life and now they want to say something. So I left, also because the instructor did absolutely nothing about it, in my opinion, he was weak. The rest is history, and now you know why I have names this post "My journey back into Goju Ryu. Actually, the REAL Goju Ryu, and not some McDojo Goju Ryu.

2014 Post: I trust everyone is well. This will be a blog type post as my journey into Goju Ryu. I have started my training once again as of the 6th of February 2014. We have two classes a week. Tuesdays and Thursdays. So far, lots of progress in terms of fat loss coupled with my gym training as well as Karate. I have learnt a lot so far. When I started again, I found out that we actually do Irikumi in our competition and that is what I aimed for in March this year. But alas, martial arts stamina and cardio levels is much different to that of an all rounded gym training person. So I pulled back on the Irikumi as I need to learn so much more in terms of Irikumi and Kumite techniques.

So, I decided to rather do the kihon division for first comers and karate practitioners coming back after a long time, I came third. I know this competition aspect may seem boring, but I want to grasp the holistic aspect of Karate (even though sport is not a real aspect of -te). I am showing a lot of enthusiasm in the classes and my Sensei is seeing it. She is about 1.55 metres tall and seems soft cos she's thin, but she actually trains us hard, but without enforcing instruction. I like that. It allows for improvement and no one feels depressed or pressurized.

My first grading may come up sooner than I think and I am well into Gekisai Dai Ich and Ni. But to understand will take time.

Peace out.

Edited February 23, 2017 by Dani_001

[sensei8]

Solid post!! Thank you for it!!

[Dani_001]

Solid post!! Thank you for it!!

Thanks friend,

I just came back from a lesson now... What I forgot to mention is that we also have an authentic Matayoshi kobudo system in Cape Town. Every second Tuesday after Goju Ryu lesson.

First weapon is the Bo, I need to get one...

[Dani_001]

Here is the site for the kobudo:

http://www.goodwoodogkk.co.za/okinawan_kobudo_cape_town_goodwood_south_africa_matayoshi_system_9.html

Link doesn't exist anymore.

Edited February 23, 2017 by Dani_001

[Dani_001]

So tonight, 17 April 2014 I had my first grading. It started with stretching and warming up.

First up was kihon. Punches to face, chest and groin areas. Uraken combo's to face and chest. Face punch and counter punch combo's. Uraken amd mae geri combo's. Ura zuki strikes. Block and punch. Block and kick combo.

Gekisai dai ich kata. Gekisai dai ni kata.

Full bunkai of gekisai dai ich.

Hojo undo.

Giving it your all for just under an hour really burns you out physically and mentally.

This has earned me the level of an orange senior. I am very proud of my achievements.

[Zaine]

Congrats Dani_001! It always feels good to move up!

[sensei8]

Congrats!! Feels good, huh?

[Dani_001]

Thanks brother. But I feel slightly like I don't deserve such a high rank in such a short time. Our Shibo Cho instructed my instructor to give the rank because of my progress. My journey continues.

Practice harder, focus deeper, strike sharper.

[Dani_001]

I had a discussion with someone about Gekisai dai ich bunkai. He is with IOGKF, and I am with OGKK.

OGKK's version is this:

Bunkai for us is broken down into sections.

First part of Geksai dai ich is the rising block then followed by a face punch. So the bunkai for this is I side step to the right in sanchin dachi rising block to a face attack then I follow up by stepping forward and I counter face punch. We do this first stepping to the right, then stepping to the left.

Second part is also done in two directions. Second part I go into shiko dachi and blocking downwards. Bunkai for this is I side step to the left with left foot and placing right foot behind the attacker's right foot and I block an attack that is either a chest punch or a mae geri to the chest. (Easily to be followed up by stepping in shiko by crossing left with right foot, then raising right foot and kick side thrust kick in his side core area) - in brackets is my own observation.

Third also done in two directions. A Direct front attack is given to me. I use sanchin stance and I chest block, then I mae geri to stomach or groin, I elbow strike to chin, I uraken to the nose. then I shuffle back slightly into han zenkutsu stance as an attack is coming then downward block, then shuffle forward with han zenkutsu stance and then attack with chest punch.

Fourth also in two directions. I side step to a chest attack, I chest block. The same hand I block with, I grab attacker's wrist and pull it to my side. At the same time, my knee goes behind his knee and I deal a throat strike.

Last bunkai is a front attack is coming so I zenkutsu between 30-45 degrees and block with right hand and deflect right attack then pull back both arms then strike with double punch.

This is also done in both directions.

That was my bunkai for gekisai dai ich.

How is your bunkai?

[Zaine]

Thanks brother. But I feel slightly like I don't deserve such a high rank in such a short time. Our Shibo Cho instructed my instructor to give the rank because of my progress. My journey continues.

Practice harder, focus deeper, strike sharper.

Trust your MA elders, they often know better than us when we are ready. There are times in a lot of our journeys when we get honored and we thought the whole time that we weren't at the level we should be. We're often too hard on ourselves, so rejoice in your victory! You earned it!