Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate Conditioning

Some of the stuff we do in our dojo. This clip mainly shows some of the conditioning aspects in our karate training. These methods are really quite common in most Okinawan karate. The nigiri-game (pots) train grip and wrist power, also trains stability when shifting rapidly from one position to the next. Wrist, waist, forearm and grip power is important in close-quarter fighting, grappling and throws and these make-up the majority of Goju-ryu techniques. The nigiri-game can be made heavier by adding stuff within the pots. The ones in this clip were about 9~10 kilos. The Chiishi (Stone hammer) also trains grip, wrist and forearm power. Throwing it in the air and grabbing it trains grabbing reflexes. There are several other ways of training with the Chiishi which isn't shown here. The "tan" is the barbell with the thick wooden pole in the middle. Used as it was used in this clip and the thick pole having the thickness of a man's forearm, trains grabbing power and reflexes. The Kongoken looks like a giant paper clip and weighs 30kg or more. In this clip, thrusting it in the air and sinking down to Shikodachi trains stability, balance, grip, waist, arm and shoulder power. Randori is like sparring, but the idea is not to hurt or KO the opponent, but to practise your techniques whilst toughening up your training partner. The last section showed various ways of toughening hand and foot for striking, by jabbing into a bucket of small pebbles, or by striking the makiwara (wooden post).

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Okinawan
• Goju
• Gojuryu
• Goju-ryu
• karate
• traditional
• conditioning
• workout
• sports
• fight
• exercise
• kata
• kumite

[RudivanHemert]

eeh what are you doing with the tripod thingies? karate means open hand. so no weapons

[Pecherin72]

@RudivanHemert

Believe it or not, the sai (tripod things) actually helps with finger and wrist power :)

[hhk213]

That is a fantastic dojo! Although I don't train in Goju-Ryu, I really like the style, especially the kata. Sensei Morio Higaonna is a legend and an inspiration to all karateka! Where did you purchase the nigiri game from?

[Pecherin72]

@hhk213 Bought it at a road side store selling old junk. They were used wine/sake containers really, bought at about USD 5 dollars each. There's plenty of these stuff lying about at this part of the world. This Dojo is the IOGKF-Hong Kong and China hombu.

[utubesqueeze]

Strange music but what a fantastic dojo!

[FuturePriest387]

I do Go Ju Do. I've been doing it for eleven years now. My style was started by Peter Urban when he came to America from Okinawa to teach. It's very similar, but we add things from some other styles.

[kiwichristian2009]

Ahh. this takes me back!

[mophus12]

@SKIFTIGER @44excalibur Very interesting. From the research that I've done it seems that most modern Okinawan karate styles, including Goju Ryu and Shotokan, ultimately trace their roots back to Tode Sakugawa, so it's interesting to see them coming back together in arts like Kyokushin. Also I must correct my previous statement, the Shotokan kobudo in my system would have come from Fumio Demura, not Tadashi Yamashida.

[44excalibur]

@SKIFTIGER You know what you get when you combine Shotokan with Goju Ryu?

Kyokushin.;)

[SKIFTIGER]

@mophus12 You are correct.Only some Shotokan Masters have studied Kobudo and teach it.Therefore I believe Shotokan should have some Goju Ryu and Goju Kai syllabus in their style.Kancho Kanazawa has started the trend,however it should go further.

[deosullivan3]

@44excalibur I was answering for the rest of youtube...just elaborating on your answer. OSU

[44excalibur]

@deosullivan3 Are you telling me, or the rest of youtube? Because I already knew all that stuff. ;) lol But thanks for the well-informed reply. Not many people know the original meaning of the word.

[deosullivan3]

@44excalibur Yes, that is correct. It was Gichin Funakoshi who changed the first character meaning "China" with a homonym character in Japanese that means "empty" after he went to teach karate to the Japanese.

[44excalibur]

@RudivanHemert Karate means empty hand in Japanese, but in Okinawan it means "China hand," and Okinawan styles usually teach Kobudo weapons techniques as well.

[1983jreid]

Fantastic! I love Goju-Ryu! My Sensei is so disciplined and he instills that in all of us. I am honored to practice Goju-Ryu!