All Styles All Grades Training Seminar

Report by Sensei Terry Lyon, 5th Dan Traditional Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate Do Association (TOGKA)
Held on Saturday November 26 2005 at the Star of the Sea Church Hall, Cottesloe, Perth, Western Australia.

An open invitation was made to martial artists of any style or grade to participate in this seminar with the aim being to provide all those who attended a good physical 3 hour karate work out, while at the same time learning and practising (often with a partner) a variety of karate techniques somewhat peculiar to the Okinawan Goju Ryu style of karate.

The class began in the traditional manner with a bow in followed by a warm up and stretching then into repetitions of basic punching, striking, blocking and kicking techniques then onto some moving basics using various combinations kicks, blocks, punches and strikes. This is the traditional way as without strong basic techniques and stances your karate will never be strong it also really warms up the body preparing you to learn and practice new techniques with strength speed and power.

At this seminar we were fortunate to have even numbers of Okinawan Goju Ryu students to other styles which meant when we partnered up to practice we were able to help and show the other styles the finer points of each technique being shown.

In the first hour along with the warm up, basics and moving basics we covered proper kicking technique for getting maximum power and speed from the groin kick, front kick and round house kick along with some more advanced ways of really driving your kicks into your target and not just touching it.

Various methods of Tai Sabaki or body shifting were also practiced both alone and with a partner showing everyone how to get out of the way of an attack rather than simply trying to stand there and block the attack.

A short 2 minute drink break later we were into our second hour of training in which we practiced some of the more traditional Okinawan Goju Ryu methods of body conditioning enabling us to withstand the blows of our attackers.

Ude Tanden or arm pounding, various palm heel slapping exercises, thigh kicking (with control) and stomach kicking which is a method of using your hardened stomach to repel your attackers kick.

We then began pulling some of the kata apart to demonstrate the more powerful and very useful in self defence situations applications or bunkai from the Goju Ryu kata. Everyone partnered up and changing partners frequently to allow everyone the opportunity to train with each other and opponents of different hights and weights, we practiced bunkai from Gekisai Dai Ich, Gekisai Dai Ni, Saifa, Seiyunchin, Shisochin, Sanseru and Sesan kata.

For the 3rd hour after another 2 minute water break as it was quite hot on the day we spent more time practicing bunkai, these are the actual techniques within the kata that have been handed down to us for generations they are the kata and not just some techniques that someone thinks they might be.

We then moved onto the Goju Ryu method of double blocking or parry then block with a partner and some very simple yet effective techniques for dealing with an attacker when you are on the ground. Following that we practiced most of the hand techniques of Goju Ryu with an emphasis on the finer points of executing them correctly with proper technique speed and power.

The pace was hard and fast for the entire 3 hour seminar and we were able to cover a lot of valuable techniques which was of value to both those new to them and those that had done them before. An emphasis of the day was placed on strong and powerful technique along with correct distancing to your attacker which is vitally important and sometimes lacking in many martial arts.

It was also pointed out that many of the techniques and combinations used in the bunkai are very similar for the simple reason that they are most effective.

With the hard work done many of the participants enjoyed a refreshing beer and the chance to discuss the days training and make new friends while discussing karate.

Another All Styles All Grades seminar will be held in late February 2006.

Sensei Terry Lyon
http://www.lyon-karate.com

5th Dan Traditional Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate Do Association (T.O.G.K.A.)