Okinawan Goju-Ryu


Book Description

An instructive text on the etiquette, kata, stances and powerful techniques of the renowned goju-ryu system as practiced in Okinawa. Includes a detailed section on sanchin breathing and step-by-step photos with foot patterns.




Okinawan Goju-Ryu II


Book Description

A guide to goju-ryu fundamentals that narrates the author's personal history of Okinawan goju-ryu karate. It covers advanced kata, its evolution and its importance. It features step-by-step photographs that show the advanced techniques of shorei-kan karate, including stances, strikes, blocks, kicks and two-man training styles.




Wandering Along the Way of Okinawan Karate


Book Description

A personal, philosophical, and historical exploration of Okinawan Goju-Ryu karate written by an experienced master. In Wandering Along the Way of Okinawan Karate, Giles Hopkins draws on his fifty years of martial arts experience to take the reader on a journey through the meaning of kata (form) and bunkai (application) in Okinawan Goju-Ryu karate. Hopkins offers his personal reflections on the enigma of karate kata while explaining many of its little-understood applications. With skill and insight into kata's connection to nature, the book addresses key topics such as why some movements are done slowly while others are fast, the significance of steps and turns, and the role of tradition in karate. The purpose of kata solo patterns is to solidify specific self-defense techniques. Contrary to the commonly held belief that kata techniques can have multiple interpretations, Hopkins argues that kata embodies specific martial principles that must be followed rigorously for it to be truly effective. He also reveals the spiritual dimensions of martial arts by explaining its deep connection to nature. Providing new understanding of kata structure, themes, and martial art principles, Hopkins sheds light on the practitioner's journey.




Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate


Book Description

This book is a resource for a deeper, more mature understanding of Okinawan Goju-ryu karate, including: information on the history of Oki¬nawa, the culture of Okinawa, the development of karate in Okinawa; and technical issues for Goju-ryu karate, the foundation of which is kata. Illustrated with over 1,000 technical and historical photos ¿ most never before seen ¿ this book is a ¿must have¿ for every practitioner of karate and historian of martial arts.Sensei Teruo Chinen was Miyazato¿s ¿uchi deshi¿ for several years and in 1959, Chinen followed his Sempai, Morio Higaonna, to Tokyo. At the famous Yoyogi Dojo, he took on the task of teaching ¿Gaijin,¿ or foreigners. Ten years later, Sensei Chinen moved to Spokane, Washington (USA), where he would spend the remaining 46 years of his life. This book is his ¿head stone.¿







Essence of Okinawan Karate-Do


Book Description

The Essence of Okinawan Karate-Do presents the teachings of legendary martial arts master Shoshin Nagamine, founder of the Matsubayashi school of Shorin-ryu karate-do. Used for generations as a practical and pictorial guide, it contains over 1,000 photographs to document eighteen classic karate kata (preset forms) and seven yakusoku kumite (prearranged partner exercises), as well as basic techniques. This book is a precise and easily accessible pictorial guide to performance and perfection of traditional karate. The only book in English with photos of one of the great prewar masters demonstrating the proper execution of Okinawan karate, The Essence of Okinawan Karate-Do is a bridge between karate's legendary past and the practitioners of today. This ingenious and imaginative text explains the historical landmarks in the development of style, vividly outlines its leading forms and techniques, and recalls noted Okinawan karate men of the past, including the author's teachers Ankichi Arakaki, Choki Motobu, and Chotoku Kyan.




The Kata and Bunkai of Goju-Ryu Karate


Book Description

Challenging timeworn conventions of karate training and revealing the original intent of classical kata—or forms—through detailed descriptions of self-defense applications known as bunkai, this is a crucial addition to any martial-arts library. Containing more than 265 photos, the book is divided into chapters that illuminate each of the ten classical kata of Goju-ryu. Drawing on more than forty years of experience in the martial arts, Giles Hopkins Sensei takes us on a journey into the Goju-ryu karate system, providing a principles-based method for analysis of kata practice. Arguing against the commonly held notion that kata techniques can have multiple interpretations, he insists that a kata cannot simply mean what the user wants it to mean, but contains specific martial principles that must be followed for it to work effectively. The step-by-step descriptions of the receiving, controlling or bridging, and finishing techniques contain in-depth analysis of commonly misunderstood aspects of kata. Each chapter concludes with an engaging anecdote from the author’s time in Okinawa, the birthplace of Goju-ryu, connecting it with the kata under discussion. Equally useful for the novice and for more advanced karate practitioners looking to deepen their understanding of kata and bunkai.




The History of Karate


Book Description




Fundamentals of Freestyle Goju-Ryu


Book Description

"Fundamentals of Freestyle Goju Ryu" is the first karate book to take the classroom to the student. You not only get the benefits of a complete karate book but when you buy the book you also get access to an interactive, members-only website. In this groundbreaking book, you will find chapters on the history of karate, basic techniques, advancement requirements as well as step-by step instructions for every kata necessary to obtain your black belt. The techniques and katas contained in this book have been tested and proven to work for over 100 years. Great care has been taken to ensure you will not only learn these techniques, but will also understand why they work, and when to use them. This is not a book about tournament or sport karate. Sensei Sajnog teaches traditional Okinawan techniques, used for physical and mental growth, as well as self-defense. No book on karate has ever made learning so easy. It's like having a Sensei in your home 24 hours a day! Other karate books only show you pictures of the beginning and the end of each movement. "Fundamentals of Freestyle Goju Ryu" describes, in detail, each technique from start to finish. If you're ever in doubt or just want to check and make sure you're doing it right, log on to Freestylegoju.com and see a demonstration performed by Sensei Sajnog.