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Goju Ryu Karate
CapoeiraCapoeira is an African style of weaponless fighting. African slaves in the 16th century are believed to be the ..... Founded by Master Chojun Miyagi in the 1920s, Goju ryu is popularly known as a hard/soft karate style. Goju ryu combines the hard linear Okinawan style of naha-te and the soft circular movements of Chinese pa-kua chang. Goju ryu's philosophy and practice seeks to bring harmony between hard and soft. To illustrate, Goju ryu hard techniques rely on power and great strength while Goju ryu soft techniques are reliant on quickness, agility and deflecting movements.
Hard and Soft Techniques
Goju-ryu maintains two blocking systems in keeping with its dual philosophy: hard blocking and soft blocking. To a spectator, the only obvious difference between the two blocking systems is whether the block is executed with an open or close hand. Soft blocks are executed with the hand open while hard blocks are executed with a closed fist. The real difference between the two blocking systems, however, goes beyond how the hand is positioned.
Chuck Merriman, Black Belt's 1980 Hall of Fame Instructor of the Year, holds the belief that the difference in blocks makes Goju-ryu a very flexible, energetic system of karate. Merriman believes that hard blocks are better for beginners. "The average person on the street can understand a hard block," he explained. "It uses force against force. It's linear and is designed to hurt the attacker while stopping his blow." Morrison also added that Goju-ryu beginners are more likely to avoid hand injuries during sparring practice if they use closed-fist blocks.
Naturally, soft blocks are said to be better for students who are more advanced into their Goju-ryu training. Most people find it hard to understand the idea behind soft blocks. Soft blocks are circular in motion and their primary purpose is to divert or neutralize a blow. Compared with hard blocks, soft blocks require more body shifting and evasive movements.
Body Movement
In order to understand the Goju-ryu hard and soft blocks, it is vitally important to understand body movement. Imagine a horizontal and a vertical line crossing each other at their midpoints to form right angles. Like the North-South-East-West points of a compass, this design denotes the four directions of movement that Goju-ryu beginners must learn to use. The movements can go forward, backward or side to side. Hard blocks are executed in any of these four directions.
Next imagine diagonal lines intersecting the two lines at 45-degree angles. This image denotes the directions of movement that intermediate student take in meeting an attack. Adding more intersecting lines would result in a design that is circular. The circle denotes the highest level of movement in meeting an attack.
Are Soft Blocks Weak?
When an opponent shifts and evades blows, soft blocks are best used. According to Merriman, hard blocks are used in lower level forms while soft blocks are used in more advanced kata. More skill and concentration are needed to properly execute soft blocks. Soft blocks are characterized by very swift, snapping movements. Soft blocks are also highly popular among advanced students for sparring. To someone who does not practice Goju-ryu, the soft blocks may look weak (they require less energy to execute) but many have painfully discovered that the soft slaps are very potent.
Blocks as Strikes
In Goju-ryu, assault and defense become one as soft blocks blend easily with hard counteractions. Experienced Goju-ryu practitioners do not develop absolute or narrow interpretations of how the hard and soft blocking techniques should be used in combat. For instance, advanced Goju-ryu practitioners know that blocks can be used as strikes and they can deliver blows using blocks. When students understand this idea, their arsenal of techniques increases twofold. They discover that the apparent opposites of hard and soft, blocks and strikes, and attack and defense are representations of two sides of the same coin. For example, the "age uke," a hard rising upward block, is typically used to deflect a thrust made to the face by the opponent. The block is executed with the boney edge of the forearm and is intended to impair the opponent's striking arm. As a striking technique, the "age uke" can be used as a rising forearm smash to an opponent's face. If the block can inflict damage on an opponent's arm, it can also inflict considerable damage when it is used to strike his face. Another example is the palm heel, which is usually used in sweeping downward and outward to parry a front kick. The "soft" palm heel is highly effective in slapping away an opponent's "hard" incoming kick and at the same time it gives a stinging, penetrating blow. This soft block is highly effective especially when it is executed on a vulnerable target such as the groin.
Strikes are considered highly effective when used as blocks. In Goju-ryu, strikes can stop an attack before it occurs. For example, hitting the opponent's arm with a backfist strike can deflect his punch. Kicks, too, can be deflected using strikes. For instance, when an opponent lifts his leg to deliver a kick, a reverse punch to the opponent's inner thigh will stop him from completing a kick. A more powerful defense would be to drive a knee strike into the attacker's inner thigh, which is an extremely sensitive area.
A Thinking Person's ArtSimilar to other systems of martial arts, Goju-ryu advocates thinking. It encourages its students and practitioners to think about what the techniques are designed to do. Only one's knowledge and experience limit the application of techniques.
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