Goju Ryu Karate

Goju Ryu Karate Clubs
in Peterborough

Goju Ryu, (Japanese for “hard-soft style”) is one of the main traditional Okinawan styles of karate, featuring a combination of hard and soft techniques. Both principles, hard and soft, come from the famous martial arts book Bubishi (Chinese: wu bei ji), used by Okinawan masters. Go which means hard, refers to closed hand techniques or straight linear attacks; Ju which means soft, refers to open hand techniques and circular movements.

Major emphasis is given to breathing correctly. Goju Ryu practices methods that include body strengthening and conditioning, its basic approach to fighting (distance, stickiness, power generation, etc.), and partner drills. Goju Ryu incorporates both circular and linear movements into its curriculum. Goju Ryu combines hard striking attacks such as kicks and close hand punches with softer open hand circular techniques for attacking, blocking, and controlling the opponent, including locks, grappling, takedowns and throws.

Goju Ryu Karate is one of the four original Okinawan styles of Karate. Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate employs hard and soft techniques with circular and linear movements. Goju Ryu has a great variety of hand and foot techniques.

Emphasis in Goju Ryu is placed on strengthening the body and mind with supplementary exercises. Goju Ryu’s most famous exponent is Morio Higaonna – chief instructor of the International Okinawan Goju Ryu Karatedo Federation (I.O.G.K.F.).

Founder of Goju Ryu: Chojun Miyagi 1888-1953.
In 1933, Goju Ryu was the first Karate school officially recognized as budo in Japan by Dai Nippon Butoku Kai and the only style of Karate with a full historical representation in both Okinawa and Japan. This recognition places Goju-ryu Karatedo among the modern martial arts, or gendai budo.