My Goju-Ryu Journal — 1996

October 20, 1996

This was my first day attending class. I actually found out about the school through a friend of mine who was studying there (James G.). I was also looking for other people in Austin who had studied Isshin-Ryu and ran into Cindy on the net, and found out that she was studying there as well. Given the name of the school (The Karate Chop), I probably wouldn't have even looked into the place, had I not known people there.

I had actually been looking for a traditional Okinawan style school for a while, so I was quite excited to be able to find a Goju-Ryu school in town (Isshin-Ryu is pretty much a direct descendent of Goju-Ryu, being created by an Okinawan master of Goju-Ryu and Shorin-Ryu). By a traditional school, I mean a school with an emphasis on Kata and physical conditioning.

After working on kicks and punches during class, I find that I have a bit of unlearning to do, because of some of the differences between Isshin-Ryu and Goju-Ryu, specifically some stance differences, as well as the Isshin-Ryu vertical punch versus the more traditional Goju-Ryu twist punch. The chambering of kicks also seems to be a bit different, but not all that much so.

October 27, 1996

Second class. At this point, I was pretty sure that this was the type of school I was looking for, but I had not made a decision about joining full-time. I have been attending an Aikido school in town, and although I'm pretty impressed with Aikido, it just doesn't seem to be what I'm looking for. However, I wanted to attend at least one more Goju-Ryu class to see if it was what I wanted.

I have been trying to stretch every evening over the last week, and I'm seeing a little bit of improvement in my flexibility. I've also been doing push-ups and crunches, and have seen some improvement there. Thirty push-ups is still pretty hard, but a lot easier than they were last week.

We worked out for about 45 minutes on kicks and kick combinations, then split up into kata practice. Sensei worked with me on basic stances (Sanchin dachi, Shiko dachi, and Zenkutsu dachi), and basic punching and placement of the chambered punch. We then started working on the first kata. I was told the name, but I don't remember it.

After this class, I think that this is definitely more what I am looking for in a school. I won't be in class on Thursday (Halloween night), but I told Sensei I would like to start full-time on Sunday (November 3rd).

November 3, 1996

We started class working on stretching and then punch and kick combinations. We then broke into groups of two to work on Kata. I worked with David on toning up the first kata, tando-ku-kata-dai-ichi. I need to work quite a bit on my stances, especially my Sanchin dachi.

After kata, David helped me with my sparring combinations on the heavy bag. The first four sparring techniques, which are for the white belt rank are (1) back fist, grab the opponents arm and pull, uppercut punch to ribs, (2) back fist, roundhouse kick with front foot, (3) reverse punch, front kick with rear foot, and (4) haito to face, roundhouse kick with front foot to ribs.

November 7, 1996

We had a treat tonight. Sensei Gonzales (sp?) from Brownwood came down to teach class. We started with stretching, but moved quickly into practical fighting techniques, especially close in fighting (knees and elbows, traps, etc.). Sensei Gonzales was apparently a student of Goju-Ryu with Sensei Yocham, but has also studied boxing and several other styles (Muay Thai boxing?). He taught several of the techniques as Muay Thai techniques, but then went back and showed how many of them show up in the Goju-Ryu katas.

November 10, 1996

We started class with the normal stretching routines, but then we partnered up and practiced kicks and kick combinations, with the partners alternating holding a striking bag. I partnered with David again. We each performed about 80 kicks (20 front kick, 20 side kicks, 20 back kicks, and 20 roundhouse kicks) with combinations. I was beat by the end of it.

For the rest of class, I worked on learning Sanchin kata. We were alternating partners again, so I had three different students work with me, but I got through all of the moves. I also started working on the breathing aspect, but I find that I have trouble with proper breathing at certain times (after the punch-block combination, you should exhale, but I find that I don't, which causes problems with the next punch). We talked some about the dynamic tension aspect of the kata, but I was told to just perform the movements properly for now.

I find it interesting, though, that in Isshin-Ryu, Sanchin was one of the higher rank katas (green or brown belt), but in Goju-Ryu, it is a low level kata.

November 14, 1996

Sensei Yocham has been getting to class late because he's been very busy at his job. Lorene started class and ran the class through exercises, especially concentrating on stomach conditioning. After about 7:30, Sensei Yocham arrived, and we continued with stomach conditioning exercises. Yet again, I paired up with David, and we traded off stomach punches for about 20 minutes. We then worked on variations of sparring techniques 1-4, taking turns attacking and defending.

November 17, 1996

Worked on kata, and rank requirements. Since I will be going for my orange stripe, this was mainly working with Yvette on Tando-ku-kata-dai-ichi.

November 21, 1996

Tonight I was supposed to test for my orange stripe, but I didn't realize that I needed to notify the senior student before the beginning of class that I would be testing. Since Sensei Yocham was late because of his work, I missed testing. Other than that, we did a good deal of conditioning and kata work.

November 24, 1996

Tonight, I tested for, and made, 10th kyu (white belt with orange stripe). 10th kyu requirements are pretty basic, just the basic blocks, punches, and kicks, and first kata (Tando-ku-kata-dai-ichi). Sensei did say that I had one of the best white belt katas he has seen in quite a while. I attribute this to the fact that the Isshin-Ryu school I studied at emphasized kata quite heavily, as does this Goju-Ryu school.

November 26, 1996

Class was on Tuesday night this week, because of Thanksgiving on Thursday night. Sensei started me working on Kiso Kumite Shodan, or the first pre-arranged kumite. I practiced with David, Cindy, and Yvette, and my arms were quite sore by the end of the evening.

December 1, 1996

Tonight was a heavy kata night. I worked on toning up my Tando-ku-kata-dai-ichi, and also on Sanchin. Working on Sanchin, I am trying to incorporate proper breathing, and also work on the dynamic tension aspects. I find that I have problems keeping the muscles of my back tense and turning into a proper sanchin stance. I also find that my hands get very sore from clenching my fists. I find that I can perform Sanchin kata about three times right now before I have to take a break by practicing Tando-ku-kata-dai-ichi.

I also spent some time working on informal bunkai for Tando-ku-kata-dai-ichi with Cindy. Formal bunkai is not taught until at least orange belt level, but I was able to try out some ideas that I had, specifically, the Shiko-dachi/block as a strike, and the shuto/stomp as a hold break. They didn't work that well, so I need to look at them a little harder.

I also talked to Sensei about Sanchin kata. I have always been under the impression that Sanchin was mainly an exercise tool, not a real fighting kata. Sensei says that this is true at lower levels of development, but that it really contains the basis of all the techniques in the system. I'll defer to his greater experience, and assume that I'll see this as I progress.

December 5, 1996

Tonight we had a heavy exercise period. We went through the normal stretching, exercises, etc., but then we did a couple of things I had never done before. First, we practiced one-, three-, and four-count kicks, only we did them with our eyes closed, so there were no visual queues to help with balance. Generally, it wasn't too bad, but I find that as I was executing my mawashi-geris, I was slowly rotating around until when I opened my eyes, I was no longer facing the front of the dojo. At least I wasn't the only one, since several other people had the same problem.

The second exercise we did was to start out in a deep shiko dachi, and then come up to execute a mae geri, yoko geri, mawashi geri or ushiro geri, and then recovered back to shiko dachi. Ten of those with each leg, and I was beat.

After that, I worked with Jimmy on sparring techniques 1-5, and with Cindy on Kiso Kumite Shodan.

One other thing, Sensei got a new toy. It's a kicking shield with an air bladder in it, and a gauge which measures how much force is used to expel the air. It seems to work reasonably well, but I think it measures more the speed of a kick than the power. A good thrust front kick hardly registers, but a snap front kick does well. However, a good, solid roundhouse kick hardly registers at all, seemingly because there's too much surface area hitting the bag.

December 8, 1996

After a light warm-up tonight, we paired up to work on techniques. I worked with Yvette on Kiso Kumite Shodan. We also worked on some of the informal bunkai for Tando-ku-kata-dai-ichi.

I then teamed up with Jimmy and worked on chu blocks, specifically combining the block with a grab, then a grab with a pull, then a grab with a pull and a followon technique.

Lastly, Sensei ran through my orange belt requirement with me. The requirements are: Tando-ku-kata-dai-ichi, Sanchin kata, kiso kumite shodan, and the first four sparring techniques, as well as all of the basics. I know the basic moves for the katas, kiso kumite, and sparring techniques pretty well, I just need to keep practicing them. There is a rumor that several of the higher ranking students will be testing in January, and I expect that I will test then as well. This seems to be why Sensei is emphasizing rank requirements so much for all the students right now.

December 12, 1996

I went in to class tonight feeling really lazy and hoping for a nice easy workout. No such luck! We did warm-ups and exercises for about 45 minutes and then moved into some jiyu kumite (free sparring). We started out with a fixed set of sparring techniques that could be used, taken from the first four sparring techniques. We then did some grappling work, where we were not allowed to strike the partners, just get them off balance and take them down. We then moved into some true free sparring, where you were able to use any reasonable techniques, with light contact.

I grappled with Jason, who is probably 12, but is one of the higher ranked students in the class (purple belt with brown stripe). I found it quite difficult to take him down, considering he weighs 102 and I weigh 195. I also grappled with Jimmy, who also studied Aikido, and who I outweigh by about 40 pounds. He took me to the mat several times, but in each case, it was when I was trying to reach out a leg to hook his ankle and threw off my balance.

I also free sparred with Sensei Yocham, David, and Cindy. I find that I have trouble with breathing well enough during the sparring. I get done with a five minute bout, and I am completely winded.

It was a good class. I went in there hoping to be able to sit on my rear, figuratively at least, but I shook that off very quickly. I think Kelly is getting a bit annoyed, though, when I show her off all of my new bruises.

December 15, 1996

After a light warm-up and stretch, we worked on Kata. I also worked with David on Kiso Kumite Shodan, and on sparring techniques.

December 19, 1996

Sensei didn't show up tonight, but Lorena ran the class. We worked on Kata and I worked on sparring techniques and Kiso Kumite Shodan with David. Also, David ran me through Tando-ku-kata-dai-ni, which is very similar to Tando-ku-kata-dai-ichi. In fact, it adds a few moves at the beginning and the end, but the middle is exactly the same.

December 22, 1996

I worked with Sensei on Sanchin kata and Tando-ku-kata-dai-ni. I also worked with Glen on Kiso Kumite Shodan and sparring techniques. Unfortunately, I had been feeling really weak all day, and about 8 o'clock, I started feeling really woozy, so I sat out the rest of class. However, I borrowed a copy of the Toguchi book from Sensei and read through that while I was resting, so it wasn't a total wash. Plus, it's good sometimes to sit and watch how other people perform a given kata, or listen to Sensei explaining bunkai to someone.

December 26, 1996

No class. Merry Christmas (or the day after).

December 29, 1996

We had a good workout tonight. Sensei Johnson, who teaches in Stevensville (Stephensville ?) came down and helped to teach class. We had a good warm-up and exercise period, and then we ran through the katas, with Sensei Yocham and Sensei Johnson correcting problems. We ran through Koryu Kata Sanchin with the Senseis walking around and striking the students to make sure that the body was tight. I found that I got somewhat distracted while this was happening and lost where I was at one point, so this is something I will need to work on.

After about an hour of exercise and kata, we broke up into two-man teams and worked on kata and two-man exercises. I worked out with Jimmy and we ran through sparring techniques one through eight for me and one through twelve for him. We also worked on Kiso Kumite Shodan. Jimmy also wanted to run through Tando-ku-kata-bunkai-dai-ichi, but I don't know it yet.

At the end of class, Senseis Yocham and Johnson performed eighth kata and eighth bunkai together so we could see what they are working on. Very interesting, with lots of techniques where they block with one hand and the strike with the same hand.