BUNKAI-KATA GOSHI YAMAGUCHI

Starting with Gekisai Daichi, Goshi Yamaguchi, son of Gogen Yamaguchi, founder of Goju-Kai, shows the Bunkai applications of the various Goju kata.  It is worth repeated viewings. 

Yame!

Yame! (or stop!) is the instruction given at the end of the performance of a kata or when two sparring partners are to cease action.  In the latter case, the sparring should stop immediately the instruction is given to avoid unnecessary injury. Even when an action is finished, however, a state of zanshin readiness should be maintained, with the seika tanden, or lower abdomen, tensed and the mind fully focused. 

In kata and other practice, there is a simple (though not absolute) rule for transitioning from the final stance (e.g. shikodachi, nekoashidachi or zenkutsudachi) into the yoi no kamae and closing “rei” bow: reverse the direction originally taken going into the stance. For example, when coming out of shikodachi or nekoashidachi (as shown), move the front foot back into musubidachi. When coming out of zenkutsudachi, move the back foot forward into musubidachi. 

Gojuryu and Gojukai

What are the differences between Gojukai and Gojuryu?  On the surface there are many, mostly stylistic, but in truth they are essentially the same.  Because of the system of personal teaching common in Japanese traditional arts, lineage is often complex to discern. Gojuryu (literally "hard-soft style") refers to the karate developed in Okinawa by Miyagi Chojun under and after the tutelage of Higaonna Kanryo.  This style employs many traditional tools and techniques known as hojo undo (補助運動), or supplementary conditioning exercises, that distinguish it from most other styles of karate.

Yamaguchi Gogen

Miyagi Chojun's disciples included Miyazato Eiichi, Miyagi An'ichi and Yogi Jitsumei, and their students in turn included the likes of Aragaki Ryosei, Higaonna Morio and Yamaguchi Gogen. Although all are practitioners of the Gojuryu style of karate, Yamaguchi Gogen and his family established Gojukai (literally "hard-soft group") as an association in mainland Japan and introduced karate tournaments as a sport, a concept that for many years was anathema in Okinawa. As Wiki states: 
After graduating Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto in 1934, Gōgen designed and introduced Jiyū-kumite, known today as sport and tournament fighting. In 1935 he officially formed the All Japan Karate-dō Gōjū-kai Karate-dō Association (which later split into the JKF Gojukai and the J.K.G.A.)

Yamaguchi Gogen did much to popularize karate and cut a very distinctive figure, wearing traditional Japanese attire and his hair long. Some of his students are still active in karate, and several have taught seminars at the Gojuryu Karatedo Yoyogi Ryushinkan Dojo in the past, including such luminaries as Shuji Tasaki and Motomasa Mayama.

Senior Open Tournament

The 21st Tokyo Senior Open Karate Tournament will be held on Sunday, November 30 at the Shinjuku Cosmic Sports Center, a short walk from Takadanobaba station and across Toyama Park (3-1-2 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku). Categories include kata and kumite, with different divisions according to age.  Members of the Gojuryu Karatedo Yoyogi Ryushinkan Dojo will be participating, as will some of our friends from dojos in China and elsewhere.  

Kamae 3 - Mugamae

Following from Musashi Miyamoto's words in "The Lesson of Stance/No Stance," we see the ultimate and ideal kamae in karate is the mugamae, or "No Posture."

As Morio Higaonna Sensei writes in his “Traditional Karatedo – Okinawa Goju Ryu:”

“In the ultimate posture known as mugamae (literally “no posture”), tension should be released from the shoulders, with the arms hanging relaxed at the sides; breathing is under conscious control; and all power is concentrated in the tanden. Mugamae is considered the ideal kamae because in one’s relaxed and unconcentrated state an opponent cannot focus upon one’s intent or readiness.” 

Kamae 2 - Other Forms

Other forms of kamae, or “Combative Posture,” include neko ashi no kamae and morote chudan sanchin no kamae (pictured top left and below right respectively). The many and various forms of kamae are combinations of stances and low, middle or high hand positions, with the hands closed or open, and so on, depending on the situation as well as on the individual’s physique. 

However, kamae should not be thought of as static poses. Rather, they should be taken up momentarily, allowing for speedy and fluid movement to the next stance, posture or technique.  Placing too much emphasis on assuming the kamae would give an opponent time enough to launch an effective attack. Therefore, the essence of the kamae is more important than the form; that is to say, the key is to be in a readied state of mind.

One is reminded here of the "The Lesson of Stance/No Stance" from Miyamoto Musashi's classic "The Book of Five Rings" (the quote here from the translation by William Scott Wilson): 

"What is called Stance/No Stance means that there is no stance that you should take with your sword at all. However, as I place this within the Five Stances, there is a stance here. (e.g. According to the moment, if you want to lower your sword a little from the Upper Stance, it will become a Middle Stance.) This is the principle in which there is a stance and there is no stance."

A similar principle  holds for kamae in karate.

Kamae 1 - Yoi

Kamae is the state and posture of readiness adopted before, during and after (see zanshin) the execution of techniques, be it in combat or kata.  There are various readiness postures that combine different stances and hand positions. The basic kamae is in musubi dachi, with the left hand placed on top of the right hand, palms down and covering the groin area.

Note: To correctly execute the yoi hand position, turn the palm of the right hand up and place the first knuckle of the middle finger over the center of the left palm. Then bring the hands into contact and turn both simultaneously inwards so that the palms are facing down. This will attain a symmetry and balance of hands and, therefore, posture. 


(And remember to tuck your thumbs in - I couldn't when the photos were taken due to injury!) 

This basic kamae musubidachi, created by Miyagi Chojun Sensei after years of study, is designed to enable one to move quickly into any defensive or attacking action.  Concentration is placed on tensing the muscles in the lower abdomen (seika tanden) while relaxing those in the shoulders, the focus of the mind remaining clear and unattached.