Goju Ryu Karate is very underrated - lets break it down

About this video

• Video Title: Goju Ryu Karate is very underrated - let's break it down
• Channel: Inside Fighting
• Speakers: Elon (from Inside Fighting)
• Duration: 25:35

Overview

This video explores Goju Ryu Karate, a style the speaker believes is underrated and a significant influence on Kyokushin. The speaker shares personal experiences, discusses the history and core principles of Goju Ryu, and contrasts its training methodologies and sparring practices with other martial arts, particularly Kyokushin. The video also touches on the effectiveness of Kata and the importance of toughness and conditioning in martial arts.

Key takeaways

• Goju Ryu's Influence and Underrated Status: The speaker highlights Goju Ryu as a major influence on Kyokushin and believes it deserves more attention.
• Varied Training Methodologies: Goju Ryu schools exhibit a wide spectrum of training, from point sparring to aggressive full-contact sparring, making it crucial for practitioners to find a school that aligns with their goals.
• Historical Roots and Influences: Goju Ryu evolved from an older martial art called N (founded by Cano Higa) and incorporates influences from Chinese and Japanese martial arts.
• The Role of Kata: While acknowledging that Kata can be viewed as impractical by some, the speaker argues it develops functional strength, hip rotation, and power generation, especially beneficial for longevity and older practitioners. The speaker also interprets Kata movements through a grappling lens, seeing connections to throws and grip control.
• Emphasis on Toughness and Conditioning: A significant aspect of Goju Ryu training is body toughening and conditioning, which the speaker considers crucial for self-defense and fighting ability, comparable to Kyokushin's focus on mental and physical toughness.
• Critique of Sport Sparring: The speaker expresses a preference for full-contact sparring over point sparring or styles that appear too "bladed" and focused on distance management, believing direct sparring builds more crucial fighting attributes.
• Grappling and Takedown Integration: The video points out that Goju Ryu, historically and in some modern interpretations, includes grappling and takedowns, which the speaker feels has been lost in many other karate styles.
• Longevity and Functional Strength: The speaker emphasizes that Goju Ryu's emphasis on movement and conditioning contributes to practitioners maintaining physical capability later in life.