Customer Reviews

Goju Ryu Karate Do Kyohan

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book could only run a second to a book by Miyagi himself! Yamaguchi Gogen Sensei gives us the absolute guide on the karate system founded by Chojun Miyagi. Even the class structure is there. From Junbi Undo (preparatory exercises) to basics, kata, kumite, Hojo Undo (supplementary exercises)this book is traditional Goju Ryu Karate all the way.
Put together in a very logical step by step way many of today's martial arts writers should take from Yamaguchi on how to write a karate instruction manual.
As is always the case, no matter how well the words describe the techniques or how well the pictures show them, there is no substitute for an actual teacher. Why? Because you cannot explain proper breathing, timing, tempo, focus, weight distribution, balance, and the many other aspects of techniques and kata without actually seeing them and doing them in person. A qualified karate instructor is always needed. This book is great for any one beginning their journey in Goju Ryu karate. It is perfect for the seasoned practitioner also. It is packaged perfect for the collector item that it is. I always use it for reference and have this deep respect for the writer for he is one of the original masters of Goju Ryu Karate and the founder of Goju Kai (Japanese Goju).
I highly recommend this book and anything that you can get your hands on by Morio Higaonna. A word to the wise. The paperback edition listed for this book refers to the title To Te Jutsu. Be careful. It is not Gogen Yamaguchi' book but rather Gichen Funakoshi's early vershion of Shotokan. Buyer beware of this. Buy this hard cover. You will not be disappointed.

This text is full of information. It relies heavily on graphics to convey the various movements that form the essential Kata and fighting application of the Goju Ryu style.

This is a work that will benefit those of you who have been training for a few years as it requires a knowledge of several higher Kata and a more than basic understanding of goju ryu techniques. It is always good to read the wisdom of a master of our style and Yamaguchi does have some important messages for the thoughtful student of Karate. However, you will have to work your way through short paragraph after paragraph of ideas to find a thought that will grab your attention!

Unfortuneately the print and graphic images in this edition are too small for old eyes and if you are over 50 you really need some magnification to be able to read the text and interpret the graphics.

This work is an incredible collector's item which belongs in every martial artist's library. This book is a foundation work of the basic moves and techniques...a mark in time that solidifies the fundamental concepts. Today we see growth and new directions taking wing in the Martial Arts and Goju Ryu Karate Do Kyohan provides a modern "Bubushi" or the root of Goju.

This book in wonderful, from the box, the glossy cover, high-quality papers, and most importantly, its content. It has many very beautiful and very clear drawings (I didn't count but I would guess that they are 1,000 or so) and some wonderful historical photo of Gogen Yamaguchi performing Kata.

This book covers history, basic, exercise, and kata of gojuryu karatedo as taught by Yamaguchi sensei. If you are practicing goju ryu karatedo, this is a wonderful reference, and I believe that anyone who is practicing karate of any style or just general martial arts enthusiasts will treasure this book. It's also cheaper to get it here from Amazon.

This book could only run a second to a book by Miyagi himself! Yamaguchi Gogen Sensei gives us the absolute guide on the karate system founded by Chojun Miyagi. Even the class structure is there. From Junbi Undo (preparatory exercises) to basics, kata, kumite, Hojo Undo (supplementary exercises)this book is traditional Goju Ryu Karate all the way.
Put together in a very logical step by step way many of today's martial arts writers should take from Yamaguchi on how to write a karate instruction manual.
As is always the case, no matter how well the words describe the techniques or how well the pictures show them, there is no substitute for an actual teacher. Why? Because you cannot explain proper breathing, timing, tempo, focus, weight distribution, balance, and the many other aspects of techniques and kata without actually seeing them and doing them in person. A qualified karate instructor is always needed. This book is great for any one beginning their journey in Goju Ryu karate. It is perfect for the seasoned practitioner also. It is packaged perfect for the collector item that it is. I always use it for reference and have this deep respect for the writer for he is one of the original masters of Goju Ryu Karate and the founder of Goju Kai (Japanese Goju).
I highly recommend this book and anything that you can get your hands on by Morio Higaonna. A word to the wise. The paperback edition listed for this book refers to the title To Te Jutsu. Be careful. It is not Gogen Yamaguchi' book but rather Gichen Funakoshi's early vershion of Shotokan. Buyer beware of this. Buy this hard cover. You will not be disappointed.

This is a great book, BUT, I think it takes some previous training and not a white belt level to comprehend the hidden golden nuggets that Yamaguchi Sensei hid in here...
It's all there as if he wrote a letter to you and had it handed down the line to you.
For a Goju person , this is a MUST buy ! I study Okinawan Goju, but to get lessons from a MASTER like Yamaguchi Sensei,...so worth it !
Do yourself the favor and just pull the trigger and buy it !
Thank you Yamaguchi Sensei for leaving such a treasure behind for us ! And thank you to the publisher for making it available so economically !

Great book.
Cool history.
Detailed technique and kata chapters.
Yamaguchi Gogen Sensei was a great author,
teacher, promoter, and uniter.

You won't learn anything epic here, and especially nothing you won't get in class. Interesting perspective, but it's the japanese Goju; which means not as practical and the katas will of course have their differences. If you're really into goju, it's not a bad reference book.

This is a must have' very informative' with many diagrams on stances, foot positions hand positions, kicks and strikes' posture, katas , history of GOJU and the cat himself'

A MUST HAVE BOOK FOR THE MARTIAL ARTS PRACTITIONER, NOT ONLY IN GOJU RYU. I PURCHASED THE SOFT COPY AND A HARD COVER COPY FOR MY COLLECTION