# Goju Ryu karate



## Eric Damon Rapier (Aug 30, 2019)

Hello all. New to this awesome website. I just wanted to ask if there was anyone who practices Karate that could recommend any stretches and balancing improvement tips for a beginning white belt. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thank you.


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## donald1 (Aug 30, 2019)

Stretching all your joints (ankles,  knees, hips, waiste, shoulders, elbows wrists and neck.) is preferable. Goku ryu has a lot of low stances so leg stretches may help.


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## Eric Damon Rapier (Aug 30, 2019)

Thank you. I really appreciate it. That first session on Monday really had me soul searching at times. Lol


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## Xue Sheng (Aug 30, 2019)

Eric Damon Rapier said:


> Hello all. New to this awesome website. I just wanted to ask if there was anyone who practices Karate that could recommend any stretches and balancing improvement tips for a beginning white belt. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thank you.



Welcome to MT
There is a book you might want to check out

Ultimate Flexibility: Complete Guide to Stretching for Martial Arts by Sang H. Kim


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## wab25 (Aug 30, 2019)

For balancing... when you take your shoes and socks off, don't sit down. Stand on one foot, pick your other foot up and take off the shoe and sock, then do the other. It just takes a few seconds and its something you do every day. (unless you are one of those guys that sleeps with his shoes on...) If you have to start by doing the shoe first then the sock, start there. Once you get good at taking them off... try putting them on while standing on one foot. 

I know it sounds silly, but over time it will really help you with your balance.


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## donald1 (Aug 30, 2019)

Another thing you can do to help balance. If you like watching tv or anything of the sort you can take a chair. While standing next to the chair you can stand on one leg and have the chair to your side. You can put one or two fingers on the chair or slightly above the chair to help you without completely taking away the challenge. From this position you can improve standing on one leg. You can rotate your ankle that's off the ground or your knee, or even practice kicks all while watching tv. Although I'd be careful with the kicks in the house for obvious reasons.


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## Eric Damon Rapier (Aug 30, 2019)

Thank you. That's an awesome idea. I'm not trying to rush my journey but I do want to be as fundamentally sound as I can so I'm gonna try it. Much gratitude.


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## donald1 (Aug 30, 2019)

You don't have to.  Take all the time you need. As long as you put effort into it the instructor should be happy.


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## Eric Damon Rapier (Aug 30, 2019)

I hear you. Let the journey take its natural course.


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## Eric Damon Rapier (Aug 30, 2019)

wab25 said:


> For balancing... when you take your shoes and socks off, don't sit down. Stand on one foot, pick your other foot up and take off the shoe and sock, then do the other. It just takes a few seconds and its something you do every day. (unless you are one of those guys that sleeps with his shoes on...) If you have to start by doing the shoe first then the sock, start there. Once you get good at taking them off... try putting them on while standing on one foot.
> 
> I know it sounds silly, but over time it will really help you with your balance.



Definitely appreciate this. And will be putting it into practice.


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## PhotonGuy (Aug 30, 2019)

Eric Damon Rapier said:


> Hello all. New to this awesome website. I just wanted to ask if there was anyone who practices Karate that could recommend any stretches and balancing improvement tips for a beginning white belt. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thank you.


The fictional Miyagi Do style featured in the Karate Kid franchise is based on Goju Ryu. I also train in Goju Ryu and while I don't have access to a rowboat to do blocking exercises the way Daniel was while standing on the rowboat I do use a BOSU ball. I stand on the edges of the flat part of the BOSU ball and do blocks. It really helps to develop balance.


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## Eric Damon Rapier (Aug 30, 2019)

I like that!!!!


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## KenpoDave (Sep 5, 2019)

There is a fairly specific Gojuryu warmup...junbi undo that has been passed down from the days of Chojun Miyagi. A google search will pull up some written descriptions and videos.


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## Eric Damon Rapier (Sep 5, 2019)

Thank you... I'm on it now


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## Eric Damon Rapier (Sep 5, 2019)

We actually do some of these warm ups. The ankle roll looks beneficial as well as the inner thigh stretch. Definitely add these to my morning routine.


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## CB Jones (Sep 5, 2019)

There are some Bill Superfoot Wallace videos on YouTube to help with kicking flexibility.

I think it is 2 or 3 videos.


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## Eric Damon Rapier (Sep 5, 2019)

Okay thank you I'll you tube him


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## Yokozuna514 (Sep 6, 2019)

wab25 said:


> For balancing... when you take your shoes and socks off, don't sit down. Stand on one foot, pick your other foot up and take off the shoe and sock, then do the other. It just takes a few seconds and its something you do every day. (unless you are one of those guys that sleeps with his shoes on...) If you have to start by doing the shoe first then the sock, start there. Once you get good at taking them off... try putting them on while standing on one foot.
> 
> I know it sounds silly, but over time it will really help you with your balance.


Never quite heard of this one but I like it.   We do use a similar type of exercise in class where we drop our gloves on the floor and while standing on one foot, bend down to pick them up one at a time, rinse and repeat.  What I like about your example is that I can do it everyday while I am not in class.  Good suggestion.


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## PhotonGuy (Sep 6, 2019)

I've been doing Goju Ryu for about two years now. From my experience what I really like about Goju Ryu is the blocks, the defense. I've done other styles and so far Goju Ryu has among the strongest defense out of all the styles I've done.


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## Eric Damon Rapier (Sep 6, 2019)

Ah...a fellow Goju Ryu  practitioner. I definitely want to talk with you about Goju Ryu.


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## PhotonGuy (Sep 9, 2019)

Eric Damon Rapier said:


> Ah...a fellow Goju Ryu  practitioner. I definitely want to talk with you about Goju Ryu.


OK, as of right now Im only about an intermediate in the style of Goju Ryu, but what would you like to talk about in regards to the art?


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## snake_monkey (Sep 10, 2019)

Here you go!


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## JowGaWolf (Sep 10, 2019)

Eric Damon Rapier said:


> Thank you. That's an awesome idea. I'm not trying to rush my journey but I do want to be as fundamentally sound as I can so I'm gonna try it. Much gratitude.


No mafter how you try to rush the process it still will be a slow one when you are a beginner.  Much of what you will learn comes with the passing of time in the system.  There's no quick path to training martial arts just hard training


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## Eric Damon Rapier (Sep 10, 2019)

Last night's class definitely helped me to realize that FOR REAL!!!!


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## Christopher Adamchek (Sep 25, 2019)

biggest thing on stretching is often 
biggest thing on balance is bending the supporting knee
and use the okinawa rattle to improve blood flow


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## advfhorn (Feb 11, 2020)

at my Goju Ryu school I feel like we practically live in Sheiko Dachi (Straddle Stance), but I think that is more strength building.  We stretch our legs, back, arms, hands, neck prob all the "standard" stuff most cardio classes do and a lot of yoga moves have been mixed in at our dojo.


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## _Simon_ (Feb 13, 2020)

@Eric Damon Rapier how's training been going bud?


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## dvcochran (Feb 13, 2020)

_Simon_ said:


> @Eric Damon Rapier how's training been going bud?


Yes, I miss hearing from him. There are several others I would love to hear from as well.


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## _Simon_ (Feb 13, 2020)

dvcochran said:


> Yes, I miss hearing from him. There are several others I would love to hear from as well.


Yeah absolutely, I love hearing that enthusiasm for training, think it's really nice having that around here


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