Goshin Ryu is
a System of Martial Arts or Art of Self Defense. We focus
on the fundamentals of unarmed Japanese-American martial arts.
The name of this concept of Martial Arts is "GOSHIN RYU
AIKI JU JUTSU". The Ju Jutsu roots, from which Goshin
Ryu are based, are centuries old, and come from ancient forms
of Japanese samurai warfare and self defense arts developed in
the United States of America after World War II.
The basic concept of Goshin Ryu are a reconstruction many concepts based on my martial arts experience. Goshin Ryu is my understanding, my synthesis of mainly three arts, the hard and soft features of Karate, the ancient forms of Ju Jutsu combined with the application of Aiki. These three principals, along with a comprehensive blending of the self, and the environment, of which the opponent is only a small part.
This art, Goshin Ryu, reflects what I have learned through my years of training and fellowship with many top Sensei in Karate and Ju Jutsu. With the proficiency of coordinated striking techniques of Karate added along with the knowledge and skill of Ju Jutsu techniques of projection, strangulation, dislocation and joint locks one now has more comprehensive strategic possibilities at his command.
Goshin Ryu represents a single concept, a way of applying any coordinated technique using the body as a weapon in unarmed combat. It can be said that Goshin Ryu teaches simple and practical methods of self defense that enable one to calmly face an attacker and move on without hesitation. Face an opponent as to avoid, diffuse, immobilize, punish or destroy an attacker reasonably and easily in an instant.
Another characteristic of Goshin Ryu techniques is that they may be either offensive or defensive depending upon who initiates the first technique. Again, this produces psychological advantage because any technique one has learned well can be adapted to fit any situation. There is no need to try to remember what technique was for what situation...they can all fit any situation. It is for this reason that techniques are practiced from all sides and all angles--it allows the jujutsuka to learn flexibility and adaptability.
Goshin Ryu is a study of motion and movements; not only the strengths but also the weaknesses. Every motion, every movement has a weakness that can be exploited, whether it is an offensive or defensive motion, and for this reason, when the jujutsuka moves, he must not only be aware of his attacker's motions so that he can execute the proper techniques in response, he must also be aware of the weaknesses in his own motions so that he can defend them. All of the motions are (or should be) performed to insure that he can regain his posture before his attacker can regain his. The techniques and motions must be performed smoothly with attention given to proper balance and timing.
These are perhaps the two most significant principles of Goshin Ryu, or any other martial art, for that matter. Without balance there is nothing. You cannot attack, defend or even move without balance. And without timing, your movements will be wasted and ineffectual, your techniques clumsy and your chances slim. It takes balance and timing to make the graceful, smooth, and quick transitions from one technique to the other, and this is important. It is not always the person with the greatest number of techniques that will emerge victorious from an encounter, but the one with the greatest command of the techniques known to him. No matter how fast a person appears to move, only one technique at a time can be used, and the one who uses his techniques the best has the greatest chance for survival.
They both consisted of an array of armed and unarmed combat techniques. As the two schools evolved however, the Yagyu Shinkage-Ryu focused primarily on swordsmanship, where as the Goshin Ryu is a comprehensive self-defense system, focusing on Karate strikes and kicks and Jujutsu (unarmed combat employing grappling, throwing and pressure point strikes), Bojutsu (staff fighting), Iaijutsu (sword drawing techniques).
The warriors and solders
of old lived on the very edge of life and death with trained martial
sprit everyday. Although they passed down to us the "Way
to Die Bravely", today we have found that it is, ultimately,
the key to the "Way to Live Fully". This is the way
of Bushido!
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I would like to thank all my teachers for all their training and encouragement over the years. And my students and friends for their support and efforts in the realization of this art, Goshin Ryu Aiki Jujutsu! Glenn Perry, Hanshi |
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