Goju Ryu Karate Principles & Applications

Session Schedule?
- Fri Oct 21 7-9 pm Green Island Dojo. Dojo Training
- Sat/Sun 22,23,Oct Fairfield Hall Noon to 4 or 5 pm, Goju Ryu Karate
- Fri-Sun Training fee $200
- Monday 11 am. Fairfield Hall. Black Belt Grading
- Monday 12.30pm - 4. Fairfield Hall. Optional Kobudo (Weapons). Probably Bo. $50
Videos and Photographs
- Taira sensei has asked that there be no videos or photos taken by participants during the seminar
- The seminar organiser will arrange video and photos during the seminar. Photos will show up on Facebook, and we will prepare video for disttribution via the Kenkyukai site or some other mechanism. We will not distribute video publicly
- You will be able to get photos with Taira sensei
4 hours? Seems short?
- The session will start and generally run until the participants aren't absorbing any more. Taira sensei's concepts are simple once you understand them, but the understanding is hard work. Your brain will fill up. There will not be any time spent doing pushups, basics, or things you probably already have done enough of.
Where can I get more information about Taira Sensei and his Bunkai?
- The Wikipedia biographical entry is a good start
- The blog
- Join the Goju Ryu Kenkyukai mailing list
- Go to YouTube and search for Masaji Taira. There is lots there.
So what will we do?
The seminars will cover movement & partner drills as they relate to the GoJu Ryu katas. For Zen Do Kai participants, they're similar enough, but not quite the same. Expect there to be some differences there. Having said that, there is unlikely to be a lot of focus on the kata themselves and more on the applications and partner drills that go with them. You'll find similarities though at a fundamental level in terms of body posture and also in terms of body mechanics, like how to generate power for the strikes in the katas.
Who should come?
- Pretty much anybody with an understanding of Goju Ryu kata in some form or other
- Anyone with a desire to understand how the kata map onto practical applications, presented by a modern day master with years of Police street experience
Age limit?
- Unfortunately Taira sensei has said that he does not want Juniors at these seminars. Dojo Juniors are welcome to come and watch though - as long as they're well behaved.
How should I prepare?
- If you can, and if you don't already train with us, come and visit, mostly to get the open/close practice drills that encapsulate many of the principles of the applications.
Where should we stay?
- It's up to you where you stay. The social part of town is the Octagon, in the centre of town. From the centre of town, it is about 7 mins (3.8k) drive to Queen's High, and about 10 mins (5.9k) to the dojo in Green Island, and another kilometre to Fairfield
- If you stay in the centre of town then you're probably handiest to where we'll end up Sat/Sun nights. It's going to be a cab ride in there somewhere - either to/from training, or to/from town, depending on how you find groups to hang with. Our public transport (buses) is not wildly flexible though there is a bus from the Octagon to Green Island. Possibly accommodation in Mosgiel would be handier to Fairfield, if you have a car.
- Near the Centre of Town
  - 97 Moray Place Motel
  - 97 Moray Place
  - 03 477 2050
  - info@97motel.co.nz
  - www.97motel.co.nz
  - 10 Trinity Court Motel
  - 10 Carrol St
  - 03 477 2767
  - trinity@xtra.co.nz
  - low cost but a little out from City Centre
  - 315 Euro Motel
  - 315 George St
  - 03 477 9929
  - stay@eurodunedin.co.nz
  - Nth End of the main street - student country www.eurodunedin.co.nz
  - 555 Best Western On Bayview
  - 555 Andersons Bay Rd
  - 03 455 5779
  - stay@555onbayview.co.nz
  - www.555onbayview.co.nz
  - Arcadian Motel
  - 85 Musselburgh Rise
  - 03 455 0992
  - arcadian@ihug.co.nz
  - www.dunedinmotel.co.nz
  - Adrian Motel.
  - 101 Queens Drive
  - 03455 2009
  - adrianmotel@xtra.co.nz
  - www.adrianmotel.co.nz
  - Esplanade Motel & Apartments.
  - St Clair Beach:
  - 03 455 1987
  - bookings@esplanade.co.nz
  - "www.esplanade.co.nz
  - Dunedin Holiday Park.
  - 41 Victoria St
  - 03 455 4690
  - office@dunedinholidaypark.co.nz
  - www.dunedinholidaypark.co.nz
  - Dunthat Motel
  - 353 King Edward St Sth DN
  - 03455 1355
  - office@www.dunthatmotel.co.nz/
  - http://www.dunthatmotel.co.nz/
I'm Zendokai. I don't own a white gi
- So? Wear what you have. A coloured gi is no reason not to attend.