Kyusho in Goju

Goju-ryu and Kyusho

The integration of a style to Vital Point Application

Got style? GOJU-RYU or otherwise? Do you have a number of years dedicated to a discipline of BUDO and have developed a strong foundation forged with numerous hours of practice, study and repetition? If so, I salute you. I salute you for maintaining the legacy and memory of our past masters and honouring the spirit of what we do (and what others will not), regardless of your affiliation or style. I salute you for the hours of traditional drills and kata you have endured and continue to endure in the way of BUDO. I salute you for the people you have helped along your journey. You have made a great investment within yourselves which the sum of equates to a well-wired, fine-tuned human machine of BUDO (on many, many levels).

So, I have a proposition for you. Why not take your training one step further and study the intriguing world of VITAL POINT application the world knows as KYUSHO? Chances are, based on your foundation of kata and traditional curriculum, you are already targeting VITAL POINTS or at the very least, you are in very close proximity of these KYUSHO targets!

Integrating GOJU-RYU to KYUSHO has been and continues to be an exhilarating journey for me personally to say the least. I have had the opportunity to meet and learn from others in different systems, ideologies and methods of BUDO. So, the purpose of this article is not to only project a GOJU-RYU perspective of how to apply KYUSHO and / or useful concepts / methods to the system, but also to encourage other disciples of other disciplines to pursue, seek and implement your WAY and ideologies to KYUSHO.

For this article I will use the technique “KAKEI” of GOJU-RYU and trust other stylists can relate the concept to their discipline. The following method is the means I personally use and share to acquire the end goal and assist in the learning curve of our KYUSHO.

The Method

First and foremost, you will need to put your style into Kyusho! Do not put Kyusho into your style. As previously mentioned, if you have any degree of proficiency in your art, you have become wired a certain way. Don’t fix what isn’t broken! Integrate into the next step. Take your system and abilities and apply it to Kyusho!

Next, proceed with “SHO-SHIN”. It means “BEGINNER’s MIND”. It is the ability to be open, eager and resist the temptation of preconceptions of a given task or subject, regardless of your experience. Slow things down! Learning a new concept or technique can be exhilarating and we can lose control emotionally which will affect our progression. I often ask my new students if “practice makes perfect” and they respond “YES”. I disappoint them and tell them “No, perfect practice makes perfect”.

The point is you can go Hell’s Bells and sort of get it, or you can invest in the time cultivating your martial assets and really get it. Nature’s Law is you must crawl, then walk, then run. Learning something new should be no different. Feel it, experience it and apply it! The end goal is “MUSHIN” or “EMPTY MIND”, applying without thinking and this is the goal Kyusho International associates strive for. The ability to connect to the Vital Point(s) in a real life and dynamic environment.

The next step is to determine an attack and a counter attack to a specific vital point. We will employ the scenario utilizing a Goju-ryu / Kyusho based continuous fighting drill (again, I encourage you to explore the possibilities within your own system). The attack in this demonstration will be a high level punch and the counter measure will be the utilization of “KAKEI”. The target will be LU-7 located 1.5 AU (Anatomical Units) behind the crease of the wrist on the thumb side of the forearm.

Once you have established the vital point location, required trajectory and method of activation, move on to a more progressive but moderate regiment (the crawl, walk, run rule). Below is a 3 phase systematic approach to assist you in the development and progression of obtaining “Mushin” or “Empty Mind” to any given Kyusho application. Don’t forget! Communication with your training partner is crucial to your skill development! Discus the actions, sensations, good hit / bad hit etc. and keep giving each other feedback.

The 3 Phase Approach

The training drill utilizes an attacker “TORI” and a defender “UKE” and for ease of explanation, we will use TORI and UKE to identify each individual in the drill. Applying a rule of “right foot moves first” will support the initial learning curve of this exercise.

Phase 1 - 1 Step Targeting

- TORI (attacker) steps right foot forward / right punch
- UKE (defender) steps backward right foot / left KAKEI- UKE to LU-7

Repeat 3 times then switch arms

- TORI (attacker) steps left foot forward / left punch
- UKE (defender) steps left foot backward / left KAKEI-UKE to LU-7

Switch roles (attacker becomes defender / defender becomes attacker) and repeat the exercise

 

Phase 2 - Continuous Targeting Drill (simplified)

Set 1
- TORI (attacker) steps right foot forward / right punch
- UKE (defender) steps right foot backward / left kakei-uke to LU-7

- UKE (defender) steps right foot forward / right punch
- TORI (attacker) steps right foot backward / left kakei-uke to LU-7

- TORI (attacker) steps right foot forward / right punch
- UKE (defender) steps right foot backward / left kakei-uke to LU-7

Set 2
- TORI (attacker) steps left foot forward / left punch
- UKE (defender) steps left foot backward / right kakei-uke to LU-7

- UKE (defender) steps left foot forward / left punch
- TORI (attacker) steps left foot backward / right kakei-uke to LU-7

- TORI (attacker) steps left foot forward / left punch
- UKE (defender) steps left foot backwards / right kaki-uke to LU-7

Set 3 and Set 4 duplicate Set 1 and Set 2, however the roles are reversed. TORI (attacker) becomes UKE (defender) and UKE (defender) becomes TORI (attacker)

 

 

Phase 3 - Continuous Targeting Drill (advanced)

This is a more advanced drill comprising of a longer set with more footwork and hits on the target. The advance drill consists of 16 sets with the TORI initiating the exercise (attack) to the UKE with the 9th set reversing the roles of TORI and UKE.

The next step is implementing the various vital point drills knowledge to Jiyu or freestyle adding vital points of the legs, body and head! Kyusho International is a global collective that believes not in theory, but in reality based training and study, applicable to any style (or no style).

Good health, well being and good training to you. Enjoy the journey.

 

Steve Lynch is a Kyusho International Certifying Instructor from Canada, 80kms north of Toronto.

Steve Lynch
Location: Angus (Canada)
Exclusive KI Certifying Instructor Level 2
Certification License to PL-1
Email - Click Here
Website - Click Here

Special thanks to Athena Pickard Photography, Eric Watts, associates of Canada Goju Karate Federation and Kyusho International.

www.kyusho.com/ki-locations/canada/

 

 

-sl