The History of Goju Ryu Karate.... The origins of Goju Ryu Karate are shrouded in the mists of time. Many of the techniques found in this powerful style are common to the fighting systems of South China. Emphasis is placed on breath control and conditioning. What is now called GoJu Ryu or the hard/soft system was introduced into Okinawa by Kanryo Higaonna early in this century. His primary student, Chojun Miyagi, developed the style further incorporating three new forms (kata). At that time Goju Ryu did not have an official name. After some thought the name hard/soft was taken from the Bible of Karate called BUBISHI. Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate Do is noted for the concentrated effort devoted to proper breath control. The basic training methods include conditioning for strength and endurance, mental discipline, close-in fighting techniques, and training on the punching post (Makiwara). Goju Ryu is one of the Okinawan styles referred to as Naha. That is a hold over from the days when styles did not have formal names but were called by the city in which they were practiced. Naha City in Okinawa. Training in the Goju style is systematic and progressive. The student learns the fundamentals and is then passed on to the next level of training. All intermediate and advanced training is based on strong foundation of basic techniques.**