Training with Sensei Chad Merriman

On the first of this month, Hanshi Chuck Merriman brought his son, Sensei Chad Merriman, to the Arizona Budokan for a special training session. Like his father, Sensei Chad is an accomplished traditional Goju-ryu practitioner ranked directly from Okinawa. He received his sixth dan from the staunchly traditional Okinawan Jundokan in 2008.

Goju-ryu is known for its practical, explosive, close-in fighting moves--which unlike more sport-oriented fighting arts, it takes directly from traditional kata. After some classic Goju warm-ups, including sanbon kumite exercises, Sensei Chad took us through the kata Saifa while unpacking its devastating bunkai and oyo applications.

 

Saifa is a kata that is shared between the Goju-ryu and Shito-ryu syllabus, so our intermediate and advanced students were familiar with a very similar version of it. It was wonderful to get a chance to learn and practice the close-in fighting applications that the Goju stylists derive from the form.

 

Sensei Ed DiNardo accompanied Sensei Chad and Hanshi Merriman to the dojo that night, 

and was an invaluable resource in unpacking some of the alternate and more advanced 

moves for the brown and black belts.

Everyone gained useful and interesting knowledge that we'll add to our growing tool box of kata bunkai knowledge. A warm thank-you to Hanshi Merriman, Sensei Chad, and Sensei DiNardo for sharing their expertise and experience with us.

We are grateful to have such a warm relationship with our traditional Goju-ryu
cousins and looking forward to having them back soon!!