http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpIf2NNS5N4

Wow, that's nothing like the Okinawan Goju I study. Anyone study this style of Goju?

http://www.chinesegoju.com/history/default.asp

http://www.chinesegoju.org/intro.htm

http://www.chinesegoju.org/vanclief.htm

Evidently Ron Van Clief had influences from his earlier TKD. Doesn't look anything like the American Goju I study either.

I'm sure he is an exceptional martial artist and the style suits him.

Interesting that Owen Watson is not mentioned anymore in the history of Chinese Goju. He was, shall we say, Van Clief's partner and was considered back in the early days to have had as much influence on the art .
Van Clief and Watson where both highly trained and damn good at fighting. Both had exceptional forms and where a pleasure to watch.
Also both where friendly to talk with most of the time

Awful lot of kiai for traditional kata. His technique is not bad though.

Hey, it's garbage...pure and simple.

Chinese American Goju... that's so full of oxymorons it's not funny...

Goju is Okinawan. There's a Japanese branch/variation but Goju doesn't have a Chinese branch.

How can somebody take something & "Chinese" it & then "Americanize" it & call it by 2 different originating names??? Plain damn silly...

Chinese American Goju... right there with Korean Japanese Tai Chi (by that name) or Chinese Thai Shotokan (by that name)...

Nothing about fight abilities or skills... that's people... but the rest... pfah...

I know virtually nothing about Goju Ryu Katas but from what I saw it looked pretty impressive and was very well done, not at all sloppy. But I did not see anything I would call Chinese other than the claim in the beginning that links it to White Crane.

So I guess the title Chinese American Goju Ryu seems a bit silly to me but whatever floats your boat I guess.... well I am off to go train My Taekwonquanqijitsu now :) sorry I couldn't resist.

When I was in my Native American Koga ryu muay tai kwon jutsu do class last week, I started learning a similar form that was practiced in Egypt by early Christian Pirates around 4500 BC. I think that the Chinese American Goju folks may have actually learned it from them.

Interesting that Owen Watson is not mentioned anymore in the history of Chinese Goju.


He was crazy!! He passed away from diabetes back in 2005.

He used to sign his name "o-wen wat-son," and wear his hair in some kind of afro-samurai topknot hybrid.....nice guy, but a bit loopy....

think he was mostly affiliated with Frank Ruiz's Nisei goju, though.....

When I was in my Native American Koga ryu muay tai kwon jutsu do class last week, I started learning a similar form that was practiced in Egypt by early Christian Pirates around 4500 BC. I think that the Chinese American Goju folks may have actually learned it from them.
LOL

He was crazy!! He passed away from diabetes back in 2005.

He used to sign his name "o-wen wat-son," and wear his hair in some kind of afro-samurai topknot hybrid.....nice guy, but a bit loopy....

think he was mostly affiliated with Frank Ruiz's Nisei goju, though.....
Owen's dead? Delgado also from what I've read and Frank as well. Guess I waited too long to say hello.....

think he was mostly affiliated with Frank Ruiz's Nisei goju,
I belive that is correct from what I remember

I did not know he was dead I am sorry to hear that. He was always respectful and courteous to talk to. He was one hell of a fighter.

That was interesting. I don't think that can be classified as Goju-Ryu but interesting non the less.

From what I have read. Van Clief named it chinese goju, because his base was Goju ryu, he went to Hong Kong and studied VingTsun Kung fu and some others, along with some Muy Thai while making movies in ThaiLand. So he added a more chinese element to his goju and hence the name Chinese Goju . He has always been an exceptional karate talent. A bit egocentric. Like his karate instructors.

That was interesting. I don't think that can be classified as Goju-Ryu but interesting non the less.

There was no mention of a ryu that I saw. People are too hung up on these things imo.
His style is just his interpretation of the arts and the time he has put in.

Funny, no one has a problem with Bruce Lee after only a short study of WT making his own style. I dunno...

You make a good point. Irreguardless of weither or not his style is of his own creation or a hodgepodge of styles. He is a very talented martial artist and his system is very effective and useful.

You make a good point. Irreguardless of weither or not his style is of his own creation or a hodgepodge of styles. He is a very talented martial artist and his system is very effective and useful.
No doubt I have seen VanClief in action in person and he is so fluid and fast. Yet takes a very simple not complicated approach to his techniques which certainly contributes to the effectivness.

Do you guys remember him in one of the first ufc's? At age 50 he looked phenomenal! Too bad he didn't know the ground game,but who did at the time. I'll bet he could have more than held his own standing against alot of the ufc champions.

That was a long time ago I am surprised that anyone remembered it.

I think he would have held his own standing