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Shotokan Karate Terminology

These pages provide information that will be useful for any student trying to grasp the Japanese terminology of Karate. The terms have been divided into separate topics to make navigation of these  easier, click on the tabs below and the directory of terms underneath will change to that topic.

BLOCKS
PUNCHES
KICKS
STANCES
STRIKES

BLOCKS

AGE UKE

Upper Rising Block. Used generally to guard against an attack to the face.

ASHIBO-KAKE UKE

Leg Hooking Block, in which the leg is raised to the side and swung in a circle to deflect an opponents side kick to the abdomen.

ASHIKUBI-KAKE UKE

Ankle Hooking Block. Normally used to block a front kick. It is similar in motion to Ashibo-Kake Uke.

AWASE UKE
Combined Block. A generic term for any combined block.
CHUDAN UDE UKE
Middle Level Forearm Block, blocking an attack to the mid-section.
CHUDAN UKE
Middle Level Block. A general term for middle level blocks.
GEDAN BARAI
Lower Level Sweep. Normally the first move students make prior to going on to do their combinations, one of the reason’s for this is so that the first move in Karate is a block which demonstrates that Karate is for self-defence. When we call Gedan Barai it is really a shortened version of Gedan Barai Uke.
GEDAN BARAI UKE
Lower level Sweeping Block. Gedan Barai but using it as a block
GEDAN SOTO UDE UKE
Lower Level Outside Forearm Block, as seen in the Kata Tekki Nidan.
GEDAN UKE
Lower Level Block.
HAISHU UKE
Back Hand Block. A block using the back of the hand.
HAITO UKE
Ridge-hand Block.
HAI-WAN UKE
Back Arm Block
HARAI WAZA
Sweeping techniques.
HIJI UKE
Elbow Block, a blocking action using the elbow. Also see Empi Uke
JODAN UKE
High Level Block.
JO UKE WAZA
Jo Blocking Techniques. Used in the KATA BASSAI SHO.
JUJI UKE
X Block.
KAGI UKE
Hooking Block.
KAISHO UKE
Open Hand Block.
KAKE UKE
Hooking Block. A generic term for hooking blocks.
KAKIWAKE UKE
Reverse Wedge Block.
KEITO UKE
Chicken Head Block.
KENTSUI UKE (Or TETTSUI UKE)
Hammer Fist Block.
KOSA UKE
Crossed Block.
MOROTE UKE
Augmented Block.
NAGASHI UKE
Sweeping Block. This is one of the times that Nagashi is referred to as Sweeping.
NAMI ASHI
Inside Snapping Block, also known as Returning Wave, as seen in the Kata Tekki Shodan.
OTOSHI-UKE
Dropping Block.
SEIRYUTO UKE
Ox Jaw Block. A hand technique delivered with the base of the SHUTO (Knife hand).
SHUTO UKE
Knife-hand Block.
SOTO UDE UKE
Outside Forearm Block or sometimes said as Lower Wrist Block.
SOTO UKE
Outside Block, normally a shortened version of Soto Ude Uke.
SUKUI UKE
Scooping Block.
TE GATANA UKE
Hand Sword Block, this is now most commonly referred to as ‘Shuto Uke’.
TEISHO BARAI
Palm Heel Sweep. As seen in the Kata Unsu.
TEISHO UKE
Palm Heel Block.
TSUKAMI UKE
Grasping Block.
TSUKI UKE
Punching Block.
UCHI UDE UKE
Inside Forearm Block.
UCHI-UKE
Inside Block generally used as a short version of Uchi Ude Uke.
UDE UKE
Forearm Block.
UKE
Block.
URAKEN UKE
Back Fist Block. For when the Back Fist is used as a block. This application is seen in the Kata Heian Nidan.

If you have any questions whatsoever about C.E.S.K.A. and the classes available,
please call us on 07801 088188 or email us.

Shihan Peter Calver 7th Dan
Chief Instructor of CESKA
Mob: 07801 088188
info@ceska.co.uk

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