Click here for General Terms and Pronunciation
Blocking Techniques
GEDANUKE/GEDANBARAI – Low block or low parry made with the forearm. Fist starts palm up at the opposite shoulder and sweeps down and across the body, twisting on contact. Can also be made with shuto or shotei.
HAISHUUKE – Back hand block. Block made with the back of the hand moving from inside to outside.
HIJIUKE – Elbow block. Block made with the back or side of the elbow joint area.
JODANUKE – Upper block or high block made with the forearm. Fist starts palm up on the opposite shoulder and moves straight up, twisting on contact. Forearm ends at an angle with the fist higher than the elbow. Can also be made with shuto or shotei.
JUJIUKE – Cross block or “X” block made with both forearms. Can be made upwards or downwards.
KAKEUKE – Hook block made with the wrist bent towards the little finger side in a hook shape.
KOKENUKE – Block made with the back of the bent wrist. Can be made sideways or upwards.
MAWASHIUKE – Round block made with both open hands moving in a circle in the same direction.
NAGASHIUKE – Sweeping block or slip block. Any of the basic blocks (gedan, soto, jodan, haishu) may be made into a nagashi type block by changing the direction in which the block moves from perpendicular to angling back towards your body.
OSAEUKE – Press block made by softly pressing down with the palm or back of the open hand.
OTOSHIUKE – Dropping block made by throwing the arm down on top of the opponent’s attack. Can be made with shuto, shotei, tettsui, or uraken. Usually accompanied by a dropping of the body weight to add power to the technique.
SHUTOUKE – Knife hand block made with the little finger die of the open hand or forearm. Can be made moving inwards, outwards, or downwards.
SOTOUKE – Outside block. Basic middle block made with the outside of the forearm moving from inside to outside. Can be made blocking jodan or chudan.
SUKUIUKE – Scooping block made with the forearm moving in the same direction of an attack sliding under it and lifting.
UCHIUKE – Inside block. Block
Kicking Techniques
ASHIBARAI – Foot sweep made by sweeping the opponent’s foot out from under him.
FUMIKOMIGERI – Stamping kick made downwards with the side or heel of the foot.
HIZAGERI – Forward knee strike.
HIZAMAWASHIGERI – Roundhouse knee strike.
KINGERI – Groin kick made with the top of the foot.
MAEGERI – Front kick made with the ball, heel, or toe tips of the foot.
MAETOBIGERI – Flying or jumping front kick.
MAWASHIGERI – Roundhouse kick made with the ball or instep of the foot.
MIKAZUKIGERI – Crescent kick made from the outside to the inside using the sole of the foot.
NAMIGAESHI – Returning wave kick made by bringing the foot upwards and inwards striking with the sole or side of the foot as found in Naihanchi kata.
SOTO MIKAZUKIGERI – Outside crescent kick using the side of the foot moving from inside to outside.
USHIROGERI – Back kick made backwards using the heel of the foot.
USHIROKINGERI – Backward groin kick made by bringing the heel upward.
YOKOGERI – Side kick made to the side using the side of the foot.
Punching Techniques
Punching techniques (突き技 Tsukiwaza) and Striking techniques (打ち技 Uchiwaza)
AWASEZUKI – Combined punch made with one hand punching Urazuki and the other punching Seizuki.
EMPI – Elbow strike made upwards, downwards, sideways, inwards, outwards, forwards, or backwards.
GYAKUZUKI – Reverse hand punch made with Seizuki.
GYAKUZUKI TSUKKOMI – Reverse hand lunge punch.
HAISHU – Back hand strike.
HAITO – Ridge hand strike or inner knife hand strike made with the side of the first knuckle of the index finger.
HASAMIUCHI – Scissor strike made with both hands striking Tettsui inwards.
HEIKOZUKI – Parallel punch made with both fists punching side by side.
HIRAKEN – Flat fist punch made with the second knuckles of all four fingers
IPPON KEN – One finger fist punch made with the second knuckle of the index finger.
IPPON NUKITE – One finger spear hand thrust made with the tip of the extended index finger.
JUNZUKI – Front hand punch made with Seizuki.
JUNZUKI TSUKKOMI – Front hand lunge punch.
KAGIZUKI – Hook punch made with the forearm parallel to your chest.
KOKENUCHI – Bent wrist strike made with the back of the bent wrist.
MAWASHIZUKI – Round punch made by swinging the arm.
NAGASHIZUKI – Punch made by moving forward and twisting the body out of the way of an oncoming attack. The body moves parallel to and just off of the attack line.
NAKADAKA IPPON KEN – One finger fist punch made with the second knuckle of the middle finger.
OYAYUBI IPPON KEN – One finger fist strike made with the second knuckle of the thumb.
SEIZUKI – Normal punch made with the first knuckles of the index and middle fingers.
SHOTEI – Palm heel strike.
SHUTO – Knife hand strike.
TATEZUKI – Vertical fist punch made with the little finger side of the fist towards the ground.
TETTSUI – Hammer fist strike made with the little finger side of the closed fist.
TOBIKOMIZUKI – Jumping lunge punch. Lunge punch made by jumping the body forward into the technique.
URAKEN – Back fist strike made with the back of the first knuckles of the index and middle fingers.
URAZUKI – Inverted punch made with the back of the fist pointed towards the ground.
YAMAZUKI – Mountain punch. Similar to Awasezuki but made with the arms bent and the body leaning forward.
YONHAN NUKITE – Four finger spear hand thrust made with the tips of the four extended fingers.
Stances
CHINTODACHI – Chinto stance. The toes of both feet are on a line towards the opponent. Both feet are angled in roughly the same direction with the front foot turned in slightly more than the rear foot. Weight is even.
GYAKU NEKOASHIDACHI – Reverse cat stance. Feet are roughly in the same position as in Nekodachi but the rear heel is up while the front heel is down. The rear knee generally points inward. Weight is more on the front foot.
GYAKUZUKIDACHI – Reverse punch stance. Front foot is one foot length wider and one foot length shorter than Junzukidachi. Front foot points in slightly. Weight is more on the front foot.
GYAKUZUKI TSUKKOMIDACHI – Reverse lunge punch stance. Front foot heel is even with rear foot toes on a line perpendicular to the attack line. Both feet point slightly inward. Distance between feet is roughly two and one half shoulder widths. Body leans slightly forward. Weight is more on the front foot.
HANMI NO NEKOASHIDACHI – Half side-facing cat stance. Feet are in the same position as Mashomen No Nekoashidachi but the body is facing 45 degrees instead of facing the opponent. Weight is 2/3 on the rear foot.
HEIKODACHI – Parallel stance or ready stance. Feet are one foot length apart. Feet are pointed straight ahead and the weight is even.
HEISOKUDACHI – Closed foot stance. Feet point straight ahead and are together with the heels and toes touching. Weight is even.
HIDARISHIZENTAI – Left natural stance. Feet are roughly shoulder width apart with the left foot moved forward roughly one to two foot lengths. The left foot faces forward and the right foot faces 45 degrees to the right. The body also faces 45 degrees to the right. Weight is even.
JUNZUKIDACHI – Front punch stance. Distance between the feet is roughly two shoulder widths. Front foot points straight ahead and is one foot length wider than Musubidachi. Weight is more on the front foot.
JUNZUKI TSUKKOMIDACHI – Front lunge punch stance. Front foot points straight ahead. Rear foot points 90 degrees to the side with the heel on the same line as the inside of the front foot. Back leg is straight but not locked. Body is leaning and lined up with the rear leg. Distance between the feet is roughly two and one half shoulder widths. Weight is mostly on the front foot.
KOKUTSUDACHI – Back stance. Front foot is pointed straight ahead or slightly inward. Rear foot is pointed roughly 120 degrees from the front. Feet are roughly two shoulder widths apart with both heels on a line toward the opponent. The front leg is straight but not locked. The body is leaning, aligned with the front leg. Weight is more on the back foot.
KOSADACHI – Crossed stance. Front foot is pointed out 90 degrees. Rear foot is pointed straight ahead. The inside of the rear foot in on the same line as the front heel. Feet are roughly one and one half to two shoulder widths apart. Body faces forward. Weight is even.
MAHANMI NO NEKOASHIDACHI (NEKOASHIDACHI) – Full side facing cat stance. Front foot points towards the opponent. Rear foot faces roughly 120 degrees from the front. The front heel is slightly raised. Body faces 90 degrees sideways to the opponent. Feet are roughly two shoulder widths apart. Weight is 2/3 on the rear foot.
MASHOMEN NO NEKOASHIDACHI (NEKODACHI) – Full front facing cat stance. Front foot faces forwards. Rear foot faces out at 45 degrees. From Migishizentai or Hidarishizentai, raise the front heel slightly while settling 2/3 of the weight onto the rear foot. The body faces forward.
MIGISHIZENTAI – Right natural stance. Opposite of Hidarishizentai.
MUSUBIDACHI – Attention stance. Heels are together with the feet pointed out 45 degrees. Weight is even.
NAIHANCHIDACHI – Naihanchi stance or inside fighting stance. Feet are roughly one and one half to two shoulder widths apart and are pointed in slightly. Weight is even.
SAGIASHI DACHI – Heron/Crane stance. Stand on one leg with the toes of the other foot lightly touching the back of the opposite knee. Supporting leg is bent.
SHIKODACHI – Outer circular stance. Feet are roughly two shoulder widths apart and pointed out 45 degrees. Weight is even.
SHIZENTAI – Natural stance. Feet are shoulder width apart and are pointed out 45 degrees. Weight is even.
TATE SEISANDACHI – Vertical Seisan stance. Front foot toes and rear foot heel are on a line towards the opponent. Both feet are pointed in roughly the same direction with the front foot slightly more turned. Feet are roughly one and one half to two shoulder widths apart. Weight is even.
YOKO SEISANDACHI – Side Seisan stance. From Naihanchidachi, move one foot forward one foot length. Weight is even.
ZENKUTSUDACHI – Front stance, forward stance or fighting stance. From Heikodachi, one foot moves forward roughly one and one half shoulder widths. The front foot faces forward. The rear foot faces out 45 degrees. Weight is even or slightly more on the front foot.