Karate Techniques

There are many, varied techniques that the karateka can choose from, considering the entire body can be used defensively or as a weapon. A list, although not exhaustive, is provided below for reference and is divided into 5 main categories.

Dachi (Stances)

There are several basic stances which must be mastered by the Karateka in order for them to be in a position to defend and attack adequately. Each stance has its advantages and disadvantages; the basic stances are essential to strong Karate and they are its roots. The basic stances that should be initially mastered are as follows :

Zenkutsu Dachi	Forward or Front stance
Kokutsu Dachi	Back Stance
Kiba Dachi	Straddle leg or Horse (riding) stance

 

After these initial stances have been mastered, they should be practiced heavily and continuously. Further stances that may be encountered in future training are as follows; each has its purposes and uses:

Fudo Dachi	Rooted stance
Kamaete Dachi	Fighting stance
Hachiji Dachi	Open leg stance
Hangetsu Dachi	Half moon stance
Heiko Dachi	Parallel stance
Heisoku Dachi	Informal attention stance
Masubi Dachi	Informal attention stance, feet turned out
Neko Ashi Dachi	Cat foot stance
Sanchin Dachi	Hour glass stance
Shiko Dachi	Square stance
Sochin Dachi	Diagonal straddle leg stance
Uchi Hachiji Dachi	Inverted open leg stance
Shizen Tai	Natural position

 

T'Uke waza (Blocks)

The ability to deflect or block a blow aimed at the person, is the most important aspect of Karate, if an attacker cannot land a blow due to it being continually blocked, then they can do no harm. Blocks are the last line of defence and if they are weak, so is your defence. The four simple blocks that follow, should be practiced until they become second nature:

Jodan Age Uke	Rising block
Gedan Barai	Downward sweeping block
Soto Ude Uke	Outer inner forearm block
Uchi Ude Uke	Inner outer forearm block

 

There are many ways to avoid an attack, including evasion, parry, block and pre-emptive attacks. Listed below are various blocks and parries many of which may be encountered regularly in normal training, some very rarely:

Age Uke Gyaku ashi	Rising block from reverse arm
Ashibo kake Uke	Leg hooking block
Ashikube kake Uke	Ankle hooking block
Deai osae Uke	Pressing block, stepping in
Fumikomi age Uke	Rising block, stepping in
Fumikomi shuto Uke	Knife hand block, stepping in
Fumikomi ude Uke	Forearm block, stepping in
Gedan kake Uke	Downward hooking block
Haisho Uke	Back hand block
Haiwan nagashi Uke	Back arm sweeping block
Hiji suri Uke	Elbow sliding block
Kakete Uke	Block and hold
Keito Uke	Chicken head wrist block
Ko Uke	Top of wrist block
Kosa Uke	Oxbow block
Kuri Uke	Block hold and pull
Maeude hineri Uke	Forearm twist block
Morote Uke	Double fist block
Nagashi Uke	Sweeping block
Osae Uke	Pressing block
Otoshi Uke	Dropping block
Shuto Uke	Knife hand block
Shute Uke	Bottom of wrist block
Sokumen awase Uke	Side two handed block
Sokutei mawashi Uke	Circular sole block
Sokutei osae Uke	Pressing block, with sole of the foot
Sokuto osae Uke	Pressing block, with foot edge
Sutekki Uke	Stick block
Te nagashi Uke	Hand sweeping block
Teishi awase Uke	Double palm heel block
Teisho Uke	Palm heel block
Tetsui Uke	Hammer fist block
Yoko Uke	Forearm block to the side

 

T'keri waza (Kicks)

The ability to kick and to do this correctly, is a very important aspect of Karate. The harnessing of the bodies strongest muscle groups and utilising them in the form of a kick, sets the karate practitioner apart from many other forms of defence. As with stances, the good Karateka student should initially concentrate on a few basic kicks and be able to perform them correctly, before even contemplating learning further kicks. Thus, there are several basic kicks, which must be initially mastered by the Karateka

Mae geri	Front Kick
Yoko geri	Side Kick
Mawashi geri	Roundhouse Kick

 

After these initial kicks have been mastered, they should be practiced heavily and continuously. Further kicks will be encountered in future training and are as follows:

Mae geri keage	Front snap kick
Mae geri kekomi	Front thrust kick
Mae tobi geri	Jumping front kick
Mikazuki geri	Crescent kick
Nidan geri	Double jump kick
Sokuto	Foot edge, used as a derivative for side kick
Sokuto keage	Snap kick with foot edge
Tobi geri	Jump kick
Tobi Yoko geri	Jumping side kick
Ushiro geri	Back kick, also known as Umi geri
Yoko geri keage	Side kick snap
Yoko geri kekomi	Side thrust kick
Yoko tobi geri	Jumping side kick
Fumikiri geri	Cutting kick
Fumikomi geri	Stamping kick
Yoko geri kekomi	Side kick thrust
Uchi mawashi geri	Inside or reverse roundhouse kick, also known as gyaku or ura mawashi geri
Kin geri	Front kick to groin

 

T'Suki waza (Punches)

A multitude of blows can be delivered by the hands, one of the simplest being, the basic punch. The punch is the first link in a chain of strength that enables the Karateka to concentrate all of their body-weight into the blow delivered, once mastered. Three of the most important basic punches are as follows

Oie Zuki	Front punch
Gyaku Zuki	Reverse punch
Kizami Zuki	Front snap punch

 

It must be remembered that it is more important to be able to punch with only a few different techniques and do them correctly, than it is to know many punches and not to be able to do any of them effectively. You will practice the above basic punches many thousands of times before you can do them correctly, but in the meantime you will be introduced to many of the following punches

Age Zuki	Rising punch
Awase Zuki	‘U' punch
Choku Zuki	Straight punch
Dan Zuki	Consecutive punching
Gyakuzuki no tsukomi	Leaning reverse punch
Hasami Zuki	Scissor punch
Hiraken Zuki	Fore knuckle fist punch
Ippon Ken Zuki	One knuckle fist straight punch
Junzuki no tsukomi	Leaning lunge punch
Kagi Zuki	Hook punch
Maeken	Snap punch
Mawashi Zuki	Roundhouse punch
Nagashi Zuki	Flowing punch
Ren Zuki	Alternate punching
T'suki Waza	Punching techniques
Yama Zuki	Big or double punch
Yumi Zuki	Pushing punch

 

T'Uchi waza (Strikes)

It can not be considered totally natural to form a fist, this is something that is often practised or learnt from a previous mistakes of striking something which results in damage to the hand. Through a similar process of learning through mistakes and a logical approach to the form of the hand and its positioning, strikes with the hand have developed other than the fist strike. The following hand strikes are basic but important to the Karateka and should be learnt as a novice

Shuto Uchi	Knife hand strike
Tetsui Uchi	Hammer fist strike
Uraken Uchi	Back fist strike
Teisho Uchi	Palm heel strike

 

Strikes can often be more suitable to the prevailing situation, they can be very effective, unexpected, cause damage or stun the aggressor and can be performed with parts of the body other than the hands. The following list of strikes is not complete, each strike can be performed in many different ways, so use this list as a general reference to the possible strikes that you may be taught and be expected to perform according to your standard and grade:

Empi Uchi	Elbow strike
Haisho Uchi	Back hand strike
Haito Uchi	Ridge hand strike
Hiji Uchi	Elbow strike
Ja Atama Uchi	Snake head strike
Kaisho Uchi	Open hand strike
Keito Uchi	Chicken head wrist strike
Kumade Uchi	Bear hand strike
Mae Empi Uchi	Forward elbow strike
Nukite Uchi	Spear hand strike
Otoshi Empi Uchi	Downward elbow strike
Seiryuto Uchi	Ox Jaw strike
Tate Empi Uchi	Upward elbow strike
Tora Tsume Uchi	Tiger claw strike
Ushiro Empi Uchi	Rear elbow strike
Washide Uchi	Eagle hand strike
Yoko Empi Uchi	Side elbow strike