Blocks (uke waza)

  • uke – block
  • barai – parry
  • age uke – rising block (particularly to jodan, jodan age uke)
  • yoko uke – side block (particularly to mid height, chudan yoko uke). Palm up, blocking with thumb side of forearm, to the ouside. Also called soto ude uke, soto yoko uke, and ude uke.
  • gedan barai – downward circular block
  • hiki uke – pulling/grasping block
  • uchi yoko uke – inside forearm block
  • sukui uke – scoop block
  • nagashi uke – sweeping block
  • kake uke – hook block
  • ko uke – wrist block, wrist bent inwards, middle finger touching thumb. Block with end of forearm (particularly jodan ko uke). Also called koken uke.
  • kosa uke (cross block) – arms crossed at wrist, with backs of hands facing downwards and inwards towards each other.
  • shuto uke – knife hand block
  • shotei uke – palm heel block, particularly to gedan, also called shotei gedan barai.
  • tetsui uke – hammerfist block
  • hiza uke – knee block. hiza uchi uke (knee block from outside to inside) and hiza soto uke (knee block from inside to outside).
  • osae uke – pressing block
  • otoshi uke – descending block, eg shotei otoshi uke (palm-heel descending block)
  • kuri uke – circular elbow block
  • sokutei osae uke – pressing block with sole of the foot. Pressing down hard against the attacker’s ankle, as in a yoko geri.
  • sokutei harai uke – block with the sole of the foot. Foot swung from outside to inside.
  • haisoku barai – instep block. Foot swung from inside to outside.
  • tora guchi – highly circular block simultaneously to both gedan and jodan, ending with a push forward (characteristic of Goju Ryu).