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Karate

October 18, 2020 by BureaucratONE Leave a Comment Last Updated October 18, 2020

Karate is a Japanese word meaning empty hand. A karate practitioner is called a karateka. It originated in the Okinawa region in Japan. Therefore instructions in karate are always given in Japanese. Ankō Itosu is considered as the father of modern-day karate.

Karate instructions or Terms

  • Sensei - Instructor
  • Rei (sounds like Ray) - Bow (after bowing you say, Oss)
  • Oss - Respectful greeting (you great each other by bowing and saying oss)
  • Domo Arigato (sounds like Doe-moe Ah-ree-gah-toe) - Formal Thank You (used at the end of the Class)
  • Kihon (sounds like Key-hon) - Basic techniques
  • Kamae-te - Move to the ready position (Used by the instructor during sparring session or any session)
  • Kumite (sounds like Coo-meh-tay)- Sparring
    • Sanbon Kumite - Three step sparring
    • Gohon Kumite - Five step sparring
    • Kihon Ippon Kumite - Basic one-step sparring
    • Jiyu Ippon Kumite Semi-free style sparring
    • Kaishi Ippon Kumite - Reaction sparring
    • Jiyu Kumite - Free style sparring
  • Yame - Finish/stop (used for stoping a fight or kata ...etc)
  • Kiai - Martial shout ( You shout Kiai when you punch or kick )
  • Kiotsuke (sounds like Key-oh-zoo-kay) - Attention
  • Hajime (sounds like Ha-gee-may) - Begin/Start
  • Obi (sounds like Oh-bee) - Belt
  • Uke (sounds like Oo-kay) - Block
    • Gedan Barai - Downward block
    • Age Uke - Rising block
    • Soto Uke - Outside block
    • Uchi Uke - Inside block
    • Shuto uke - Knife hand block
    • Tate Shuto uke - Vertical knife hand block
    • Nagashi uke - Sweeping block
    • Haishu uke - Back hand block
    • Empi uke - Elbow block
    • Juji uke - X block
    • Morote uke - Augmented block
    • Kakewake uke - Wedge block
  • Geri or Keri (sounds like Geh-ree or Keh-ree) - Kick
    • Mae geri - Front kick
    • Yoko geri keage - Side snap kick
    • Yoko geri kekomi - Side thrust kick
    • Mawashi geri - Roundhouse kick
    • Ushiro geri - Back kick
    • Hiza geri - Knee kick
    • Ren geri - Kicking combinations stepping between kicks
    • Nidan geri - Two kicks with same leg without step between
  • Tsuki or Zuki (sounds like Zoo-key) - Punch
    • Kara/Choku tsuki - Straight punch
    • Oi tsuki - Stepping punch
    • Kizami tsuki - Front hand punch
    • Gyaku tsuki - Reverse punch
    • Kagi tsuki - Hook punch
    • Ren tsuki - Two punch combination
    • Sanbon tsuki - Three punch combination
  • Uchi (sounds like Oo-chee) - Strike
    • Age empi uchi - Rising elbow strike
    • Yoko empi uchi - Side elbow strike
    • Mawashi empi uchi - Round elbow strike
    • Ushiro empi uchi - Reverse elbow strike
    • Tate empi uchi - Downward elbow strike
    • Shuto uchi - Knife hand strike
    • Uraken uchi - Back fist strike
    • Tetsui uchi - Hammer fist strike
    • Nukite - Spear hand thrust
    • Teisho uchi - Palm heel strike
    • Haito uchi - Ridge hand strike
  • Dachi - Stances
    • Heiko dachi - Natural stance
    • Heisoku dachi - Feet together stance
    • Musubi dachi - Informal stance
    • Zenkutsu dachi - Front stance
    • Kiba dachi - Straddle stance
    • Shiko dachi - Open leg/Sumo stance
    • Kokutsu dachi - Back stance
  • Levels (used to denote punch or kick or blocking level)
    • Jodan (sounds like Joe-dan) - Upper (Level)
    • Chudan - Middle(Level)
    • Gedan - Lower(Level)
    • E.g Gedan Tsuki - Lower Punch
  • Empi or Enpi (sounds like En-pee or Em-pee) - Elbow
    • Empi-Uchi (sounds like Em-pee Oo-chee) - Elbow Strike

Filed Under: UPSC

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