Dojo Terminology

This is a list of techniques practiced in the Shotokan-ryu style of Karate.

Stances (Dachi Waza)

   1. fudo dachi: rooted stance
   2. hachiji dachi: natural stance
   3. hangetsu dachi: half-moon stance
   4. heisoku dachi: informal attention stance
   5. kiba dachi: horse stance / side stance
   6. kokutsu dachi: back stance
   7. kosa dachi: cross-legged stance
   8. neko ashi dachi: cat stance
   9. renoji dachi: L-stance (e.g. in the kata, Heian godan)
10. sanchin dachi: hourglass stance
11. katashi dachi: crane-like stance (e.g. in the kata Enpi)
12. tsuru ashi dachi: crane stance (e.g. in the kata Gankaku)
13. zenkutsu dachi: front stance
14. yoi dachi: basic stance
15. musubi dachi: both toe joint together and front feet 45. Osu

Preparatory Positions

   1. koshi gamae: hip preparatory position
   2. manji gamae: "manji (卍) " -shaped preparatory position, one arm raised above and behind the head with the other arm blocking low in front of the body (e.g., in the kata,Heian godan)
   3. manji uke: "manji (卍)"-shaped block
   4. ryoken koshi gamae: double hip preparatory position (e.g. in the kata, Heian sandan)
   5. morote koko gamae: double handed preparatory position (e.g. in the kata, Enpi)

Blocking Techniques (Uke-waza)
Using the Arms

   1. age-uke: rising high-level block
   2. empi uke: elbow block (e.g. in the kata, Heian sandan)
   3. chudan juki(originally,"tsuki"): mid-level punch
   4. gedan barai: sweeping low block
   5. gedan morote barai: double sweeping low block (usually while going into kiba dachi)
   6. haiwan uke: square side block (e.g. in the kata, Heian nidan)
   7. juji uke: x block
   8. kaisho ake uke: open-palm rising block
   9. kaisho haiwan uke: knife-hand square side block (e.g. in the kata, Heian yondan)
10. kaisho juji uke: open-palm x block (e.g. in the kata, Heian godan)
11. kakiwake uke: floating x block (e.g. in the kata, Heian yondan)
12. morote uke: double forearm block (e.g. in the kata, Heian sandan)
13. nagashi uke: rising palm sweep block (e.g. in the kata, Tekki shodan)
14. osae uke: palm block
15. otoshi uke: dropping forearm block
16. shuto age uke: rising knife-hand block
17. shuto gedan barai: knife-hand sweeping low block
18. shuto uke: knife hand block
19. shuto mawashi uke (roundhouse block with knife-hand)
20. soto uke: outside forearm block
21. sukui uke: scooping block
22. tate shuto uke: half knife-hand block
23. te osae uke: dropping palm block
24. uchi ude uke: inside forearm block
25. uchi uke: outside mid-level block
26. uchi uke gyaku hanmi: inside mid-level block with reverse hand (e.g. in the kata, Heian nidan)
27. ude barai: reverse sweeping forearm block
28. kami tsukami: hair grab (e.g. in the kata, Enpi)
29. ushiro gedan barai: reverse low sweeping block (e.g. in the kata, Enpi)

Using the Legs

   1. ashikubi kake uke: hooking ankle block
   2. mika zuki geri uke: crescent kick block (e.g. in the kata, Heian godan)
   3. nami ashi, a.k.a. nami gaeshi: leg snapping wave block (e.g. in the kata, Tekki shodan)
   4. sokutei osae uke: pressing sole block
   5. sokuto osae uke: pressing footedge block

Striking Techniques (Uchi-waza)

   1. Age empi: Rising elbow strike
   2. Age Tzuki: Rising Punch
   3. Choku zuki: Straight jab punch
   4. Empi uchi: Elbow strike
   5. Gyaku zuki: Reverse punch
   6. Hadou ken: Wave motion fist (fireball)
   7. Haishu uchi: Back hand strike
   8. Haito uchi: Ridge hand strike
   9. Hisami zuki: Scissor strike
10. Jun Zuki: front hand 'jab' punch, differing from Kizami Zuki in that shoulders are square
11. Kagi zuki: Hook punch
12. Kizami zuki: Straight, front hand lunging punch (like a 'jab')
13. Mae mawashi empi uchi: Augmented side elbow strike (e.g. in the kata, Heian yondan)
14. Mawashi empi: Hook elbow strike
15. Morote zuki: Double punch (e.g. in the kata, Tekki shodan)
16. Nakadaka Ippon Ken : one knuckle fist
17. Nukite: Spear-hand strike
18. Oi zuki: Lunge punch (shoulders square)
19. Sanbon zuki: Triple punch (age zuki, gyaku zuki, choku zuki)
20. Shoryu ken: Rising dragon fist
21. Shuto uchi: Knifehand strike
22. Shuto yoko ganmen uchi (knife-hand strike to head)
23. Shuto sakotsu uchikomi (driving knife-hand to sternum)
24. Shuto sakotsu uchi (knife-hand strike to clavicle)
25. Shuto hizo uchi (knife-hand strike to spleen)
26. Shuto jodan uchi uchi (inside knife-hand to neck)
27. Sokumen empi uchi: Augmented elbow strike (e.g. in the kata, Tekki shodan)
28. Tate zuki: Half reverse punch, with a vertical fist
29. Teisho furi uchi: Sideways palm-heel strike
30. Teisho uchi: Palm-heel strike
31. Tettsui: Hammer-fist strike
32. Tettsui hasami uchi: Hammer-fist scissor strike
33. Tettsui yoko uchi (bottom fist strike to side)
34. Uraken uchi: Backfist strike
35. Uraken mawashi uchi (backfist circular strike to the head)
36. Uraken sayu ganmen uchi (backfist strike to side)
37. Uraken hizo uchi (backfist strike to spleen)
38. Ushiro empi ate (backwards elbow strike)
39. Ura zuki: Close short punch, with inverted fist, similar in nature to an 'uppercut'
40. Ushiro empi: Back elbow strike
41. Yama zuki ("mountain punch"): Wide double fisted strike (e.g. in the kata, Bassai dai and Wankan)
42. Awase zuke: Narrow double fisted strike
43. Yoko empi: Side elbow strike
44. Yoko tettsui: Sideways hammer-fist strike (e.g. in the kata, Heian Nidan)
45. Gyaku age zuki: Rising reverse punch (e.g. in the kata, Enpi)

Kicking Techniques (Geri-waza)

   1. Ashi barai: Foot sweep
   2. Fumikomi: Stomp kick
   3. Hiza geri: Knee strike
   4. Kin geri: Kick in the groin, performed like front kick but with the feet
   5. Mae-ashi mae geri, a.k.a. choku geri: Front kick with front leg
   6. Mae-ashi mawashi geri: Front roundhouse kick with front leg
   7. Mae geri: Front kick
   8. Mae Hiza geri: Front knee kick
   9. Mae-ren geri: Double front kick (= double mae geri)
10. Mae tobi geri: Front flying kick
11. Mawashi geri: Roundhouse kick
12. Mawashi hiza geri: Circular knee kick
13. Mikazuki geri: Crescent kick
14. Nidan tobi geri: Double jump front kick
15. Tatsumaki senpuukyaku: Tornado hurricane kick
16. Tobi geri: Jump kick
17. Tobi hiza geri: Jumping knee kick
18. Tobi ushiro mawashi geri: Jumping reverse roundhouse kick
19. Ura mawashi geri: Upper inside roundhouse kick, a.k.a. hook kick
20. Ushiro geri: Back kick
21. Ushiro mawashi geri : Reverse roundhouse kick
22. Ushiro kekomi: Back side thrust kick
23. Otoshi Mawashi Geri: Circular falling kick
24. Yoko geri keage: Side snap kick
25. Yoko geri kekomi: Side thrust kick
26. Yoko tobi geri: Jumping side kick
27. yoko tobi gorai: Mouse around Kick

Throwing Techniques (Nage-waza)

1. Byobu Daoshi: ‘Topple a Folding Screen’
2. Koma Nage: ‘Spinning Top Throw’
3. Kubi Wa: ‘Neck Ring
4. Katawa Guruma: ‘Cripple Wheel
5. Tsubame Gaeshi: ‘Swallow Reversal’

6. Yari Dama: ‘Spearing Through’
7. Tani Otoshi: ‘Valley Drop’
8. Ude Wa: ‘Arm Ring’
9. Gyaku Tsuchi: ‘Reverse Sledgehammer