Terms used in training

Stances (dachi)

• zenkutsu dachi - front stance
• kokutsu dachi - back stance
• kiba dachi - side stance
• heisoku dachi - feet-together stance
• hachiji dachi - natural stance
• fudo dachi - (sochin dachi) diagonal straddle-leg stance
• nekoashi dachi - cat-leg stance
• sanchin dachi - hourglass stance
• hangetsu dachi - wide hourglass stance
• kosa dachi - crossed leg stance

Punching (tsuki)

• choku tsuki - straight punch
• kizami tsuki - front punch
• gyaku tsuki - reverse punch
• oi tsuki - step-in punch
• age tsuki - rising punch

Blocking (uke)

• age uke - rising block
• ude uke - outside forearm block
• uchi uke - inside forearm block
• gedan barai - downward block
• shuto uke - knife-hand block
• nagashi uke - soft (sweeping) block
• osae uke - pressing block
• mikazuki uke - crescent kick block
• empi uke - elbow block
• tettsui uke - hammer-fist block
• jyuji uke - crossed arm block

Striking (uchi)

• tettsui uchi - hammer-fist strike
• uraken uchi - backfist strike
• empi uchi - elbow strike (mae, age, yoko, otoshi)
• shuto uchi - knife-hand strike
• nukite uchi - spear-hand strike

Kicking (geri)

• mae geri - front snap kick
• mawashi geri - roundhouse kick
• yoko keage - side snap kick
• yoko kekomi - side thrust kick
• ushiro geri - back thrust kick
• mikazuki geri - crescent kick
• mae kekomi - front thrust kick
• ashi barai - leg sweeping
• fumikomi - stamping kick
• tobi geri - flying kick

Counting

• 1 - ichi
• 2 - ni
• 3 - san
• 4 - shi (yon)
• 5 - go
• 6 - roku
• 7 - shichi
• 8 - hachi
• 9 - ku
• 10 - ju

General Commands

• mokuso - mental preparation
• kamaete - "do the stance" or "do the technique"
• yame - Stop (return to ready position)
• rei - bow
• shomen ni rei - bow to the front (respect for dojo, tradition)
• sensei ni rei - bow to the teacher
• sempai ni rei - bow to the seniors
• otagai ni rei - bow to each other
• yoi - be ready
• hajime - begin
• tsuzukete - continue
• mawatte - turn
• shizentai - return to ready position (natural stance)

Parts of Training

• kihon - basics
• kata - forms
• kumite - sparring

Regions of the body

• jodan - upper body (usually face)
• chudan - middle body (usually solar plexus)
• gedan - lower body

Timings

• aiuchi - simultaneous attack
• sen - early counter
• sen-no-sen - contact just before aiuchi
• go-no-sen - contact just after aiuchi

Other terms

• sensei - teacher
• sempai - senior
• kohai - junior
• do - a way or a path
• karate-do - the karate path toward perfection of character
• osu - greeting and acknowledgement sound
• gi (do-gi) - training uniform
• dojo - training place
• kiai - sound made while focusing
• kime - focus
• hanmi - hips at 45° angle
• heian shodan - name of first kata