Technique of the Week (July 19th, 2009)

Emiliano Mazlen Shihan,

Boston Chinatown Ueshiro Shorin-Ryu Karate Club

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As we learn more advanced blocks, it is important to understand that almost all of our blocks share characteristics with the high, middle and low blocks that we learned as very new white belts.

Almost all high area blocks, including open hand and double (jodan wari uke and jodan kosa uke), end at a height one fist’s distance 45 degree up and out from head - just like joda uke.

Almost all middle area blocks end with the wrist at shoulder height and have a 90 degree angle in the blocking arm – just like chudan soto-uke.

Almost all low blocks, including those to the corner/side (gedan yoko barai uke and otoshi-uke), those that use both hands (sayu barai-uke) and those with open hand, end at the height two fist’s distance above where the knee is in zenkutsu dachi – just like gedan barai uke.

These heights and angles achieve key effects for each blocks, making sure that the entire area under attack has been swept while ending with the arm where it can quickly move to the attack (or block again as necessary).

Domo arigato gozaimasu to all.

Emiliano Mazlen