Crimson Tigers

Since the martial arts first originated in the East, many words used for teaching them are drawn form eastern languages. Here are some of the ones you will hear:

Note: You are expected to know the terms for your rank. No excuses!

Numbers

Blocks (uke)

Strikes (tsuki)

Ichi – one
Ni – two
San – three
Shi – four
Go – five
Roku – six
Hichi – seven
Hachi – eight
Ku – nine
Ju – ten

Gedan barrai – low block
Jodan uke – high block
Soto uke – outside middle block
Uchi uke – inside middle block

Chudan tsuki – middle punch
Gedan tsuki – low punch
Jodan tsuki – high punch
Gyaku tsuki – reverse punch
Oi tsuki – lunge punch
Shita tsuki – straight uppercut
Tate tsuki – upright fist punch
Seiken – basic corkscrew punch
Uraken – backfist
Nukite – finger thrust
Shuto – knifehand

Kicks (geri)

Mae geri – front kick
Mae tobi geri – flying front kick
Mawashi geri – roundhouse kick
Yoko geri – side kick
Yoko tobi geri – flying side kick
Ushiro geri – back kick

Stances (dachi)

Kiyotsuke – attention
Shizen tai – natural stance
Zenkutsu dachi – front stance
Kokutsu dachi – back stance
Kiba dachi – horse stance

Neko ashi dachi – cat stance
Kake dachi – hook or girl foot stance
Sanchin dachi – hourglass or inward tension stance
Shiko dachi – sumo stance
Tsuruashi dachi – crane stance

General Terms

Budo – martial arts
Bushido – way of the warrior
Chokkan – intuition
Dachi – stances
Dan – black belt degree
Dojo – training hall
Empi – elbow
Gi – training uniform
Hajime – start
Hansei – review
Hidari - left

Kata – forms
Kiai – yell of spirit
Kihon – basics
Kime – focus
Kobudo – weapon art
Kyu – belt stages
Makiwara – striking board
Migi – right
“Mizu ne kekuro” – mind like water

Obi – belt
Rei – bow
Seiza – sitting posture

Sensei – black belt instructor
Sempai – senior belt
Shomen – front
Tenshin – body turning
Tsuki – strikes
Uke – blocks
Yame – stop
Yasume – rest
Yoi – ready
Zazen – meditate