Zen Budokai Aiki Jujitsu White Belt Techniques

Question 1

Zenkutsu Dachi

Answer 1

Forward stance, leading leg is bent so knee covers all but the big toe in your visual field, back straight, feet shoulder width apart, feet facing forward (feet on railroad tracks)

Question 2

Kiba Dachi

Answer 2

Horse stance, knees bent, feet forward, feet a little more than shoulder width apart

Question 3

Kokutsu Dachi

Answer 3

A forward stance, leading leg is bent, back foot perpendicular to direction of the front, should be able to lift front foot up easily to kick

Question 4

Neko Dachi

Answer 4

A.K.A cat stance, a short stance, similar to kokutsu dachi except the leading foot is drawn in and the heel is slightly lifted from the ground

Question 5

Karate Hand

Answer 5

In general, karate techniques should end with a snap, a quick, and in some cases slightly circular exertion of force applied in the last moment of the strike. A key concept to remember is the use of efficient motions for the most economical use of energy. Breathe out when striking.

Question 6

Tsuki

Answer 6

Karate punch, practiced in a kiba dachi stance- aiming for the sternum of your opponent. Utilizes the fist-knuckles of the pointer and middle fingers, again the last-minute snap is what makes this technique effective.

Question 7

Shuto

Answer 7

A strike with the side of the hand. In practice, Kiba dachi stance, as one hand strikes the other is brought to the waist in a fist (like tsuki), then raises to your ear before striking with that hand while the other hand withdraws to the waist in a fist.

Question 8

Uraken

Answer 8

Practiced in kiba dachi stance, non-striking hand covers strking hand at the sternum, striking out to the side with the back of the fist, utilizing the same knuckles as tsuki, look towards your target.

Question 9

Tettsui

Answer 9

A stepping hammer strike with the little finger side of the meaty part of the fist, step with opposite foot of striking fist. Non-striking hand withdraws in a fist to the waist

Question 10

Nukite

Answer 10

Finger gouge to the eyes, practiced in kiba dachi, on hand at a time.

Question 11

Shotei

Answer 11

Palm strike, kiba dachi stance, practiced like tsuki and shuto

Question 12

Hiji

Answer 12

Elbow smash, step and strike similar to hiji except utalizing the volar outter elbow, striking arm is parallel to the ground, move through the target

Question 13

Haisu

Answer 13

Finger knuckle strike/jab, hand looks similar to shotei except wrist hand and arm are straight, practiced like tsuki excpet striking with the finger-knuckles

Question 14

Koko

Answer 14

Hands positioned in a choking, grabbing type gesture but open, practiced like tsuki

Question 15

Gedan Barai

Answer 15

Low block, extend arm downward, stepping forward, should move only slightly past the knee, ending in a zenkutsu dachi

Question 16

Age Uke

Answer 16

Kiba dachi stance for practice, rising block, designed for a glancing blow (by sword), blocking arm should raise above your head high enough so that an impact won’t cause the blocking arm to smack back into your own head, the oncoming blow should glance off the volar forearm near the ulna. In practice, the blocking arm comes from the “inside“ and the withdrawing arm moves to the waist in a “palm-up” fist (like tsuki)

Question 17

Juji Uke

Answer 17

Low block stepping back into a zenkutsu dachi, arms cross to form a X, striking down, used to block a low kick, hands should be fists, palms facing toward your own body. Do not hunch over, back straight and be aware of your surroundings.

Question 18

Nagashi Uke

Answer 18

Avoiding a straight line punch, not a slap-away, only using your hand as a check on your opponent’s punch, looking at the punch (this is a set up for other techniques)

Question 19

Shuto Uke

Answer 19

Stepping to the inside of the opponents straight line punch, and striking your opponent’s bicep with a shuto hand, hand and arm should not recoil, remain down. Technique utilizes the quick snap at the end of the motion as in other karate techniques

Question 20

Gedan Ulna Uke

Answer 20

Low block, stepping back into a zenkutsu dachi, blocking with ulna, almost as if you meant to punch the inside of your own knee

Question 21

Ude Uke

Answer 21

“Drawing the sword” block, Kiba dachi stance, blocking arm is extended slightly, but elbow is still bent, hands in fists but palm up, blocking hand is to the outside of the withdrawing hand (opposite from age uke) which ends in a fist by the waist (same as age uke

Question 22

Soto Ude Uke

Answer 22

Ude uke stepping to the outside, more motion involved

Question 23

Shotei Uke

Answer 23

Similar in stance to juji uke or gedan ulna uke, a shotei aimed down (palm heal block)

Question 24

Soto Shuto Uke

Answer 24

Shuto hand, block stepping to the outside similar to soto ude uke

Question 25

Mae Geri

Answer 25

Front kick, striking with the upper palm of the foot, kick through the opponent. In practice, the back is straight and shoulders square, ending in a zenkutsu dachi with each kick forward

Question 26

Yoko Geri

Answer 26

Side kick, striking with a bladed foot. In practice, stance is roughly a kokutsu dachi, the back non-kicking foot is generally pointing away from the kick. Kick can be of varying heights, one key in this technique is the “jacking” of the leg before the kick

Question 27

Mawashi Geri

Answer 27

Karate round house kick. If stepping left then kick right and vice versa. Can also hop step up with back foot for a mawashi geri meant to antagonize.

Question 28

Ushiro Geri

Answer 28

Back kick, striking with the heel. If standing in a left kokutsu dachi, look back over your right shoulder and kick with the right leg, easiest if practiced with a target.

Question 29

Fumi Komi

Answer 29

A foot stomp, in theory, striking with your heel to the meta-tarsals in your opponent’s foot effectively shattering it

Question 30

Haito

Answer 30

Groin strike, wind mill striking arm and step forward with the opposite foot

Question 31

Osoto Gari

Answer 31

Step past the opponent with left leg, driving forward and locking shoulders, right foot shoots through the opponent’s legs and popping up, off-balancing the opponent.

Question 32

Ogoshi

Answer 32

Step in with the right foot as you pull your opponent hard with your left arm, right arm is around opponent’s waist, pivot and corkscrew down

Question 33

Seoi Nage

Answer 33

Step in with the right foot as you pull your opponent hard with your left arm, right arm is locked into the opponents lapel in a fist- uppercut-like shape, keep elbows in, pivot and corkscrew down

Question 34

Kubi Nage (Koshi Guruma)

Answer 34

Step in with the right foot as you pull your opponent hard with your left arm, right arm is around opponents neck almost like a headlock, pivot and corkscrew down

Question 35

Maki Komi

Answer 35

Step in with the right foot as you pull your opponent hard with your left arm, right arm is across opponent’s left shoulder, arm extended upward slightly, pivot and corkscrew down

Question 36

Deashi Harai

Answer 36

Both uke and tori begin in left zenkutsu dachi, tori forces the uke back three steps, uke then begins to step forward, tori sweeps the uke’s right foot before it reaches the ground

Question 37

Kosoto Gari

Answer 37

Stiff arm into uke’s left shoulder while cross stepping in front of the uke, while off balance the tori sweeps the uke’s feet from behind

Question 38

Ouchi Gari

Answer 38

To the outside. A small step in with the right foot, left leg closes the gap and creates a sort of mini foot jack, right leg and right arm swing uke to the right and down

Question 39

Kouchi Gari

Answer 39

Step up with right foot, to align your body perpendicular to the uke’s body. Second step in with the left leg is accompanied by an off balancing push into the uke, right arm should go around the uke, while off balance your right foot sweeps the uke’s left foot (their right)

Question 40

Kesa Nage

Answer 40

Step in with the right foot as you pull your opponent hard with your left arm, right arm is sinched under uke’s right armpit (their left), pivot and corkscrew down