Mawashi Uke
廻し受け
Literally: rotating block
A circular karate block that arcs an attack aside and sets up a counter; typical of Goju-ryu, appearing in Shotokan only in advanced kata.
Quick Facts
Katas containing this technique
About
Mawashi uke (廻し受け), literally "circular block," deflects an attack with a circular, drawing motion. One arm's block traces the arc while the other supports it or redirects the opponent's strike. It protects the upper body from the groin to the face, and the deflected attack sets up an immediate counterattack. Unlike hard blocks such as uchi uke or soto uke, which beginners learn, mawashi uke is one of the soft, flowing blocks. In Goju-ryu it appears in many kata, among them Tensho and Gekisai Dai Ichi and Dai Ni, and the style teaches it early as part of close-range self-defence. In Shotokan it appears only in the advanced kata Unsu and is learned long after earning the first dan (shodan).