Uraken Mawashi Uchi
Literally: circular back-fist strike
Also known as: Backfist circular strike
A circular back-fist strike to the head, driven by a whip of the elbow and wrist; in Shotokan it is in Gankaku, Heian Yondan and Kanku Dai.
Quick Facts
⚠️ Common Mistakes
A common mistake is a bent wrist on impact, which drains power and risks injury. The second is failing to snap the arm quickly back (hikite), which leaves the guard open.
Katas containing this technique
About
Uraken mawashi uchi, in English backfist circular strike to the head, is a strike with the back of the fist delivered in an arc to the face, landing with the index and middle knuckles (uraken), targeting the upper level (jodan). The arm is not fully extended: the wider circular path is created by a whip of the elbow followed by the wrist. Compared with the more direct and faster uraken shomen ganmen uchi, this strike relies more on surprise and angle of attack than on pure speed. In the Shotokan kata (JKA numbering) it is the 27th, 31st, 35th and 41st movement in Gankaku, the 6th and 9th in Heian Yondan, and the 11th, 27th, 30th and 52nd in Kanku Dai.