Wa Uke
Literally: circular block
Also known as: Circular block
A circular wiping block with the palm in the Uechi-Ryu style; the first circular blocks appear as early as the basic kata Sanchin.
Quick Facts
Katas containing this technique
About
Wa uke, a circular block, is a technique of Uechi-Ryu. It is not a direct forearm block but a wiping motion of the palm traced in a half-circle before the body; at the end the palm turns slightly outward. In its path it resembles the side block yoko uke, which lands with the forearm instead. Uechi-Ryu has relied on circular movements since its basic kata Sanchin, where, per the Uechi-Ryu Kenkyujo institute, the first circular blocks appear; the body angles Sanchin teaches are, in its view, essential for the style's other techniques and kata. The Czech overview Karate Spektra also lists wa uke in the kata Shinpa. How the name is correctly written in Japanese, we have not been able to document.