Chudan uke (primary movement)

The primary movement in the basic chest level block or deflection of karate in both its goju-ryu and shorin-ryu incarnations as practised in the Academy of Traditional Fighting Arts (see http://www.dandjurdjevic.blogspot.com . and http://www.traditionalfightingarts.com).

See in particular: http://dandjurdjevic.blogspot.com/2010/06/chudan-uke-to-spiral-or-not-to-spir....

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• chudan
• uke
• karate
• goju
• shorin
• muidokan
• chest
• block
• deflection
• parry

[CylonMATRIX]

I trained in Goju back in '85 & then in '95-'97. I found chudan uke most difficult to understand as a functioning technique.

The way we trained was more like a wing chun chisao (sticky hands) and involved a turning of the forearm. The blocking motion was a deep U shape from left to right or vice versa.

Btw, I'm from Singapore so the Chinese influence here is deep and much of our understanding naturally goes back to Chinese kungfu.

[dandjurdjevic]

@CylonMATRIX I suggest you read my article "Chudan uke: to spiral or not to spiral".  You'll find the link at the very end of the information for this video.

[dandjurdjevic]

@dandjurdjevic Basically, you can use the turn of the forearm, but that is a very different technique from the non-turning forearm.  A deep "U" is problematic; you don't want any more movement than is necessary. You want to intercept the punch using movement that is as direct as possible. If you dip into a low "U", you'll cope the hit before you know it.

[SuperUnbeliever]

I like this way of practising the goju version, looks like what Bruce Lee would call an interception, rather than a block

[dandjurdjevic]

Indeed - "block" is a misnomer. It is a deflection or interception.

[dandjurdjevic]

Yes - the shorin version is faster, but it relys on very specific positioning where the Naha te version can be used to intercept the attack from many more positions. And I regard the Naha te version as a "fundamental movement" that all karateka should have - it serves as a springboard to understanding so many other movements, particularly in the internal arts.

[thecj29]

I find the Shorin version faster. To me the chudan block is hard to do, the hardest for me at least. Have you ever heard of this?

[MutsuKazuma]

goju is all about double blocks where are they? slowing down with the non blocking hand leading the path wit hthe actual blocking hand

[dandjurdjevic]

Indeed. Have a look at my other videos where I cover such applications.

[Jaypeef]

nice bunkai. Also, it can be used as a breaking move, not a blocking move. Think of the front hand as the blocking hand, and the Chudan Uke hand (rear) as a breaking or striking hand.