TECHNIQUES
General
	Stances
	Kicks
	Punches
	Techniques
	List by Kata
Combinations
	Basics Set 1
	Basics Set 2

First Set of Basic Techniques

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This set of six basic combinations is practiced during nearly every class. They are designed to provide the student with familiar sequences in which to focus on improving specific basic techniques. Once the combination of moves is comfortable for the student, he/she should concentrate on improving the precision, speed, and power of the techniques.

High-low Defend Sequence

• High-low defend, lower technique, punch
• High-low defend, upper technique, rising punch
• High-low defend, kick, middle technique, middle punch

Double-high Defend Sequence

• Double-high defend, kick, lower technique
• Double-high defend, kick, middle technique
• Double-high defend, double inside

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High-low Defend Sequence

High-low defend is a very important technique in Karate because it serves as both a block and a chamber. The high hand protects your face by applying just enough force to deflect the attack, and the low hand protects your stomach and groin. Generally, the low hand will be the chamber for the middle and upper techniques, and the high hand is the chamber for lower techniques.

High hand:

• Comes directly to the shoulder, just bend your elbow. Do not swing it outward at all, that might pull an attack into your body.
• Travels directly across face like swatting a fly. Ends with palm facing your cheek.
• Entire move should form 90-degree angle at your shoulder: up to shoulder, across face to opposite cheek.

Low hand:

• Presses across body to opposite hip.
• Palm perpendicular to stomach.
• Keep arm nearly straight.

High-low defend, lower technique, middle punch

	Movement	Dir	Stance	Technique
1	45-degree turn clockwise	NE	right walking stance shizentai-dachi	left high-low defend
2	step back right	NE	left long stance zenkutsu-dachi	left lower technique gedan-waza
3	-			right middle punch chudan-zuki

General comments:

• This is the only one of the first six basic techniques in which you pop into walking stance, then step back into long stance.
• When you step back right, step directly backwards. You are already facing north-east.
• Make sure that your middle punch is focused at your solar plexus level (not shoulder level).

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High-low defend, upper technique, rising punch

	Movement	Dir	Stance	Technique
1	45-degree turn clockwise	NE	right walking stance shizentai-dachi	left high-low defend
2	-			right upper technique jodan-waza
3	-			left upper punch jodan-zuki

Check to make sure that your upper technique position is correct:

• Wrist directly in front of forehead, one fist width away.
• Elbow is bent to 90-degree angle.
• Forearm is at 45-degree angle to the floor.

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High-low defend, kick, middle technique, punch

	Movement	Dir	Stance	Technique
1	45-degree turn clockwise	NE	right walking stance shizentai-dachi	left high-low defend
2	-	NE	-	right front snap kick fubuku-geri
3	-	NE	right walking stance shizentai-dachi	right middle technique chudan-waza
4	-	NE	right walking stance shizentai-dachi	left middle punch chudan-zuki

Front Snap Kick:

• Target at waist level for practice. Actual target is femoral artery.
• Flexed foot raises from floor to opposite knee, points as leg is extended, returns to flexed in chamber at opposite knee.
• Don't forget to rechamber at knee after kick, so you can throw another if necessary!

Middle technique:

• Travels in an arc away from your body: from your left hip, up past your face, down to shoulder level.
• Final position: arm at 90-degree angle, fist at shoulder height, directly in front of your shoulder.

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Double-High Defend Sequence

Double-high defend is another useful block and chamber combination. Generally, double high defend serves as a chamber for double hand blocks and strikes, such as knife-hand techniques. When the hands swing backward after double-high defend, imagine that you have trapped an attacker's arm and are pulling someone off balance.

• When you pop a foot back into walking stance, you should be at a 45-degree angle to your attacker.
• Your front hand is the same as your front leg. It moves upward in line with the front side of your body.
• Your back hand moves upward along the center of your body.

Double-high defend, kick, lower technique

	Movement	Dir	Stance	Technique
1	pop left foot back	N	right walking stance shizentai-dachi	right double-high defend
2	-		-	right front snap kick fubuku-geri
3	-		-	hands swing backward to left shoulder
4	place foot down	N	right cat stance nekoashi-dachi	double lower knife-hand technique gedan soto-shuto-uke

Middle technique (double middle knife-hand technique):

• Your forward hand should bisect the center of your face, with wrist at shoulder level.
• Forward elbow is at 90-degree angle.
• Back hand is a fist-width away from your forward elbow.

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Double high defend, kick, middle technique

	Movement	Dir	Stance	Technique
1	shift weight to left foot	N	-	right double high defend and right front snap kick fubuku-geri
2	-	N	-
				hands swing backward to left shoulder
3	place foot down	N	right cat stance nekoashi-dachi	double middle knife-hand technique chudan soto-shuto-uke

General Comments:

• Your hands snap up into double high defend at the same time that your leg comes up for the kick.

Middle technique (double middle knife-hand technique):

• Your forward hand should bisect the center of your face, with wrist at shoulder level.
• Forward elbow is at 90-degree angle.
• Back hand is a fist-width away from your forward elbow.

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Double high defend, double inside

	Movement	Dir	Stance	Technique
1	pop left foot back	N	right walking stance nekoashi-dachi	right double high defend
2	reach right foot forward, heel first	N	-	flare elbows, fists at face
3	pounce forward	N	right walking stance nekoashi-dachi	double inside strike

General comments:

• You should end in walking stance. Do not bring your back foot all the way to your front foot in step 3 of this technique.
• You can target the temples, the neck, or under the ribs with the double inside strike.

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Questions about WSU Karate or about this web page may be sent to Jen White Doom: jen@wsukarate.org.

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