Mawashi Uke

The mawashi uke is a core component of Gojuryu fighting technique, and is found in the kata Sanchin, Tensho, Gekisai Daini, Saifa and Suparinpei. The basic principles are of the arms blocking in a circular motion, catching and deflecting an oncoming strike while disrupting one opponent's balance, and then striking with a counter-attack having completed the circular movement.

Examples of how to practice and apply mawashi uke will appear in up-coming posts, but the technique must have both the tension and fluidity known in Okinawan as muchimi, as well as involving the entire body - legs, hips and torso - and not just the hands or arms. While the kata nearly always feature the mawashi uke performed with both hands (the exception is Saifa), it can, of course, be executed with either arm separately.