Karate Techniques
Karate Techniques: Strikes, Kicks, Blocks and Stances
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Karate names its techniques precisely, which is useful and occasionally misleading. The name tells you the shape. It does not tell you whether your hip arrived with the hand, and that is almost always the thing a grading or a kumite exchange turns on.
The list below uses the common Japanese names with the English alongside, one cue per technique and the mistake that shows up most on film. Styles differ, so treat your instructor as the authority on which version you are being taught. Use this as a checklist for watching yourself back.
Hand strikes
Choku zuki and oi zuki (straight punch, stepping punch)
A straight punch from the hip or shoulder, thrown either from a static stance or with a step.
Cue: Hip and hand finish together. If the hip has already turned, the punch is just an arm.
Common mistake: Pulling the hikite hand back late or loosely, which drains the rotation out of the punch.
Gyaku zuki (reverse punch)
The rear hand punch thrown as the hips rotate over a stable front stance.
Cue: Drive from the rear leg into the floor before the hand travels.
Common mistake: Leaning the head forward past the front knee, which is the usual reason a reverse punch scores nothing.
Uraken and tettsui (backfist, hammerfist)
Snapping strikes on a short arc using the back of the fist or the bottom of the fist.
Cue: Whip from the elbow and recover on the same line, so the strike snaps rather than pushes.
Common mistake: Swinging from the shoulder, which turns a snap into a slap and telegraphs it.
Shuto uchi (knife hand strike)
A strike with the outer edge of the open hand, usually to the neck or collarbone line.
Cue: Fingers tight together and thumb tucked, with the tension arriving only at contact.
Common mistake: A loose open hand that arrives stiff the whole way, which slows the strike and risks the fingers.
Blocks
Age uke (rising block)
A rising forearm block that deflects a strike coming down or in at head height.
Cue: Deflect upward and outward at an angle, rather than lifting straight into the strike.
Common mistake: Blocking with the arm too close to the face, so the force lands on your own guard.
Soto uke and uchi uke (outside and inside block)
Forearm blocks moving outward or inward across the body to clear a mid-level attack.
Cue: Rotate the forearm at the end of the movement, which is where the deflection actually happens.
Common mistake: Reaching across the centre line, which opens the ribs you were trying to cover.
Gedan barai (downward sweep)
A downward sweeping block that clears a low strike or kick away from the body.
Cue: Sweep across and down, finishing above the thigh rather than beside the knee.
Common mistake: Dropping the shoulder with it, which tips your posture and gives away the next position.
Nagashi uke (flowing block)
A redirecting block that guides an attack past you instead of meeting it with force.
Cue: Move your body at the same time as your hand. The block is a position change.
Common mistake: Standing still and using the hand only, which becomes a strength contest you may lose.
Kicks
Mae geri (front kick)
A snapping or thrusting kick straight forward with the ball of the foot.
Cue: Knee lifts to the target line first, then the foot extends and snaps back.
Common mistake: Kicking from the floor without lifting the knee, which telegraphs the kick and limits height.
Mawashi geri (roundhouse kick)
A circular kick with the instep or ball of the foot, usually to body or head height.
Cue: Pivot the support foot fully before impact, so the hip can turn over.
Common mistake: A flat support foot, which caps the kick short and puts a twisting load on the knee.
Yoko geri (side kick)
A kick delivered sideways with the heel or the outside edge of the foot.
Cue: Turn the hip over so the heel leads and the toes point down and away.
Common mistake: Kicking while facing the target, which turns a side kick into a weak angled push.
Ushiro geri (back kick)
A kick driven backwards with the heel, usually after turning away from the opponent.
Cue: Look over your shoulder before the leg fires, and keep the kick on a straight line.
Common mistake: Spinning fully and losing sight of the opponent, which is the moment you get countered.
Stances
Zenkutsu dachi (front stance)
A long stance with the front knee bent over the foot and roughly 70 percent of the weight forward.
Cue: Front knee over the ankle and rear leg straight but not locked.
Common mistake: The rear heel lifting, which breaks the connection to the floor that the stance exists for.
Kokutsu dachi (back stance)
A stance with most of the weight on the rear leg and the feet roughly at right angles.
Cue: Hips sit down and back, with the spine upright rather than leaning away.
Common mistake: Leaning the torso back to fake the weight distribution instead of bending the rear knee.
Kiba dachi (horse stance)
A wide, even stance with both knees bent outward and the weight split equally.
Cue: Press the knees outward and keep the tailbone under you.
Common mistake: Knees collapsing inward, which loads the joints and removes the stability you are training.
Shizentai and fighting stance
Natural and free-fighting stances used in kumite, narrower and more mobile than kata stances.
Cue: Stay light enough to move on either foot at any moment.
Common mistake: Carrying kata stance depth into sparring, which is stable and far too slow.
FAQ
Karate technique questions.
- The basic karate techniques are the straight punch and reverse punch, the four main blocks (rising, inside, outside and downward sweep), the front, roundhouse and side kicks, and the core stances such as front stance and back stance. Those make up kihon, the basics practised in every class regardless of style.
- A reverse punch usually fails to score because the head travels forward ahead of the hip, so the punch arrives as a reach instead of a rotation. Film a few exchanges from the side and check whether your head passes your front knee before the hand lands, which is the frame that tells you.
- Yes, mmaGPT reviews karate video and returns timestamped notes on each technical mistake plus a drill for it, usually in 30 to 45 seconds, from a clip filmed on your phone. It works on kihon, kata and kumite footage, and it is meant as a second set of eyes between classes rather than a replacement for your instructor.
Get one clip checked.
Film a 20 to 60 second clip on your phone with your whole body in frame, upload it in the browser, and in about 30 to 45 seconds mmaGPT returns timestamped notes on what went wrong plus a drill to fix it. It is a second set of eyes between classes, not a replacement for your coach. First session free, no card needed.