Terminology

One to the unique things about Isshin Ryu is the use of the vertical fist when punching. Most Karate Styles predominantly use the classical twist (horizontal) punch, striking with the knuckles of the fore finger and the index finger. In Japaneses this is "seiken tsuki" (two knuckle punch). Many Karate Styles also use the vertical punch or "tate tsuki".

As Isshin Ryu does not use the horizontal punch, we refer to our punches as "seiken tsuki", however to be correct it should be "seiken tate tsuki".

When specifying a technique it is normal to state the level, then the movement (if required) and then the technique i.e. chudan oi tsuki = stomach lunge punch.

Finally, the Internet is a treasure trove of information, but here are a few things to be aware of as far as Karate Terminology goes:

Sometime techniques are written with a hyphen, sometimes not
i.e. oi tsuki or oi-tsuki (we use the hyphen)
There are sometimes a number of terms for a particular technique
i.e Crane stance : tsuru-no-iwa-dachi or tsuru-ashi-dachi or gankaku-dachi
Sometimes "words" are left out of a technique
i.e. jodan uke or jodan age-uke
Sometimes a particular word is used for different techniques in different Styles
(we'll let you discover those, its part of the fun!)

So the following is by no means a definitive list.

Levels

Head (upper) jodan 上段

Stomach (middle) chudan 中段

Groin (lower) gedan 下段

English

Strikes

Punch

Lunge Punch

Reverse punch

Jab punch

Roundhouse punch

Vertical back fist

Side back fist

Hammer fist

Palm heel strike

Finger strike

Knife hand strike

Reverse knife hand strike

Ridge hand strike

Upper elbow strike

Round elbow strike

Pronounciation

Strikes

Tsuki

Oi-tsuki

Gyaku-tsuki

Kizami-tsuki

Mawashi-zuki

uraken-uchi

yoko uraken-uchi

tettsui-uchi

teisho-uchi

nukite-tsuki

shuto-uchi

gyaku-shuto-uchi

haito-uchi

hiji ate-uchi

mawashi empi-uchi

Kanji

Strikes

突き

追い突き

逆突き

刻み突き

回し突き

裏拳打ち

横裏拳打ち

鉄槌打ち

手掌打ち

抜手打ち

手刀打ち

逆手刀打ち

打刀打ち

肘揚当て

回し猿臂打ち

Blocks

Rising head block

Middle inside block

Middle outside block

Down groin block

Double block

Open hand palm forward block

(with grab and pull)

Hooking block,

(open hand palm forward)

Hooking block,

(open hand palm backward)

Pressing (cover) down block

Sweeping down block

X-block

Double open hand side block

Mountain block

Foot sweep

Knee block

Blocks

jodan age-uke

chudan uchi-uke

chudan soto-uke

gedan-barai

chuge-uke

tegata-barai

hiki-uke

kake-uke

osae uke

nagashi-uke

juji-uke

Morote-soe-uke

yama-uke

ashi-barai

hiza-uke

Blocks

上段上げ受け

中段内受け

中段外受け

用意

中下受け

手形払い

引き受け

懸け受け

抑え受け

流し受け

諸手添受

山受け

足払い

膝受け

Kicks

Front snap kick

Heel or trust kick

Knee kick

Cross over heel stomp

Side kick

Side squat kick

Knee smash

Back kick

Roundhouse kick

Hook kick

Crescent kick

Jumping kick

Front jumping kick

Side jumping kick

Kicks

mae-geri

mae-konate

soba-geri (aka. sokuto-geri)

soba-konate (aka. fumikomi-geri)

yoko-geri

otoshi-geri

hiza-geri

ushiro-geri

mawashi-geri

kake-geri

mikazuki-geri

tobi-geri

mae-tobi-geri

yoko-tobi-geri

Kicks

前蹴り

前蹴り当て

足刀蹴り

踏み込み蹴り

横蹴り

落とし蹴り

膝蹴り

後ろ蹴り

回し蹴り

懸蹴り

三日月蹴り

飛び蹴り

前飛び蹴り

横飛び蹴り

Stances

Parallel(ready) stance

Feet together stance

Heels together stance

Front stance

Horse stance

Forward stance

Hourglass stance

Back leaning stance

Cat stance

Crane stance

Straddle stance

Hooked leg stance

Stances

heiko-dachi

heisoku-dachi

musubi-dachi

seisan-dachi

shiko-dachi (aka. seiunchin-dachi)

zenkutsu-dachi

sanchin-dachi

kokutsu-dachi

neko-ashi-dachi

tsuru-ashi-dachi

naihanchi-dachi (aka. uchi-hachji-dachi)

kosa-dachi

Stances

平行立ち

閉足立ち

結び立ち

十三立ち

四股立ち

前屈立ち

三戦立ち

後屈立ち

猫足立ち

鶴足立ち

内歩進立ち

交差立ち

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