U

Uchiai no ri [打ち合い の 利]

The characters/ideograms and kana mean  "the principle of combat." The first set of characters, i.e. the first four, means, "exchange of blows; long rally." The first character means, "strike; hit; knock; pound; dozen," that the third character means, "fit; suit; join; 0.1." The character [の] is a particle that indicates possessive, etc. The last character/ideogram means, "advantage; benefit; profit; interest."

The idea of combat can be expressed in several forms Japanese, i.e. Shobu, Tatakai, Uchi ai (our term/phrase here), shiai. Shobu is an idea regarding either victory of defeat. Tatakai is an idea regarding the idea of fighting or facing one another in a confrontation, i.e. conflict of sorts be it verbal or to the extreme life and death. Uchi ai in regards to an idea of an exchange of blows often by empty hand but can be blows applied with weapons. The final one, shiai, regards the idea of meeting mutually for a test of skill or art. It is frequently used to denote martial arts sports competitions.

Ugoki [動き]

The characters/kana/ideogram mean "movement; activity; trend; development; change." The character by itself means, "move; motion; change; confusion; shift; shake."

The one constant of martial arts that is the one constant of nature, the universe, is movement. Even a flower with its roots firmly planted in the soil is constantly moving but in an indiscernible way.  The plant is constantly moving up toward the stars and is rotating and rising every single moment. We as humans are best served by nature, the universe and in martial arts by the one constant fundamental of movement.

Movement creates power, it makes for a moving target, it provides a means to keep the mind in motion vs. the freeze. It is that which must be constant in the application of martial arts to master the art itself. Any stationary posture denigrates and reduces the effectiveness of the martial arts. Stationary makes a martial artist a stationary target.

Constant movement is not just physical. It is mental as well since movement also provides changes that the mind has to observe, orient and then decide let alone act so movement keeps their mind moving and tracking vs. acting on the act so movement is critical in strategy and tactics - a constant movement is positive and should be a fundamental training requirement.

Ugoku meiso [動く瞑想]

The characters/ideograms mean "moving meditation." The first character means, "move; motion; change; confusion; shift; shake," the second character means, "sleep; dark; close eyes."

Although more apropos to Chinese Chi-Gong/Tai Chi Chuan karate kata are subject of the various principles that promote meditative states of being. It is a matter of body alignment and structure as applied to movement that is controlled by breathing, awareness and focus on the moment, the present moment of the move and the body/mind connections. It is a breathing, physical and mental training method promoting health, fitness and well-being of both mind and body.

The movement of kata is fluid, a choreographed set of patterns and rhythms, and a visualization that keeps the mind focused on the present moment. It also involves holding kamae/postures for periods of time such as sitting seiza during dojo mokuso. Ugoku meiso is most often practiced through kata, both singular and partner based. It is a form of self-cultivation and training for martial arts.

Uke [受け] -n- Tori [取り]

An "uke" is one who receives or the receiver of technique (i.g. in martial arts). It is also used to mean "popularity; favor; favor; reception; defense; defence; reputation; agreement; submissive partner of a homosexual relationship (usually written using kana along).

A "tori" is one who gives or the giver of technique (e.g. in martial arts). It's literal meanings are, "key performer; active partner (e.g. in judo demonstration). It has been adopted in karate circles when either demonstrations or training of kata and/or jiyu-kobo.

It is often taught and utilized in more advanced practitioners where the role is like the flow of the yin-yang where either person can quickly change the role from uke to tori to uke and so forth.

uke-tori is of similar nature as to comrade or dojo relations of senpai-kohai. Often the tori is senior while the uke is junior and the exchange is mutually beneficial where the senpai trains on his abilities and the kohai learns from the senpai while teaching him/her self to use karate waza coupled with strategies and tactics, etc. A very complex association within a dojo/training hall.

Not to be mixed up with Torii, a Shinto shrine archway.

Go forward and receive actively. Karate, traditional, uke is to advance forward while receiving. A difficult concept that is often assumed to be only about receiving from Tori, i.e. the exchange of techniques as pair drills. This is one concept of training and practice yet is not the full meaning and understanding of the art of “Uke.”

When you improve and master receiving the attack or counter attacks will improve as well. Uke is also considered the strength to attack/counter attack, and that is why Uke and Attacking/Counter Attacking are inseparable, i.e., Uke/Yin-Yang/Attack, etc.

It is also about the parable or karate koan that to be focused on “Winning” is different from training to “NOT LOSE” and not losing is about receiving, Uke. Uke is a skill in traditional karate and like many aspects it is an important foundation that traditional karate is built upon.

“When one is only thinking of winning - that is why one has no style of their own.” Receiving requires one maintain calmness while receiving an adversaries attack. Learning the true nature of “Uke” is one of the hard obstacles all karate-ka have to overcome and that is often equated toward one’s ultimate adversary/opponent - the self.

Learning to receive is what makes for traditional karate. To practice uke is to pair up and utilize each’s ability and technique. Each has to read the others forms of attack and then properly receive them. An indication that one is utilizing uke properly is upon attack the receiver should never have to back down or away from that attack. This indicates the proponent is properly receiving the adversaries attack.

Improper receiving often explains why karate-ka upon exercising their skills tend to resort to techniques that are not of the system of karate, they tend to fail at an adversary because they still think they have to “Win.” When winning is there one tends to forget uke and proper receiving with proper counters with the desire to get in and hit, strike or kick the body of the adversary. One should focus on receiving the adversaries attacks and the counters, attacks, etc., will come naturally.

When one thinks of style, the tendency is to think of the system itself such as “Uechi Ryu or Goju Ryu” when actually the style is the application of the karate, the creation of a person own movements, etc., as a result of receiving. This loss of style opens the doors so that the adversary is able to “Not Lose.”

In order to train adequately in receiving there are other concepts one must learn to perform, learn and become proficient in uke. It is learning how to tell actions from observing an adversaries “Body hubs.” The hubs to observe when being attacked are the shoulders and the hips. By observing the hubs you see the attack be it hand or foot, regardless of the technique, coming way before it gets to you.

If you master seeing the attacks before they attack using body hubs then you can fine tune your ability to receive an adversaries attack. This gives you an edge to see those actions before they reach across the distance

Uke-rei [受礼]; Okuri-rei [与礼]

Uke-rei [受礼] ("receiving bow") and the Okuri-rei [与礼] ("bestowed bow")

Uke-rei and Okuri-rei are two wheels on the same axle, the in-yo or yin-yang relationship that must exist in any budo oriented martial system. The kohai is properly grateful for instruction; the senpai must be equally grateful at having kohai and senpai that surround them with a dedication to carrying on the art or way of the system. This relationship carries over to other designations such as the sensei-deshi relationship.

The dojo to remain in connection to budo uses a hierarchical system that is still vital to all budo dojo. It is based on a system that uses etiquette to remind practitioners of concomitant obligations to the sensei based on the consistent values within budo.

It is a means of both greeting others and an acknowledgement that has been a part of budo for centuries where they are deeply rooted in feudalism, as is many aspects of the culture in Asia, i.e. Japan, Okinawan and China. It is these roots - bowing as one form that maintains a connection to the historical past of budo - that keep budo alive.

Rei, bowing, is a means to convey both feelings and attitudes that are not readily demonstrate by the western handshake or other form of westernized greeting. Dave Lowry writes, "the implications of a bow properly done have far greater significance than as a greeting or acknowledgment. Learning to do it correctly is an essential step in following the Way." - Dave Lowry article "Bowing: Ojirei." http://www.koryu.com/library/dlowry16.html

Historical: Bowing etiquette copied local custom. (Ryu that originated in rural areas can sometimes be distinguished by their bows. Because they trained outside, where sitting formally on muddy, rough ground would have been impractical, these ryu might opt for a bow from a squatting position.)

Ritsu-rei [立礼], Zarei [座礼]; the two dominant forms that are practiced in most martial systems. The following are excerpts redacted from the article by Dave Lowry that provide the practitioner with another art form that will provide the mind, body and spirit additional physical and mental training practices that tie them to the ancient etiquette's that drive the cultures that gave us martial arts including influences of the Chinese to both Okinawans and Japanese.

Some tidbits of information to keep in mind while practicing the art of Okirei through reishiki:

Let the hands dangle naturally. If you are standing, allow them to slide, palms down along the sides of your thighs. Seated, the hands go from your thighs down to the ground in front of you.

Lower your torso as smoothly as possible taking physical attributes into consideration. Pause, then straighten at the same speed. The back of your neck should be close to the same plane as your spine when you bow. The spine remains as straight as possible so the head and neck should be naturally aligned throughout the effort. Bowing to one another should take place with proper distancing. Both should be far enough away from the other person so you can bow correctly and still keep them in your peripheral vision.

When standing, the distancing is only close enough to the person so that you can see his feet if you are both standing.

When bowing in the dojo to seniors the bow is appropriate when it is held longer in position at its lowest point than the senior your bowing to. The formal bow has a specific degree when standing, i.e. ritsu-rei, which is approximately forty-five degrees. A medium bow is approximately a thirty degree angle which is used when greeting and/or meeting seniors. Either or the formal and medium can be used to greet seniors. Check with the dojo.

See also: http://isshindo.blogspot.com/2012/01/blog-post.html

Sitting Seiza: a sitting position on the floor with the lower legs bent fully under the thighs; hands on the thighs, the left hand moves down to the floor first, then the right, then comes a bow with one's forehead placed approximately over a triangle formed by the thumbs and forefingers of both hands spread out. Coming up from the bow the order is reversed; the right hand moves back to the thigh, then the left.

The rationale for the sequence is putatively martial. Performing the bow in such a way, assuming one is wearing a sword thrust through the sash on the left side of the body, keeps the right hand and arm free and unencumbered as much as possible. the hands flat on the floor but close enough so one's head is over them while prostrating ensures they can be brought into use quickly.

In the dojo one would bow using zarei as follows: shinzen ni rei" (bow to the kamidana or front of the dojo), "sensei ni rei" (bow to the teacher), or "otagai ni rei" (bow to one another). One also bows when entering or leaving the training area or to a partner before and after the practice.

Assuming Seiza: Seiza actually begins with kneeling. from a standing position, the left knee drops first. This kneeling starts with you standing, both heels touching. you move one foot back just slightly before you kneel--the foot moving being the one farthest away from either whatever senior person is in the room or, depending on where you are in the room, relative to the kamidana.

As the right knee touches, you squat back, resting your buttocks on your heels. Your toes at this point are all folded away from your foot and not lying flat on the floor. This posture is called kiza. Kiza is the position, in the days of the samurai, in which the warrior most often kept himself when sitting formally. For seiza, it is an intermediary step. After you are in kiza, your toes are straightened back again, and once they are flat on the floor, you settle back on them, sitting so both heels are squarely below each buttock, feet folded over so the big toes of one cross over those of the other.

You have to practice this until each step flows into the next. It is not easy to do. In the Ogasawara tradition, a sheet of paper is sometimes laid down just ahead of where your knees touch the floor and you are required to kneel so smoothly and quietly that the paper doesn't move from any air you might stir up.

Once you are seated, your posture will need some adjusting. Do not slump. Do not sit so erect your belly presses forward. Don't stick your chin out. Tuck in your chin. Hands belong on your thighs.

Keep both arms at your sides, with just enough pressure to imagine you are cradling eggs against your armpits: hold them tight enough to keep from falling, not so tight the shells are crushed. The knees are placed just far enough apart so you would have enough room to place your fists, side by side, between them if you are a male; closer if you are a female. Drop your shoulders. Drop them some more. Consciously try to take any stiffness out of your shoulders and let them come down from your spine.

Concentrate on the alignment of your head and shoulders and limit yourself at first to a few minutes in the position. Try it on carpet or a rug at first. Over time, seiza will become more natural for you.

Leaving Seiza: Rise back up to kiza. Then shuffle your right leg forward so the ball of your right foot rests on the ground, toes bent, at a level right next to the bottom of your left calf. From here, you rise straight up. Try it facing a wall about a foot or so in front of you. If you are standing correctly, you should not bump the wall with your knee or anything else.

This art form, this practice, results in a great deal to make your body more supple and disciplined and amenable to the demands of budo.

This term is part of a pair of terms, i.e. uke-rei and okuri-rei, that are symbolic of the relationship one acquires and develops over time training in martial arts such as karate-goshin-do. It is what makes budo, Budo. Much like the inherent need for humans to band together in groups for survival this is a banding together at a deep level for survival that is both in a group and a singular way.

It is a fluid way for two persons to provide an intense training and practice model that takes them both to a level that relates to real combatives, to conflict and to the civil art of self-defense or self-protection. It is the only sure way to train and practice toward reality and the balance remains tenuous so that each person has to work diligently to remain balance between to little ineffectual training and practice to the opposite of to brutal and dominant training and practice.

Undō kankaku [運動感覚]  

The characters/ideograms mean "kinesthetic sense; kinesthetic; kinesthesia; kinesthesia." The first character means, "carry; luck; destiny; fate; lot; transport; progress; advance," the second character means, "move; motion; change; confusion; shift; shake," the third character means, "emotion; feeling; sensation," the fourth character means, "memorize; learn; remember; awake; sober up."

Kinesthetics in the martial arts deals with the sensation of the bodies balance and position. This is not simply knowing where your body is but a sensation felt through a tactile manner the position of the body as well as sensing the balance as it shifts from one moment and movement to another moment and movement.

It is sensing that your feet are in a good solid kamae without seeing it but rather like a sixth sense that you can feel it within your body that you are in a proper position. It is sensing proper body alignment and structure without having to consciously seek out whether it is or not.

It is sensing by touch and feel, etc. where your adversary is in relation to your body and position along with a sixth sense knowing when the adversary's body is within the boundaries of balance and stability or when it is outside those boundaries.

It is a means by which you sense things as if you had no eyes and no ears by which to see and hear. This is what I am trying to mean when I use the term "undo kankaku" in martial arts. It is a feel for yours and your opponents balance and position of body.

Unsei handan [運勢判断]

The characters/ideograms mean "fortune-telling." The first character means, "carry; luck; destiny; fate; lot; transport; progress; advance," the second character means, "forces; energy; military strength," the third character means, "judgement; signature; stamp; seal," the fourth character means, "severance; decline; refuse; apologize; warn; dismiss; prohibit; decision; judgement; cutting."

Uraniwa Dojo [裏庭道場]

The characters/ideograms mean "back yard; rear garden; dojo (hall used for martial arts training)." The first character means, "back; amidst; in; reverse; inside; palm; sole; rear; lining; wrong side," the second character means, "courtyard; garden; yard, " the third character means, "road-way; street; district; journey; course; moral; teachings," the fourth character means, "location; place."

The term is used to describe the traditional Okinawan dojo for karate training and practice. As can be readily seen in pictures from the early 1900's the training for karate occurred most often outside in the proverbial back yard, garden or sometimes adjacent to the family burial tombs.

Tatsuo-san trained Marines in Isshinryu in his yard. It was his front yard or it could have been his back yard depending on which dojo at what time. The point here is traditionally Okinawan's trained in a variety of places that were mostly out doors. Uraniwa dojo is what I refer to as the back yard dojo. Often the more traditional sensei will have training in their back yard or they will build a dojo of a type in the back yard resulting in what is called the "Uraniwa dojo."

Uraniwa dojo or back yard training hall or place was more common in the early days and years of karate in the west. You will find dojo in one's garage, in a patio like dojo, i.e. a flat surface with a trellis style overhead and open sides, i.e. a back yard patio dojo if you will.

Ushiro geri [後蹴 or 後ろ蹴り]; back kick heel of foot

The first two characters/ideograms mean "back kick." The first character means, "behind; back; later," the second character means, "kick." The second set characters/ideograms mean also "back kick" with the kana to accentuate, if you will, the two original characters to mean back kick. I suggest that my theory is the Isshinryu dojo Marines or Military added on the heel of the foot but it may not have been necessary as a back kick naturally relies on the heel to make contact with the target.

Utate ken [転拳]

The characters/ideograms mean "rotate fist." The first character means, "revolve; turn around; change," the second character means, "fist."

Utate-ken is the rotating or twisting fist used in karate.