Exploring Mawashi Uke: A Circular Block with Hidden Depth

In our dojo, the students were recently set a simple but valuable challenge: research a different uke technique and demonstrate it in class. I chose to explore Mawashi Uke — the circular-style block often associated with Goju Ryu — and to look at how it can be applied in practical self‑defence. My son helped me demonstrate the variations in the accompanying video.

Although Mawashi Uke isn’t native to my own style, Shorin Ryu, it appears in several Okinawan systems. In Goju Ryu it forms part of the foundational kata Sanchin, while in our Shorin Ryu kata Naihanchi it is often interpreted as an outside block followed by a double block. But when you look more closely at the mechanics, the movement reveals a much richer application.

To show how deeply the technique is embedded within Goju‑ryu, it can be found from Sanchin, through Tensho, Saifa, Seiyunchin, Seipai, Kururunfa, all the way to the most advanced kata, Suparinpei.

Beyond Blocking: The “Parry Pass” Concept

Rather than thinking of Mawashi Uke as a static block, it becomes far more effective when viewed as a “parry–pass” sequence:

·         The first hand parries the incoming strike.

·         The second hand passes or sweeps the attacking arm outward, taking control of it.

This two‑stage motion redirects energy, disrupts balance, and creates immediate openings. When combined with a quarter turn of the body, the technique extends the aggressor’s arm and exposes their back — a position that offers multiple follow‑ups.

Specific Techniques Demonstrated

The specific techniques I demonstrated were variations on this parry–pass and quarter‑turn principle. These included: a Pass Parry with a quarter turn into an arm bar applied by the parrying arm, followed by a kick to the head and a drag‑rotate motion on the arm to perform a drag‑down; a Pass Parry and quarter turn into an arm bar or shoulder control, followed by a stomping kick to the rear of the knee; and finally, a Parry Pass with a quarter turn into arm extension and shoulder control, stepping in front with the leg closest to the opponent before pushing down on the back of the head and dragging the arm to execute a throw over that leg.

See the Technique in Action

For those who prefer to see the movements demonstrated, the full video is available here:

Mawashi Uke - Circular Block

The video follows the same structure as this article, showing the Sanchin and Naihanchi interpretations, the parry–pass mechanism, and the three applied examples.

Why This Exploration Matters

Cross‑training concepts like Mawashi Uke helps deepen our understanding of kata, body mechanics, and the shared roots of Okinawan karate. Even when a technique isn’t central to our own style, studying it expands our options and sharpens our ability to interpret movement under pressure.

Thank you for reading.

REY 25/02/2026

Acts of Habitual Violence

Violence rarely arrives as a surprise. It builds in small, predictable steps — the same steps I was taught to recognise first as a security officer, and later, from a very different angle, in karate. What struck me over the years wasn’t the difference between those worlds, but how closely their principles overlap when things start to escalate.

The SIA approach to potentially violent situations was simple and structured:

• Avoid
• Call for backup
• Try to de‑escalate any situation (non‑verbal cues and talking)
• If it escalates, be aware of the laws of self‑defence
• Only act in self‑defence as a last resort, if you can’t walk away and backup doesn’t arrive

Years later, when I took up karate for health reasons, I was struck by how familiar the material felt. Different environment, different purpose — but the same underlying logic:

• Awareness
• Avoidance
• De‑escalation
• Distraction and escape
• Awareness of the laws of self‑defence
• If you believe a threat exists, make sure people around you know you are the victim
• Attack, disable, escape

One thing that was usually not taught to trainee security officers, however, was how to act in self‑defence if it became unavoidable. Proportionality was discussed, but the physical “how” was left largely untouched.

In the style of karate I study (Shorin Ryu), as well as in other Okinawan systems, realistic responses to potential real‑world situations form a fair part of the syllabus. Recently, a friend of mine posed a scenario online to see what responses people from different backgrounds would offer.

The replies were enlightening. The principles of avoidance, engagement, and legal awareness were almost universal. What surprised me more — though perhaps it shouldn’t have — was how similar the physical responses were across styles. Differences in kata references aside, most people gravitated toward broadly the same mechanics, with only minor variations.

The scenario involved escalating aggression: chest punches followed by a swinging punch to the head. The required outcome was to:

• Avoid being knocked out
• Prevent continued aggression
• Control the attacker
• Alter the relationship
• Escape

This matters more to me than it might to others, because one of the standard responses — distract and escape — simply isn’t an option. My health issues preclude me from “making a run for it,” so I have to be more certain than most that my techniques work.

The majority response to the scenario matched almost exactly the example I had submitted based on the brief:

• Frame
• Crash and bridge
• Step back and pull down
• Knee strike
• Drag down and escape

When crashing, the right forearm presses into the side of the neck while the left arm receives the incoming punch, forming a double bridge for control.

This aligned with the general consensus. And that being the case, I can honestly say that this is one scenario which — while I never want to find myself in it — I feel relatively comfortable I could handle within the bounds of proportional response to the violence being attempted.

I still hope I never have to use any of this. But if someone insists on offering me a practical demonstration, at least I know my response won’t be guesswork. Habit is a far better plan than optimism.

Thank you very much for reading if you made it this far.

Regards,

REY

04/02/2026The summarised conclusions from the exercise can be found at: 

Summarised Conclusions

A video with explanation of how it relates to the kata I know can be found at:

  AHV response

A fistful of lessons

Where would I be without the three lessons a week? Not in a great place, but I'm trying to get my own efforts up as well as the lessons.  I managed three 15 minute sessions this week as well as kata practice so over four hours of training a week, up from maybe two hours a week prior to the lockdown.  

Working from home is a boon in terms of my job security, but it is challenging to say the least to maintain the work / life balance when all four of are home all the time for up to 90 days (as it seems at the moment).  My karate lessons form a framework around which to separate work from life, along with providing both the exercise that I need for my health conditions and a channel for stress relief when tensions start to surface.

Pad work is especially good for stress relief, it's really good to be able to hit something.  We even found a use for my son's shinai today, doing a bit of conditioning work without direct contact.  I think very often people focus on  the physical benefits of karate, but in melting pot times like we face today, I think the mental health benefits of this kind of exercise become abundantly clear too. ☺☺☺

For my own personal workouts, I first of all looked online, but what is immediately apparent is that karate has taken off on the internet in a massive way.  It can be somewhat bewildering if you try to pick the best out of what is there, so I decided that the best way was to base whatever I do around the kata that I practice, and then reprising what we have been shown in the lessons if at all possible. 

I have always tried to jot down what we do after the lessons as a part of my blog, but now it's taken on an importance of it's own.  I make notes shortly after the lessons if possible., and where I can't remember parts, I check with our Sensei.   This hopefully then gives me the meat of my next workout  If not, there are always fallbacks such as the quadrant drill, kihon kata or shadow sparring (which I haven't really incorporated yet).   Gives me plenty to work on ☺☺☺

Below are the dojo diaries, workout videos and sample kata videos to give you an idea of what I mean.

13-04

Warm up
Naihanchi Shodan
Translation of kata into fighting actions
Crash, pull head down, double knee strike,
control head up, forearm ./ elbow strike
Drag across, push down, punch across
Still holding opponents arm, step through to arm bar
Smash down onto opponents grab, same arm uses outside block as strike, switch arms into uppercut then backfist
Inside leg kick, hammer first, inside leg kick, arm bar into takedown using double punch......
Sweep across to take down
Kata based shadow sparring to call
Kata to close.

Revision video and workout baed on Monday's lesson

16-04

Warm up
Mokosu and formal opening
Naihanchi Shodan
Pad work - heel of hand, hammer fist, elbow, knee, r / l then combination
Kihon kata variants
Jab, cross, step up side kick
Jab, cross, spinning back kick
Naihanchi Shodan
Mokosu
Formal ending

Workout based on Thursday's Lesson

18-04

Warm up
Mokosu and formal opening
Kata
Fundamentals
Punches, receiving, kicks, ridge hand, ashe uke, hisa geri
Kata
Shadow sparring to call

Workout based on Saturday's lesson

Kata practice

What Karate lost, when it lost it's teeth.

Although Karate today is a relatively new Martial Art, it's roots lie in much older practical combative techniques.  However, it's effectiveness in this direction was firstly reduced by Itosu Anko for introduction into Okinawan schools, and the likes of Funokoshi Gichin for it's introduction into the Japanese mainstream of martial arts.  This was confirmed as the desired route of progress for Karate at the "meeting of masters" in 1936.   Apart from the Itosu Anko part, this is all documented is a conversation published by Iain Abernethy:

How did we lose the Bunkai?

This was to try to give Karate a future at a time that it was losing popularity, but resulted in budo versions that were superficial in fighting content.   The intervention of World War two just about completed the job, as again indicated the article, because many of the old masters passed away during the conflict, including Motobu Choki.  The ones that were left mostly continued to espouse the budo version of th art, and most of the documentary evidence which survived was of those styles.  So the practical content was mostly lost.

One of the few honourable exceptions was Motobu Choki, who first in 1927 (Okinawan Kenpo - Karate Jutsu: Kumite <Motobu / Shahan>) and then 1932 (My Art and Skill of Karate <Motobu / Quast / Motobu>), took time to provide some documentary evidence of what he felt was being lost.  This included:

Use of Makiwara
Paired drills
Kumite

Apart from saying why they were important, he even provided evidence of the paired work he was referring to, plus photographs of the techniques.  According to Iain Abernethy, he was only one of two people known to do this, and the other person's work appears to have been lost. 

 In the two books, you see descriptions of how to receive and redirect stikes, to open up your opponent for your own strikes.  Plus you see techniques that are undeniably effective but were removed from Budo karate such as knee strikes to vital areas and strikes and grabs to the groin.  Here are a few examples, 

Where your opponent punches with his right hand, move slightly to the side, receive and redirect with your right arm (soto uke) and strike with your left fist.  The picture below shows a body strike, but can also be done to the head.

Image from: https://romanwestfehling.wordpress.com/2013/09/03/kihon-kumite-und-kata-die-3-saulen-des-karate-do/



Where your opponent grabs you from behind. drop your weight and open your arms slightly (ala Naihanchi Nidan), twist slightly and stretch behind, to grab your opponent's testicles.

Photo’s from Iwai Tsuko’s “Motobu CHoki & Ryukyu Karate 2000, page57 (read from right to left). Description from “Motobu Choki – Karate My Art”, translated by Patrick & Yuriko McCarthy, page 100. - via attached link

Other drills included trapping both arms and executing a knee strike to the groin; blocking and trapping the right arm with the left, stepping in with the right leg and grabbing the testicles, or striking to the ribs with the right elbow; etc.

It was this kind of practice that was lost to Karate by the introduction of the budo forms, and in part due to the intervention of World War II.  In conclusion, as a result Karate had lost many of it's teeth.

Naihanchi in the Dojo

Was expecting another session on basics, kihon kata and Kata today, in advance of grading.  However, graing has been put back a few weeks.  So instead, we were taken through Naihanchi Shodan, and a breakdown of how it could be interpreted.

Individual elements of the Kata were demonstrated, followed by possible applications.  The applications followed the flow of the kata, not because that is the sequence we are expected to appliy them, but simply to make it easier to relate back to the parts of the Kata.  The applications involved practicingin pairs, first without and then with pads to first learn the mechanisms, then practice them with more power.

The core sequence followed (as best as I can remember it) was:

Crash in, arms clasped overhead protecting the head,
Head grab and control to bring down,
Knee strikes,
Controlled head let up and elbow strikes,
Arm grab and turn around with head control,
Arm bar and stranglehold, using person as shield angainst other attackers,
Various mechanisms for takedowns and escapes, with or without use of knee in the back 

We practiced the elements separately and as a whole.

A thoroughly enjoyable session 😊