Can anyone show me examples of these

[cheesefrysamurai]

I was reading and from the description I cannot tell which blocks and strikes these are referring to. Can anyone help. Thank you.

Gedan Harai Uke

Awase Uke

Awase Zuki

[Wastelander]

The first one, "gedan-barai," is just your standard "low block." The other two can be tougher to figure out, though.

The word "awase" means "joined," and could be referring to a variety of things. Typically, in karate it is used to describe two hands doing something in unison. The movement I've seen most often called "awase-uke" is like an "x-block" (hands crossed at the wrists). The movement that I most often see called "awase-tsuki" is a "double punch" motion, where one hand is punching normally and the other is punching inverted (palm up) below it. Typically, the arms are straight when executing that technique, unlike "yama-tsuki," in which the arms are bent and form a "C" shape, with your head roughly in the middle.

This page shows what I have heard of as "awase-uke"

http://www.shinkitaikarate.ca/Scona/Glossary/S/sokumen%20awase%20uke/sokumen%20awase%20uke.html

This page shows what I have heard of as "awase-tsuki"

http://www.shinkitaikarate.ca/Scona/Glossary/A/awase%20zuki/awasezuki.html

[cheesefrysamurai]

But I see Gedan Barai listed as well Gedan Harai uke

[Wastelander]

But I see Gedan Barai listed as well Gedan Harai uke

Well, "harai" and "barai" are the same word--when you put a word that starts with an "h" sound as a suffix to another word in Japanese, it becomes a "b" sound. Calling it "gedan-harai" is actually just incorrect pronunciation, as far as I'm aware (although I'm not a linguist). The word "uke" is short for "ukeru," which means "to receive." Most commonly, that gets translated as "block," though. If we translate "gedan-barai" and "gedan-harai-uke," one means "low level sweep" and the other means "low level sweep receiver." I've only ever seen these words used to describe what we commonly call a "low block."

[sensei8]

Got to get me a camera!!

Wastelander's post should be very helpful to you; he's pretty spot on!

[Nidan Melbourne]

Gedan Harai Uke is your standard lower block.

In Japanese there are some letters that they don't have or use. But this is what I've been told by japanese tour guides and friends of mine that speak fluent japanese (or are japanese).

Gedan Uke or Gedan Barai are a lower block. Although some schools will have a different use for each term.

[CredoTe]

But I see Gedan Barai listed as well Gedan Harai uke

Well, "harai" and "barai" are the same word--when you put a word that starts with an "h" sound as a suffix to another word in Japanese, it becomes a "b" sound. Calling it "gedan-harai" is actually just incorrect pronunciation, as far as I'm aware (although I'm not a linguist). The word "uke" is short for "ukeru," which means "to receive." Most commonly, that gets translated as "block," though. If we translate "gedan-barai" and "gedan-harai-uke," one means "low level sweep" and the other means "low level sweep receiver." I've only ever seen these words used to describe what we commonly call a "low block."

Absolutely... Great description... Intriguing to think if we stopped using the term "block" for uke and started using "receiver/reception" (i.e. low reception), I wonder if that would help clear up some confusion about the use of an uke?

[sensei8]

But I see Gedan Barai listed as well Gedan Harai uke

Well, "harai" and "barai" are the same word--when you put a word that starts with an "h" sound as a suffix to another word in Japanese, it becomes a "b" sound. Calling it "gedan-harai" is actually just incorrect pronunciation, as far as I'm aware (although I'm not a linguist). The word "uke" is short for "ukeru," which means "to receive." Most commonly, that gets translated as "block," though. If we translate "gedan-barai" and "gedan-harai-uke," one means "low level sweep" and the other means "low level sweep receiver." I've only ever seen these words used to describe what we commonly call a "low block."

Absolutely... Great description... Intriguing to think if we stopped using the term "block" for uke and started using "receiver/reception" (i.e. low reception), I wonder if that would help clear up some confusion about the use of an uke?

For the bold type above...

For beginner students, I don't think their minds can wrap around and/or away from the word "block" as easily as those more experienced can. The beginner could if the word "block" is NEVER used in their dojo!

[Wastelander]

I actually use the word "receiver" whenever I translate the name of an uke-waza online, or when asked. While my Sensei knows that this is how "uke" is translated, he grew up calling them "blocks" (even though he learned to use them for other things) so he still calls them "blocks" in class. I also originally learned to call them "blocks," so in the dojo, that's what you'll hear, for the most part. I would totally be on-board with switching over to "receiver" though!

[Kusotare]

I actually use the word "receiver" whenever I translate the name of an uke-waza online, or when asked. While my Sensei knows that this is how "uke" is translated, he grew up calling them "blocks" (even though he learned to use them for other things) so he still calls them "blocks" in class. I also originally learned to call them "blocks," so in the dojo, that's what you'll hear, for the most part. I would totally be on-board with switching over to "receiver" though!

As I understand it, in traditional Japanese budo there have been a number of ways to describe "attacker" and "defender" over time.

Most Gendai arts today (Judo and Aikido for example) use "Tori" (short for torimi) and "Uke" (short for ukemi) to describe the one that accepts and the one that receives - and in that order.

I know, basically the same thing..!! Because it is!!!

Ultimately, the ones that accepts and manages the initial attack Tori(mi), turns the table on the bad guy who ends up "receiving it"... BIG TIME - thus - "Uke(mi)"

Then in swordmanship you get "uchidachi" (stricking sword) and "uketachi" (receiving sword).

Go back a bit further and you get "Teki" (lit Enemy) and "Ware" (lit your self).

Point is, in pair work, attack and defence are one.

And so are the mindsets - that's why the Japanese terminology is not so black and white.

K.