A quick-reference guide for beginners, with linked video demonstrations.

Beginning & End of Class

Beginning of class	End of class
Onegai Shimasu	Domo Arigato Gozaimashta

🎧 Listen to pronunciation and explanation

Nage & Uke

• Nage – the one who applies the technique
• Uke – the one who receives the technique

[IMAGE: illustration of nage applying a technique to uke]

Irimi, Tenkan & Irimi-Tenkan

Term	Meaning
Irimi	Moving forward, facing partner’s centre
Tenkan	Moving by sweeping the back leg around and changing direction 180°
Irimi-Tenkan	Perform an irimi step followed by a tenkan

🎥 Watch demonstrations of irimi and tenkan

Basic Positions and Movements

• Tachi Waza – standing techniques [IMAGE: tachi waza — standing techniques]
• Hanmi Hantachi – uke is standing, nage is kneeling [IMAGE: hanmi hantachi waza — uke standing]
• Suwari Waza – both kneeling [IMAGE: suwari waza — both partners kneeling]
• Hanmi – ready position, standing with one foot clearly forward
• Ai-hanmi – standing in “harmonious” or “cross” position, with both uke and nage having the same foot forward
• Gyaku-hanmi – standing in “mirror” position, with uke and nage meeting on the same side
• Katate Dori – nage grasps one wrist

[IMAGE: aihanmi katate dori / katate dori (gyaku hanmi)]

The Most Common “Attacks”

• Shomen Uchi – chopping with the blade of the hand towards the forehead (follow with whole body); the angle is straight up and down [IMAGE: shomen uchi]
• Yokomen Uchi – chopping with the blade of the hand towards the temple or side of neck; the angle should be roughly the same as the line of the nage’s gi [IMAGE: yokomen uchi]

🎥 Watch basic attacks and techniques from shomen uchi and yokomen uchi, with Yamada Shihan

• Tsuki (pronounced “ski”) – uke punches towards a point beyond and through nage’s stomach [IMAGE: chudan tsuki]
• Men Tsuki – uke punches towards a point beyond and through nage’s head [IMAGE: jodan tsuki]
• Ryote Dori – nage offers both hands, and uke grasps them both [IMAGE: ryote dori]
• Morote Dori – nage offers one hand, and uke grasps it with both hands [IMAGE: morote dori]
• Ushiro Ryote Dori – nage offers one hand, and uke grasps it with the opposite hand, then moves around and behind to grab the other wrist [IMAGE: ushiro ryote dori — uke moving behind to grab the second wrist]

Fundamental Techniques

• Irimi-Nage from Shomen-uchi [IMAGE: irimi-nage from shomen-uchi sequence]
• Irimi-Nage from Katate Dori [IMAGE: irimi-nage from katate dori sequence]
• Ikkyo (first technique) from Shomen-uchi [IMAGE: ikkyo from shomen-uchi sequence, steps 1–7]

🎥 Highly recommended: basic techniques with Yamada Shihan