Basics (Kihon)
Basics (kihon) – As with any skill we learn, we must first start with a solid foundation. Good basics provide you with a solid foundation. From this will stem good kata, good applications, and good fighting skills. Below you will find a good reference to many of the basic techniques you will learn over time. As with any martial art it is about body movement, body mechanics, and understanding the underlying principles of the movement. Above all, practise, practise, practise, and practise some more.
"It is difficult to retain what you may have learned unless you should practise it" Latin Proverb
Stances
| Stance | Meaning | Diagram |
| dachi | - stance | |
| heisoku dachi | - closed foot stance (attention stance) |  |
| musubi dachi | - formal attention stance (ready, heels together toes pointing out, used at the start of kata) |  |
| heiko dachi | - parallel stance (feet shoulder width apart) |  |
| hachiji dachi | - natural stance (feet shoulder width apart, toes slightly pointing out) |  |
| renoji dachi | - stand with you feet inline, with your rear foot pointing out at a 45 degree angle (like a tick) |  |
| shiko dachi | - straddle leg stance (sumo stance) |  |
| kiba dachi | - horse riding stance | |
| sanchin dachi | - hourglass stance, toes slightly pointing in, outsides parallel |  |
| han zenkutsu dachi | - half front stance (normal fighting stance) | |
| zenkutsu dachi | - front stance |  |
| kokutsu dachi | - back stance | |
| neko ashi dachi | - cat stance |  |
| sagiashi dachi | - heron foot (or tsuruashi (crane foot)) stance (standing on one leg) | |
Blocks
| Technique | Meaning |
| uke | - block (receive) |
| age uke (jodan) | - rising block (upper) |
| chudan yoko uke | - outside forearm block (middle), moving from your centre to the outside |
| gedan barai | - downward block (lower) |
| hiki uke | - pulling/grasping block |
| shotei uke | - palm heel block |
| chudan uchi uke | - inside forearm block (middle), moving from the outside to your centre |
| ko uke | - wrist block |
| hiji uke | - elbow block |
| hiza uke | - knee block |
| harai uke | - sweeping block |
Striking – Hand/Arm Techniques
| Technique | Meaning |
| uchi | - strike |
| tsuki (- zuki) | - punch or strike |
| uraken uchi | - back-knuckle strike |
| shuto uchi | - knife hand strike |
| nukite uchi | - finger strike (thrust) |
| hiji ate (empi) | - elbow strike |
| shotei zuki | - palm-heel thrust |
| kizami zuki | - leading punch, jab |
| gyaku zuki | - reverse punch |
Kicks - Leg/Foot Techniques
| Technique | Meaning |
| keri (-geri) | - kick |
| mae geri (keage) | - front kick (snap) |
| mae geri (kekomi) | - front kick (thrust) |
| yoko geri | - side kick |
| ushiro geri | - back kick |
| mawashi geri | - roundhouse kick |
| ura mawashi geri | - reverse roundhouse kick (or hook kick) |
| kin geri | - groin kick |
| fumikomi | - stomp (or stomping kick) |
| ashi barai | - foot sweep |
| hiza geri | - knee strike |
"The more you practise, the luckier you become"