Uke (martial arts)

Uke

Uke on the left, "receiving" a throw by executing a forward roll.
Japanese name
Kanji 受け
Hiragana うけ

Uke (受け) (IPA: [ɯke]) is in Japanese martial arts the person who "receives" a technique.[1] The exact role of uke varies between the different arts and often within the art itself depending on the situation.[2][3] For instance, in aikido, judo kata, and bujinkan ninjutsu, uke initiates an attack against their partner, who then defends, whereas in competition judo, there is no designated uke.[4]

An uke typically partners with a partner or nominal opponent.[5] The latter person may be referred to by any of several terms, again depending on the art or situation. They include nage (投げ "thrower"), tori (取り "grabber") or shite (仕手 "doer").

Ukemi

The action of uke is called "taking ukemi (受け身)." Literally translated as "receiving body", it is the art of knowing how to respond correctly to an attack and often incorporates skills to allow one to do so safely. These skills can include moves similar to tumbling and are often used as a valid exercise in itself. In aikido and judo training for instance, many classes begin with ukemi training as conditioning.

Forms

Correct ukemi will allow the uke to suffer the least amount of damage possible from a fall. If done correctly, the force of hitting the ground will be spread out along non-critical parts of the uke's body. By properly doing ukemi, the uke can roll out of danger and move into their next course of action without being damaged too much by hitting the ground.

See also

References

  1. "Black Belt". Books.google.co.uk. p. 108. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  2. 1 2 Richard Murat. "KarateFor Beginners And Advanced". Books.google.co.uk. p. 150. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  3. J. Alswang. "The South African Dictionary of Sport". Books.google.co.uk. p. 163. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  4. J. A. Mangan. "Europe, Sport, World: Shaping Global Societies". Books.google.co.uk. p. 211. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  5. Jamie Striesend. "Sports". Books.google.co.uk. p. 195. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  6. Takahiko Ishikawa; Donn Draeger (2011-12-20). "Judo Training Methods: A Sourebook". Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  7. John Crossingham; Bobbie Kalman; Marc Crabtree. "Judo in Action". Books.google.co.uk. p. 14. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  8. Masao Takahashi. "Mastering Judo". Books.google.co.uk. p. 70. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  9. Richard Murat. "KarateFor Beginners And Advanced". Books.google.co.uk. p. 146. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  10. Neil Saunders. "Aikido: The Tomiki Way". Books.google.co.uk. p. 36. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  11. James Moclair (2009-08-19). "Ju-Jutsu: A Comprehensive Guide". Books.google.co.uk. p. 23. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  12. Adrien Breton. "The Homing Beacon of Martial Arts". Books.google.co.uk. p. 44. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  13. Nick Waites. "Essential Aikido: An Illustrated Handbook". Books.google.co.uk. p. 28. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
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