Uke (martial arts)

 ( Japanese Martial Arts Terminology ) 

() is in Japanese martial arts the person who "receives" a technique. The exact role of ''uke'' varies between the different arts and often within the art itself depending on the situation.
Richard Murat (2025). 9788126904600, Atlantic Publishers & Dist. . ISBN 9788126904600
J. Alswang (2025). 9780864865359, New Africa Books. . ISBN 9780864865359  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''.
J. A. Mangan (2025). 9780714681719, Taylor & Francis. . ISBN 9780714681719
     

An uke typically partners with a partner or nominal opponent.

The latter person may be referred to by any of several terms, again depending on the art or situation. They include "thrower", "grabber", "attack" and "doer".

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Ukemi The action of uke is called "taking ." 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.

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Forms

• / 前回り受身 – a forward roll from the leading foot's shoulder to the hip on the opposite side.
  (2025). 9781462902774, Tuttle. . ISBN 9781462902774
• 前受け身 / 前方受身 – a forward breakfall.
  (2025). 9780778703426, Crabtree Publishing Company. . ISBN 9780778703426
  This can be in the form of a hard slapping breakfall or more of a forward roll like motion. There are subtleties in the different types of forward roll but the principle is that when being thrown forwards the uke (person being thrown) is able to roll out of danger in preference to sustaining an injury.
  Masao Takahashi (2025). 9780736050999 . ISBN 9780736050999
• / 後ろ受身 – a backwards roll or fall.
  Richard Murat (2025). 9788126904600 . ISBN 9788126904600
  Neil Saunders (2025). 9781412006682 . ISBN 9781412006682
• / 側方受身 – a sideways fall.
  James Moclair (2025). 9781467898126 . ISBN 9781467898126
  Adrien Breton (2025). 9781329960893, Lulu.com. . ISBN 9781329960893
• / 前方飛躍受身 / 空転受身 – more of a forward flip than a roll, a cross between yoko (landing) and mae ukemi (initiation), often used in response to wrist throws. Tobu (跳ぶ or 飛ぶ) is the Japanese verb for "to jump" and "to fly".
  Nick Waites (2025). 9781291559248, Lulu Com. . ISBN 9781291559248

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 ukes 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.

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