Chudan uke: to "spiral" or not to "spiral"?
![Image](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJTCxACuNHnZSDA7WlDr1GOY7qk_eDbH28eLec0_-vyFsYbgyl6swrQ5i2OOna0oCZ81eGqx3hcvOIPpl6OADNTx8zUV-LhL98wWHxbB96mtrOAbYuFogbHYahuXqQnh47ITm56SZYRA/s400/chudangoju2.jpg)
Recently a colleague of mine on the Traditional Fighting Arts Forums posed this question: "Ok, so I've thought about something else that I don't completely understand about chudan uke. I've been taught that as the hand goes under the opposite elbow, the fist should face palm up. Why? Wouldn't it be more of a spiraling motion if the fist started with the palm down and then turned up as it intercepted the attack?" The question is a very interesting one and not many pick up this point. Let's start with the goju chudan uke. As my colleague mentions, the block is done with a fist that stays "palm up" through the entire movement. This type of movement relies on the circular action of the entire arm (moving at a 45 degree plane to your chest) to deflect the attack. Another way of deflecting an attack would be to use a spiralling movement in your forearm. This can be done from palm down to palm up or vice versa (both are found in the martial arts). L