Gedan Barai

Gedan Barai is a karate block. Pronounced 'ge-dan-bri'. A low block used in karate and many other styles of Martial Arts to protect the front of the body. The blocking technique starts by placing a fist at your opposite shoulder. The arm is then drawn down and across the front of the body blocking and deflecting the entire chest, stomach, groin and upper legs from an opponents attack.

Be sure to roll the arm and wrist of the blocking arm whilst using this motion so that the end result is an outward facing fist. Your arms final position is fully extended down by the side of thigh or upper leg.

If an attacker grabs one of your shoulders, this same technique can be used to punch up towards the grabbing arm, which then can be grabbed by yourself, then taken down the body using the same technique used in the blocking motion. This should result in a twisting of the arm of the attacker.

Gedam Barai can also be used as a lower strike, using the hammer side of the fist (closest to little finger). This method is ideal for attacking the groin of an opponent. Another example of the uses of Gedan Barai could also be as a throwing technique, were the attacker is grabbed, taken off balance and thrown to the floor by using the same motion described in this karate technique of Gedan Barai.