Round House??

Discussion in 'Karate' started by Dillon, Jan 16, 2007.

  1. Dillon

    Dillon Valued Member

    Why is it usually called roundhouse in karate? The only Japanese I've heard was mawashi geri, which translates to "turning kick." Anyone know the reason for the discrepancy?
     
  2. pauli

    pauli mr guillotine

    because terminology has nothing to do with literal translation?
     
  3. Llamageddon

    Llamageddon MAP's weird cousin Supporter

    Mawashi Geri is similar to what other western styles would call a 'roundhouse' and it was most likely translated for ease of meaning
     
  4. Moosey

    Moosey invariably, a moose Supporter

    Exactly. It's not a technical term, it's just a description of the movement.
     
  5. Smitfire

    Smitfire Cactus Schlong

    It's still an odd term.
    "Roundhouse"...what does it mean even?
    I can't think of any other English usage except to actually describe a house that is round.
    Why add the word house?
    Why not just "round kick"?
    To use it to describe a kick is really odd.
    Also considering the other common kicks (Front, back, side, crescent) the name just doesn't fit.
    "Turning kick" (which is what it's called in TKD) fits into the pattern far better and also better describes the action and direction involved.
     
  6. Llamageddon

    Llamageddon MAP's weird cousin Supporter

    So, this begs the question 'does anyone have an etymology book that is likely to include this term?'
     
  7. Llamageddon

    Llamageddon MAP's weird cousin Supporter

    And here's a question:

    if a hook kick is an ushiro mawashi geri and a spinning back kick is an ushiro geri, what is a spinning hook kick called? ushiro ushiro mawashi?
     
  8. Moosey

    Moosey invariably, a moose Supporter

    I think it sounds very English - a lot like something from old English slang. a "round-the-house" attack is a nice graphic depiction of what the kick involves, it doesn't go in through the front door like maegeri, it goes round the house!

    I suspect if you look back through the English boxing literature you'll find "roundhouse punches" referred to.
     
    Last edited: Jan 16, 2007
  9. Moosey

    Moosey invariably, a moose Supporter

    Forward hook kick is ura mawashi geri (back round kick)
    Backwards kick is ushiro geri (reverse kick)
    Backwards roundhouse kick is ushiro mawashi geri (reverse round kick)
     
  10. Ma Bu

    Ma Bu Valued Member

    Some boxers called the cross a roundhouse punch. It might have come from there. But who knows.
     
  11. Llamageddon

    Llamageddon MAP's weird cousin Supporter

    So what would the Japanese be for spinning hook kick?
     
  12. Slindsay

    Slindsay All violence is necessary

    Some boxers call a haymaker a roundhouse, it's generally associated with wild flailing, boxers look down on the roundhouse punch (IME).
     
  13. pauli

    pauli mr guillotine

    [​IMG]
    there's your etymology.
     
  14. Dillon

    Dillon Valued Member

    Ushiro is more accurately "back" than Ura, much of the time. Ura can mean "back," but also "reverse side." Ura mawashi geri would be reverse/back turning kick. Ushiro geri is "back kick." Ushiro mawashi geri is "back turning kick".

    "Gyaku mawashi geri" also translates as reverse/opposite turning kick, but it usually refers to what we call a "twisting kick."
     
    Last edited: Jan 16, 2007
  15. Moosey

    Moosey invariably, a moose Supporter

    ushiro mawashi geri

    as demonstrated very impressively by Mr Matsui here: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHgcnMgrwQ0"]YouTube[/ame]
     

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