Uechi-Ryu is principle-oriented rather than technique-oriented. The style emphasizes a number of principles upon which all techniques are based. These principles can be found in Sanchin, its first and most important solo form. Advanced level techniques derive their movements from Sanchin and it is through Sanchin that the coordination of the mind, body and breath are practiced. Some of the most important principles of Uechi-Ryu include:

1-Defend and attack from a rooted position:

      Developing strong roots or balance is critical to all traditional Martial Arts training, without having a strong balance a fighter will not be able to generate power to absorb or counter an attack. The importance of being rooted is fundamental, both for balance and emitting internal force. Sanchin training gives us the tools needed to develop both heavy static root, and a light moving root, which allows for powerful strikes to be issued while in motion, so there's no need to get rooted and reload for the next strike.

2-Defend and attack simultaneously:

      In Uechi-Ryu both arms are used to block and attack simultanously this not only allows for a fast counter attack but also prevents the attacker from having the ability to effectively deliver another strike. Uechi-Ryu blocks emphesize intercepting redirecting trapping and borrowing the attacker's energy against him instead of using brute force.

3-Unbalance your opponent:

      This principle refers to forcing the opponent to over-extend his body, this is normally done by trapping the attack and forcing the attacker to over extend himself, and thus loose his balance, and without proper balance, the attacker will not be able to strike, block or counter attack effectively.

4-Absorb and repulse:

      This refers to the principle of yielding to an attack until the force of the attack is spent and then returning the incoming force back to the attacker by either sidestepping or using the opponent's momentum against him.

5-Kick below the Waist

      This principle is directly linked to the principle of rooting, the shorter the time the kicking leg is in the air, the longer it can be on the ground. The longer and higher the leg is off the ground, the more vulnerable one becomes to a counter attack particularly the supporting leg. If one kick below the waist, the kicking leg returns to the ground more quickly, and the kick is much harder to see or block. The most important kick in the Uechi-Ryu system is the front snap toe kick, the kick is designed for speed, and penetration of target, the Toe kick is perhaps one of the most devastating kick a fighter can execute.