Side combined block.

An excellent technique that has "slipped under the radar" is called "sokumen awase uke" (side of the head "matching" block).

There are 2 kinds of sokumen awase uke: both utilise similar body mechanics, but result in a different deflection.

Inside sokumen awase uke

The first of these is the inside sokumen awase uke. It is performed by using your palm and forearm to catch an incoming punch, the guide it past your head as you move on the inside of your opponent. The "matching" occurs insofar as you go out to meet the attack, match its speed and redirect it past.

This inside sokumen awase uke occurs, I believe, in the kata sanseiru. However in most schools this technique now appears as a "jodan uke" (ie. an age uke or rising block). Consider for example the photograph on the left of Chinen Teruo Sensei performing sanseiru kata: note the positioning of his body and the angle of the forearm which is in contrast to the usual angle of age uke away from the face.

When used in the above movement in sanseiru, the inside sokumen awase avoids the problems inherent in trying to use a jodan uke or age uke because the angle of the forearm must slope past the head; the whole idea of the block is to match the attack and carry it to one side (where the deflection concept in the age uke is quite different).

The interception on the inside sokumen awase occurs with your palm which in turn transfers the attack to your forearm as you brush it past your head. Your elbow is then put into a position where you can effect an empi uchi (elbow strike).

Outside sokumen awase uke

As mentioned at the outset, the outside sokumen awase uke has similar body mechanics, but the deflection utilises the back of the palm and forearm, not the front. In effect the attack is intercepted with a "steeple" block, then passed down to the "turtle" or "shield" position that one sees in MMA today. As with the the outside sokumen awase uke (perhaps more so) the block takes you into an elbow strike. The pictures to the left illustrate this concept. In either case, the technique sets you up nicely for performing a footsweep.

Sokumen te awase uke

There is yet another "sokumen awase" block in karate that has been "forgotten". For the sake of convenience it is referred as "sokumen te awase uke" - since it involves more of the palm and less of the forearm.

Once again, there are 2 verisons; an inside version and an outside version.

In relation to the seiyunchin version, note carefully the lifted front foot: this functions to put immediate pressure on the opponent. Given that the tenshin (evasion) or taisabaki (body movement) is directly in towards your opponent you have to be quick. Lifting the front foot and letting your weight fall forwards is the quickest way to put pressure on the opponent.

The deflection utilises an "upward circle", and the lifted foot helps this aspect as well. In this respect the kata is very xingyi-like; xingyi uses upward and downward circles to deflect while it moves forwards and backwards in a linear path. There are many examples of this kind of upward or downward deflection in seiyunchin prompting me to wonder whether seiyunchin is not influenced/partly descended from xingyiquan (despite its shikos etc.).