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Hammer Fist Strike. Hammer fist strikes are performed just like the knife hand strikes, except the hand is held in a fist shape. The impact area is the bottom of the fist. Back Fist Strike. With the hand shaped in a fist, the impact point of a back fist strike is the middle knuckle on back of the fist at base of the second finger. This pointed joint has a very small impact area that makes it a deadly weapon when it is used against a target such as the thin part of the skull at the temple.

• Stand in a front stance with arms held in the basic guard.

• Trailing arm will perform the strike.

• Cross arms tightly, one over the other, so one elbow is over the other. Trailing arm crosses on top, with knuckle side of fist touching the ear. Leading arm crosses on bottom with palm side of the fist facing forward. As the trailing arm crosses to the leading side, the shoulders and hips twist toward the leading side to chamber them.

• Step forward into a front stance.

• Just as the foot touches the floor, the upper arm strikes forward in front of the body and then outward as it extends.

• Just as stepping foot touches the floor, the arm snap-twists its fist outward so palm is inward at the point of focus and the shoulders and hips snap back to the front adding power to the strike.

• The middle knuckle on back of fist moves inward striking the point of focus horizontally. As the striking arm is moving outward, the other arm chambers to its hip with the palm side upward. The uncrossing action of the arms creates a push-pull action to increase the power of the strike.

Kicks

Taekwondo stylists are known for their quick, powerful, and accurate kicks, not for their "trick" kicks, but for practical, useful kicks. If you cannot kick quick, powerfully, and often, then you will never become a proficient Taekwondo black belt.

• The legs and hips are used for kicks; the rest of the body is pretty much not used at all.

• When kicking, the guard is maintained; the arms are not used for balance, they are using for blocks and follow-up attacks.

• The only indication an opponent should get that a kick is coming is seeing the foot approaching; the rest of the body moves very little.

• The kicking foot stays flat on the floor. Do not rise up on the ball of the foot in an effort to get more height in a kick. This causes instability and loss of power.

• Try to keep the torso and head as upright as possible. If you lean backward in an effort to get more height, you decrease your stability and you take your arms out of the action. While leaning backward, you cannot use the arms for follow-up attacks or to block a counter kick that is faster than your kick. The only time leaning backward is useful when avoiding a kick to your head while firing your counter kick.

• Do not kick from the floor; kick from a chamber. Kicking from the floor may be a microsecond quicker, but it does not have the power of a chambered kick. A proper kick moves through the chambered position so quickly that the time it takes to chamber is negligible. However, chambered kicks are difficult to learn and take lots of practice. Many times students opt for the weak from the floor kick since it easier to perform.

• Most students try to kick as high as possible when practicing kicks. While practicing, all students, especially beginners, should only kick as high as they may kick while still performing the kick as technically perfect as possible. The goal is to perform correct kicks, not high or quick kicks. As a kick gradually gets more technically perfect, height and speed will gradually increase without trying. Try to kick at least waist high; however, many times beginners have difficulty kicking even this high. They should only kick as high as they may properly kick, even if it is only knee high.

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