• Hand Attacks

  Hand attacks include punches (using knuckles to hit target), strikes (using other parts of hand to hit target), and thrusts (using parts of the hand that are thrust into target).

  • Knife Hand Shape. The knife part of the hand is the padded outer edge of the hand that extends from the base of hand at the wrist to the base of the little finger; this is the area that will impact the target. To shape the hand into a knife hand:

    • Hold arm straight out in front of body, with hand held flat (palm up), with wrist locked.
    • Fingers are extended and slightly bent. If fingers are held straight, they may be jammed if struck on the ends.
    • Finger are held together tightly; if not, the knuckles may bang against each when hand makes impact with the target.
    • Thumb is bent and tucked in against inner edge of hand, so it will not snag on anything and so it cannot be grabbed.

  • Knife Hand Strike. Knife hand strikes are made horizontally or in a downward chopping motion. MORE

    • Stand in a front stance with arms held in the basic guard. Trailing arm will perform the strike.
    • Chamber leading arm by extending leading arm straight forward as if you were performing a punch but without the speed or power. Simultaneously chamber trailing hand by lifting it behind the head in a knife hand shape with palm facing the back of the head.
    • Shoulders and hips cock toward the trailing side to chamber them.
    • Step forward into a front stance. Just as foot touches the floor, the chambered knife hand chops downward and forward with the palm upward. 

      • Just as stepping foot touches the floor, the attacking arm snap-twists the knife hand outward so palm is either: 

        • Facing upward and striking inward at the point of focus.
        • Facing inward and striking downward at the point of focus.

      • Shoulders and hips snap to the front adding power to the strike. All this occurs using hand-foot timing.
      • Keep wrist locked straight. The wrist is more susceptible to being sprained by over flexing than the knife edge of the hand is to being injured by the impact.

  • 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.

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