More Technique Information

Target Penetration

To what depth should a technique be aimed? During training and competition, for safety reasons, students are taught to focus a technique at a point on the surface or the target. Sometimes students are taught to aim a technique at the point where a target will be after it stops moving (chase the target). Others are taught to aim at where the target actually is at a point in time. To damage the target, the technique must be aimed at a point just behind the surface of the target. Target penetration should not be so much that the person is pushed backward. When this occurs, it means that the technique contacted the target too early so all the energy of the technique was wasted during the push.

In, Over, Around, Under

There are four ways to strike most targets on an opponent’s body:

• In.
• Over.
• Around.
• Under.

For example when punching to the head, you may punch with a jab (in), an overhand punch (over), a hook punch (around), or an uppercut (under). When kicking to the head, you may kick with a side kick (in), an axe kick (over), a hook kick (around), or a front snap kick (under).