Lesson 4: White Belt

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

• 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.