STRIKES ILLUSTRATED
When I first joined my dojo back in late '76, my instructor walked me over to a makiwara. Now back then, it wasn't a fancy pad with springs in the back. Our makiwara was a wood post with a piece of tatami wrapped around it!
"You! Right hand! Hit this! I come back!" He barked at me.
So I started hitting it over and over and over again. I glanced over and saw he was drinking tea! I was sweating like a pig. I looked over and he was talking to someone while stretching out! By this time flecks of blood were appearing on the makiwara. I thought to myself, "OK, this is some kind of kung fu see if you really want to be here kind of thing". Finally after twenty minutes he came back. To my enormous relief he barked "You! Stop!"
I thought "Ah! What sweet relief! I passed the torture test!" He manipulated my right hand, examined it closely then yelled "You! This hand now!" tapping my left hand! AAAAG! It was not a test. It was simple training and conditioning!
Strikes and kicks are difficult to practice. It takes a certain balance between a tolerance for pain and an aversion to actual damage. It requires the patience of a monk and the cardio of an Olympic marathoner. The one's who master this part of their training, however, will be rewarded when they hit their opponent and hear that whoop of lost air, and the contorted face of someone who just felt a sledgehammer work its delicate magic on their floating rib.
So...
"You! This hand! I come back!"
"You! Right hand! Hit this! I come back!" He barked at me.
So I started hitting it over and over and over again. I glanced over and saw he was drinking tea! I was sweating like a pig. I looked over and he was talking to someone while stretching out! By this time flecks of blood were appearing on the makiwara. I thought to myself, "OK, this is some kind of kung fu see if you really want to be here kind of thing". Finally after twenty minutes he came back. To my enormous relief he barked "You! Stop!"
I thought "Ah! What sweet relief! I passed the torture test!" He manipulated my right hand, examined it closely then yelled "You! This hand now!" tapping my left hand! AAAAG! It was not a test. It was simple training and conditioning!
Strikes and kicks are difficult to practice. It takes a certain balance between a tolerance for pain and an aversion to actual damage. It requires the patience of a monk and the cardio of an Olympic marathoner. The one's who master this part of their training, however, will be rewarded when they hit their opponent and hear that whoop of lost air, and the contorted face of someone who just felt a sledgehammer work its delicate magic on their floating rib.
So...
"You! This hand! I come back!"
VITAL POINTS
The apostle Paul said, "Therefore I do not run as one who runs aimlessly, or box like one who beats the air." (1 Corinthians 9:26) It's critical in EVERY aspect of life that we are disciplined, focused and working efficiently, with a goal in mind. This is especially true in the area of strikes and kicks. You need to know what you're aiming at. The chart above demonstrates some of the more common areas to aim at. When you are practicing, keep these points in mind. If it helps (and you own your own bag) pin targets or draw a figure on your heavy bag. Don't get sloppy in your training. Throw every punch as though it counted and aim it like a laser.
Tsukkake close (1)
Begin from a low position on your power side (leg back). Your fist should be close to your side, palm toward the air, fingers tight and thumb pressing down on them. Make sure you keep your other hand up, protecting your face.
Throw your fist toward the target, keeping the palm up. You foot stays in the back position. This is why it's called tsukkake CLOSE. It can only be delivered to a close target because you are not stepping into the punch.
You'll get more power if you focus on two things. First, lead the punch with your hip; i.e. flick your hip first toward the target, putting a twisting tension in your back, adding impetus to your punch.
Second, don't just use your arm. As best you can, engage all your back muscles. Push from your legs, coming up on the ball of your back leg.
Throw your fist toward the target, keeping the palm up. You foot stays in the back position. This is why it's called tsukkake CLOSE. It can only be delivered to a close target because you are not stepping into the punch.
You'll get more power if you focus on two things. First, lead the punch with your hip; i.e. flick your hip first toward the target, putting a twisting tension in your back, adding impetus to your punch.
Second, don't just use your arm. As best you can, engage all your back muscles. Push from your legs, coming up on the ball of your back leg.
Tsukkake far
The two notable differences between tsukkake close and far are the twist of the punch and the step.
The strike begins when the foot begins swinging forward, stepping forward while stretching the arm toward the objective. Turn the fist toward the interior so that at the moment of contact the palm is facing the ground.
Make sure you don't hyperextend your arm, damaging the elbow!
The strike begins when the foot begins swinging forward, stepping forward while stretching the arm toward the objective. Turn the fist toward the interior so that at the moment of contact the palm is facing the ground.
Make sure you don't hyperextend your arm, damaging the elbow!
Shuto (knife hand)
knife hand
Shuto knife hand can be an incredibly powerful strike. Think of all the poor, innocent boards, concrete blocks and ice blocks that have died demonstrating that simple truth!
Knife hand uses the little finger side of your hand. Its power comes from the speed with which this strike can be delivered and with the very small point of impact.
However, it is the little finger side of your hand! Unlike these crazy karate people, jiu-jitsukas do NOT strike big heavy skulls with their itty bitty little fingers. We go for soft targets like the neck, throat, kidneys and floating ribs. Knife hand also works great on the bicep of the big biker dude who's sufficiently impolitic to grab you!
Knife hand uses the little finger side of your hand. Its power comes from the speed with which this strike can be delivered and with the very small point of impact.
However, it is the little finger side of your hand! Unlike these crazy karate people, jiu-jitsukas do NOT strike big heavy skulls with their itty bitty little fingers. We go for soft targets like the neck, throat, kidneys and floating ribs. Knife hand also works great on the bicep of the big biker dude who's sufficiently impolitic to grab you!
Shuto (ridge hand)
ridge hand
Again, ridge hand can be a very powerful weapon when aimed at the correct target (unlike yet another crazy karateka who insists on slamming his poor hand into a big skull...or not. Do you ever notice that the guys who do these things, never actually slam their hands into skulls in real life? At least they don't do it twice!
Instead, use ridge hand against forearms that are brazenly trying to deliver a fist to your nose. Use them to knock the wind out of that impudent gangsta-wannabe by nailing his floating rib. Slip a shot, go down and ridge hand the bad guy's outer quad, inner thigh or up between his legs crushing his testicles against his pelvis. OOOPS! DID I DO THAT? (Big innocent look)
Instead, use ridge hand against forearms that are brazenly trying to deliver a fist to your nose. Use them to knock the wind out of that impudent gangsta-wannabe by nailing his floating rib. Slip a shot, go down and ridge hand the bad guy's outer quad, inner thigh or up between his legs crushing his testicles against his pelvis. OOOPS! DID I DO THAT? (Big innocent look)
Teicho (palm strike)
palm strike
TALK TO THE HAND! Words cannot express my deep and abiding gratitude to the sensei who taught me teicho. It's hard to believe, but I have actually knocked guys out with a palm strike to their torso. I have broken ribs, crushed muscle, rearranged faces and generally wreaked havoc with this phenomenal strike. Learn it and learn it well. If you have to choose between a tsukkake and a teicho, let the teicho win every time. Not only does it have far less chance of breaking your finger bones, but it leaves the jiu-jitsuka's hands open and available to grab and twist. It leaves your fingers available to poke, rake and scratch. If I had valued teicho in my youth as much as I do now, I would maybe not be as arthritic as I am now! So all you young whippersnappers learn well from the old man - practice your teicho!
Tsuki age - uppercut
A strong rising uppercut will take the good right out of a fighter. The target is elusive and you have to come in close, taking a greater risk, but if you find the button...there's just nothing quite like it.
Drive it from the hip, slightly twist your back foot as you deliver it and place it farther (or deeper) than you think. There's a tendency to draw it short, almost rabbit punching it and if you miss, you'll simply be burning more energy while taking shots. Keep your other hand up!
You'll see all kinds of expensive gear out there to help you build your uppercut power but I like to use a simple army surplus duffel bag with a few towels folded flat backed by some old telephone books. It will build your power, and condition your hand, without breaking bones or damaging the tendons. I've found that that combination pretty closely imitates the feel of a gloved hand on a chin. However, it's NOTHING like the bone on bone of bare knuckle so beware.
Drive it from the hip, slightly twist your back foot as you deliver it and place it farther (or deeper) than you think. There's a tendency to draw it short, almost rabbit punching it and if you miss, you'll simply be burning more energy while taking shots. Keep your other hand up!
You'll see all kinds of expensive gear out there to help you build your uppercut power but I like to use a simple army surplus duffel bag with a few towels folded flat backed by some old telephone books. It will build your power, and condition your hand, without breaking bones or damaging the tendons. I've found that that combination pretty closely imitates the feel of a gloved hand on a chin. However, it's NOTHING like the bone on bone of bare knuckle so beware.
Naname tsuke - hook
A solid naname tsuke, delivered from the core and back muscles, will leave the other guy dazed, confused and trying to guess how many fingers the ref is holding up.
A bad naname tsuke, delivered solely from the arm and with both feet planted will leave you vulnerable to a cross or even to a rear naked choke depending on how wildly you swing.
Shift your weight slightly back, lead with your hip, and slightly pivot your foot as you deliver the shot. Turn your knuckles to face you. I know you can deliver the shot with the knuckles down and I've done it myself, but it leaves your bicep more open to a blocking ridge hand and you can't follow up with an ura ichi if you miss.
A bad naname tsuke, delivered solely from the arm and with both feet planted will leave you vulnerable to a cross or even to a rear naked choke depending on how wildly you swing.
Shift your weight slightly back, lead with your hip, and slightly pivot your foot as you deliver the shot. Turn your knuckles to face you. I know you can deliver the shot with the knuckles down and I've done it myself, but it leaves your bicep more open to a blocking ridge hand and you can't follow up with an ura ichi if you miss.
Ura ichi - back fist
The image here depicts the end of a spinning back fist, one of the more popular ways ura ichi is delivered today. However, ura ichi is actually quite versatile and can be delivered to multiple targets from numerous positions. I have personally used ura ichi from a kneeling position after getting knocked down and my opponent was moving in to mount my back. I hit his solar plexus and he went down to one knee for just long enough to get turned around and draw him into my guard.
Ura ichi should be aimed at soft targets or to joints like the mandible. It should be focused on the lead and second knuckle.
Ura ichi should be aimed at soft targets or to joints like the mandible. It should be focused on the lead and second knuckle.
Uchi oroshi - hammer fist
The power available to a fighter through uchi oroshi is amazing, but limited to close encounters of the painful kind. Because of the need to fold one's arm before delivering the blow, uchi oroshi telegraphs something awful. Therefore it must be reserved for instances when the person either cannot see what you're doing because of the angle, or can't do anything about it.
Thus uchi oroshi as the ubiquitous ground and pound arsenal is what people are most familiar with. However, it can be used effectively in stand up grappling to the side of the mandible at a downward angle, dislocating it. It can be used kneeling or bent over to the inner or outer thigh if one were foolish enough to get caught by the neck. I've used uchi oroshi to break clavicles before. That seemed to discourage my opponent, so I highly recommend it.
Thus uchi oroshi as the ubiquitous ground and pound arsenal is what people are most familiar with. However, it can be used effectively in stand up grappling to the side of the mandible at a downward angle, dislocating it. It can be used kneeling or bent over to the inner or outer thigh if one were foolish enough to get caught by the neck. I've used uchi oroshi to break clavicles before. That seemed to discourage my opponent, so I highly recommend it.
Shito - spear hand
To tell you the truth, though I was taught shito, and have used shito a number of times, the neck/throat is the only really effective target I've found. Don't get me wrong, I've used it to good effect on the solar plexus, but not to the point where a good tsukkake wouldn't have been even better.
At one point I conditioned my hands really hard for a couple years. I drove them repeatedly into buckets of dried beans for a while. Then I graduated to marbles. Then I graduated to sand. I did (and still do) clapping finger pushups of the five finger and three finger variety. I had a friend who let me work out on old pig and cow corpses that were no longer good enough to sell. I got so I could drive my hands into the corpses.
However, life kept happening and I got away from that constant training and very quickly lost that conditioning. So unless you are planning on making this your life and career - just plan on striking the bad guy's throat...or eye.
At one point I conditioned my hands really hard for a couple years. I drove them repeatedly into buckets of dried beans for a while. Then I graduated to marbles. Then I graduated to sand. I did (and still do) clapping finger pushups of the five finger and three finger variety. I had a friend who let me work out on old pig and cow corpses that were no longer good enough to sell. I got so I could drive my hands into the corpses.
However, life kept happening and I got away from that constant training and very quickly lost that conditioning. So unless you are planning on making this your life and career - just plan on striking the bad guy's throat...or eye.
Forward empi - forward elbow
This has got to be my single favorite tool and I have the bone chips to prove it. What an awesome thing a good forward empi is! It will obliterate muscle, snap bones, and if (like me) you develop that little sharp hook at the very end of the bone, you can slice and dice a face up in no time. It has the advantage of the power from your upper back and shoulders, and you can throw in some added momentum if you're standing and can lead with a step in or a flick of the hip. I've literally folded 100 pound heavy bags with an empi.
Have I told you how much I like this strike?
Have I told you how much I like this strike?
Reverse empi - reverse elbow
Reverse empi is also good but it is a pretty specialized tool in the jiu-jitsu arsenal. The shot you see the guy delivering here is actually illegal in the UFC and there was a bit of a stink about it. However, in a street fight, if you can get into this position, a reverse empi to the base of the skull will turn out bad guy's lights in a hurry.
Because I'm short, I hardly use reverse empi except in the type of grappling position that you see in this picture. However, I've had a few tall guys drive their elbows down into my trapezius and neck. I can attest that I was not very happy. So if you're tall - this might deserve a little more attention.
But hey! Combine a little kansetsuwaza with a reverse empi, shake well, and you get a very sad bad guy! Hmmmm...good times.
Because I'm short, I hardly use reverse empi except in the type of grappling position that you see in this picture. However, I've had a few tall guys drive their elbows down into my trapezius and neck. I can attest that I was not very happy. So if you're tall - this might deserve a little more attention.
But hey! Combine a little kansetsuwaza with a reverse empi, shake well, and you get a very sad bad guy! Hmmmm...good times.
Atama - head butt
Atamas are great, but you are not likely a ram. If you ARE a ram and you're reading this site...then I'd like to suggest a side job with Ripley's Believe it or Not.
For the rest of us non-rams, you are just as likely to damage yourself as the other guy if you don't apply your atama judiciously. Don't do what these two guys are doing, simply bashing foreheads together. Apply your atama to the side of his temple, to his mandible, to his upper lip, to his clavicle. In the thirty some years I've practiced jiu-jitsu, I've never really found any better targets for atamas than those four.
For the rest of us non-rams, you are just as likely to damage yourself as the other guy if you don't apply your atama judiciously. Don't do what these two guys are doing, simply bashing foreheads together. Apply your atama to the side of his temple, to his mandible, to his upper lip, to his clavicle. In the thirty some years I've practiced jiu-jitsu, I've never really found any better targets for atamas than those four.
