algernon

What are your opinions of colleges who routinely give degrees to small children?

Yes, good point. The same is true with an inward lateral or upward vertical forearm strike. I must admit that, as we were discussing thrusts (which typically entail a linear extension), I limited my focus to linear strikes. Thank you for the counterpoint. It is not for the attacker's safety that I perform a palm heel as described, but rather to gain distance, impede an advance, and disrupt posture. The key to this lies in executing the "strike" and "thrust" contiguously, without interruption. This utilizes a greater portion of my potential power, particularly when used during an attacker's incoming strike, or while counter pulling against their arm. My purpose in describing a chronological separation between a strike and its thrust (which I managed to scarcely touch at all) was to describe stages in which force is transferred in a thrusting strike. These should not be thought of as separate and deliberate actions, but rather as observed distinguishable phases of the technique. For students showing difficulty in delivering thrusting kicks, I have the student place their foot on a kicking shield or heavy bag, assuming the posture of a kick that is about half extended. I then have the student push against the bag with the remainder of the kick. After a few repetitions, the student is to execute a full kick, and then push against the bag. Finally, the student may resume practicing the full kick, with instructions to concentrate on penetration. I would not use this as a regular drill, as I fear that it may create a habitual separation of the aforementioned phases of the technique, but provided as a brief lesson, it has helped some students who struggled with thrusting kicks.

Though thrusting techniques are often delivered in the form of a strike, I would not categorically classify thrusting as a subset of striking; striking connotes impact, but a thrust may occur without. Whereas a strike begins negative acceleration upon impact with the target, a thrust begins, continues, or resumes positive acceleration after contact. Therefore, a thrust may be an uninterrupted continuation of a strike, such as a thrusting kick or a punch with heavy follow-through penetration, or may be executed independently, as in a push against an opponent with whom contact has previously been made. Such is a case where a thrust may be applied to the strike, by delivering the blow with less extension of the striking arm and applying that remaining available extension after the initial impact has been made (as I myself prefer when delivering a palm heel). Your palm heel example is an apt illustration of the strike taking place up to the initial impact, and the thrust occurring after contact has been made.