Knife hand blocks

[Dark Shogun]

The crooked finger theory may hold true. I cannot tuck my right thumb in when forming a knifehand because of an accident with a chandelier when I was a lad. I can keep it pretty flat against my hand tho.

[P.A.L]

try this

make knif hand block and ask somebody to push you back by pushing the edge of you knif hand block now

A: all fingers open(don't stick them together) and reverse hand palm down

B: same as first one ,just reverse hand palm up

C: same as A just bend the thumbs in (both hands)

D: same as B with bent thumbs.

in which kamae you feel stronger?

[steelwater]

Has anyone out there ever heard of extending your pinky off of the rest your fingers when using a knife hand block or a shuto? I was teaching class tonight and one of my students said that a former teacher of his said that the pinky should be extended out, away from the rest of the hand, when using this block or strike. I don't know if I am being nieve but that sounds ridiculous to me. I've never heard that nor do I understand the principle behind it. Anyone out there have any input?

Yes, I was trained to perform the shuto this way, but only when it is being used for striking. Just a note for all the people saying "sounds like a good way to get the pinky broken" If you're doing it correctly (as a strike), you'd have more of a chance of getting it dislocated/jammed than broken.

As for the explanation: The concept around the physical part is that extending the pinky actually results in a tighter and stronger strike. If you want to try an example, extend your pinky away from the other fingers as much as you can, tense your hand and strike your wrist repeatedly. Stop and do the shuto that you're accustomed too. Alternate back and forth. Extending the pinky results in a stronger strike. No, you will NOT break your pinky because the strike is designed for the area under it. Now.. for the more spiritual side. This shuto is actually a "hand seal", hand gestures that are derived from esoteric buddhism. The hand seal is supposed to represent the sword of enlightenment, which cuts away delusions. The whole delusion thing has never worked for me, but sticking the pinky out does. As it's very late here, my mind is kinda jumbled, but tomorrow I'll be back with a picture and possibly a video of the concept.

P.S: I just found this forum today and already I enjoy it more than the other forum I was at. Keep up the good work!

[saiha]

steelwater speaks the truth,i have also been taught to do shuto this way. if u strike correctly with the side of the hand below the little finger it shouldnt really matter what position ur finger is in as it wont touch the striking area anyway