Finger strikes

[NightOwl]

Hey, a quick question for those of the Kung Fu persuasion:

I've notice that alot of styles do strikes with a 'knife hand' rather than a fist. Doesn't that put you at risk for jamming your fingers? How does it work exactly? Thanks!

...Knowledge is power

[DWx]

Just wondering where you would be "jamming your fingers" and why you'd go sticking your hands there?

Other than that, had very little experience in any kung fu so ignore this comment...

[bushido_man96]

I have done a spear hand strike (finger-tip thrust) into a very thin board, and broke it. It was not the regulation size of testing board, but a thinner board, maybe a 1/2 inch? Although not to be considered impressive, I thought it was pretty cool.

[ggg214]

Hey, a quick question for those of the Kung Fu persuasion:

I've notice that alot of styles do strikes with a 'knife hand' rather than a fist. Doesn't that put you at risk for jamming your fingers? How does it work exactly? Thanks!

...Knowledge is power

chinese traditional MA considers that using hand in training or fighting is more useful than using fist.especially in your practice.because that makes your body as a whole.

[lordtariel]

Spear thrusts are very effective against the soft fleshy bits(throat, solar plexus, ect), but they take some conditioning if you want to use them against harder targets.

[bluez4u2]

Some of them look like finger strikes but they are really throat strikes with the edges of the forearm. They are slashing thrusts to the neck with the intention of hitting the jugular vein and carotid artery and the windpipe.

[NightOwl]

I understand that it could do some damage, I'm just curious as to why it would be preferable to a fist.

[bushido_man96]

I understand that it could do some damage, I'm just curious as to why it would be preferable to a fist.

I don't really think that it would be, however, that is just my experience and training. Many people love open-hand strikes. I am not so sure I would ever use a finger-tip thrust, though. Maybe to the eyes, if the opportunity was there.

[MizuRyu]

Just as you don't use a hammer on a screw, you don't use a fist for all situations. Fingertip strikes (biu tze) are useful for the eyes and throat in my experience. Keeping the fingers somewhat relaxed and thrusting them towards the eyeline is BOUND to contact an eye, which is enough to stun an opponent for the follow-up. Same to the throat, but stiffer, puts pressure on the windpipe or a multitude of the arteries and veins that supply blood to the brain.

It's hard to hit an eye or the throat with a fist, and those are 2 excellent targets if it needs to be quick and dirty. Most people keep their chin down a bit when fighting, and fitting a fist in there is darn near impossible. The fingers, blade of the hand, or leopard paw make more sense because they fit in smaller places.

Heck, I don't even punch to face much anymore. Mostly 'power-palms'. They work extremely well as a preemptive and you can generate a god-forsaken load of power with it.

Knife hands to the side of the neck make more sense because the angle of a strike with the fist is drastic. It's a subversive technique, and effective in traumatizing the nerves and blood vessels of such a target. The force is more localized with means greater pressure on specific structures instead of the structure as a whole.

There are lots of different hand positions because there are lots of different targets that react differently to different forces.

[NightOwl]

Just as you don't use a hammer on a screw, you don't use a fist for all situations. Fingertip strikes (biu tze) are useful for the eyes and throat in my experience. Keeping the fingers somewhat relaxed and thrusting them towards the eyeline is BOUND to contact an eye, which is enough to stun an opponent for the follow-up. Same to the throat, but stiffer, puts pressure on the windpipe or a multitude of the arteries and veins that supply blood to the brain.

It's hard to hit an eye or the throat with a fist, and those are 2 excellent targets if it needs to be quick and dirty. Most people keep their chin down a bit when fighting, and fitting a fist in there is darn near impossible. The fingers, blade of the hand, or leopard paw make more sense because they fit in smaller places.

Heck, I don't even punch to face much anymore. Mostly 'power-palms'. They work extremely well as a preemptive and you can generate a god-forsaken load of power with it.

Knife hands to the side of the neck make more sense because the angle of a strike with the fist is drastic. It's a subversive technique, and effective in traumatizing the nerves and blood vessels of such a target. The force is more localized with means greater pressure on specific structures instead of the structure as a whole.

There are lots of different hand positions because there are lots of different targets that react differently to different forces.

Gotcha MizuRyu! Thanks for the input....I guess I am still not all that comfortable with palms but I appreciate the examples. Perhaps I should try them sometime?