karate chop

[bushido_man96]

On a related technical note, has anyone ever broken a board with a spearhand strike?

Yes. A typical board for breaking (12x8x1 I think). It bruised the tip of my middle finger though.

Very impressive, ps1.

Thanks for the explanation above as well. Very nicely laid out.

[YoungMan]

I have seen footage on YouTube of Koreans breaking several boards at once with spearhands. Hurts just thinking about it. I'll stick with techniques than are inclined to injure me less should I be unsucessful. Spearhand tends to be all or nothing. If the boards don't break, you can suffer irreparable damage to the fingers and hand.

Knifehand itself is a good basic striking/breaking technique.

[ravenzoom]

I have always wondered why the chop isn't used in MMA. I still think it might be useful if applied to the neck region where knock-outs could occur.

[Treebranch]

The more strikes the better I think. Punches and kicks aren't the only effective strikes.

[bushido_man96]

I have always wondered why the chop isn't used in MMA. I still think it might be useful if applied to the neck region where knock-outs could occur.

I am not sure a chop would work as well as say a back hand strike in that case. When you strike with the back of the hand, you cover more surface area, and tends to make the knockout more effective than the edge of the hand would.

[bushido_man96]

I have seen footage on YouTube of Koreans breaking several boards at once with spearhands. Hurts just thinking about it. I'll stick with techniques than are inclined to injure me less should I be unsucessful. Spearhand tends to be all or nothing. If the boards don't break, you can suffer irreparable damage to the fingers and hand.

Knifehand itself is a good basic striking/breaking technique.

I agree. I can't even imagine how long it takes to condition your hand to be able to do breaks like that. Besides that, your fingers don't to be conditioned that much if you plan to strike the eyes or throat.

[Treebranch]

If you can land one on the sterno mastoid muscle or the back of the neck it's often times more effective than a punch. It's worth exploring.

[DWx]

I have always wondered why the chop isn't used in MMA. I still think it might be useful if applied to the neck region where knock-outs could occur.

I am not sure a chop would work as well as say a back hand strike in that case. When you strike with the back of the hand, you cover more surface area, and tends to make the knockout more effective than the edge of the hand would.

Wouldn't it be more effective to cover less surface area? That way the same amount of force is concentrated on a smaller target, say for instance, the jugular? You'd have to be precise but it would cause greater damage to your target.

I would still go for a back hand strike over a chop personally. Just feels stronger.

[Treebranch]

I think since no one is using it in MMA people assume it's not effective, which is silly.

[ps1]

I have always wondered why the chop isn't used in MMA. I still think it might be useful if applied to the neck region where knock-outs could occur.

Check page 2. I gave a likely explination.

On a related technical note, has anyone ever broken a board with a spearhand strike?

Yes. A typical board for breaking (12x8x1 I think). It bruised the tip of my middle finger though.

Very impressive, ps1.

Maybe. Never again though. That bruise hurt for weeks.