Ridge Hand

[joesteph]

I don't know how many kinds of hand strikes there are, but I'm certain that some are used more--and others much less--than others. I'm asking about the ridge hand strike, because I've never thought of it as an especially strong one, although it was taught to me in the past as a fast way to strike the temple.

In doing a certain self-defense exercise, the first two hand strikes, a backfist to the nose and a hammerfist to the groin, speak for themselves in terms of impact on the target. But the third and final strike is a ridge hand, performed in such a manner that there's an arc as the blow strikes the side of the neck. If I were to the side of the opponent, and the ridge hand went to the front of the neck, I can see it being used to damage the throat but, as I said, it's to the side.

I just received the Fall Catalog from Century, and there on the cover is a martial artist striking the new BOB--with a ridge hand, this one performed with the palm up. He's at the side of BOB, so it is a throat strike, but I focused on that it was a ridge hand one.

How do you feel about using the ridge hand? Do you believe it to be genuinely effective? Do you actually use it, or is it something that's traditionally taught, but not expected to be used?

[Truestar]

I think the knife hand can definitely deliver more power, however I wouldn't totally throw the ridge hand out of the picture. Placing a ridge hand at the septum or throat will certainly do some damage.

We teach the ridge hand in three ways, inside, outside, and downwards. A serious Martial Artist would probably assume that downwards wouldn't really work. As long as you get generate the power inside and outside could work if placed in the right spot.

I can see throwing a ridge hand to the head, and bam. My hand is already in a good position to go for a grab to the arm or neck. I think it has its uses.

[tallgeese]

I can honestly say that I've never really used it as a primary weapon. I'm more likley to use a forearm from the infight than a ridgehand at range. there are just too many better weapons.

I can see the occassional use to the throat, but I seem to always end up palm up with this type of application.

As with anything, the primary thing to worry about is matching your weapon to the intended target whatever it maybe. I think that there are just some weapons that fit more targets with more frequency.

[joesteph]

From Tallgeese:

I can see the occassional use to the throat, but I seem to always end up palm up with this type of application.

Just like on the catalog cover; a strike you can practice full-force on a humanlike target's "throat" without causing a fatal blow.

From Truestar:

I can see throwing a ridge hand to the head, and bam. My hand is already in a good position to go for a grab to the arm or neck. I think it has its uses.

So one application might be a quick stunning blow to the temple, a seize, and then the knee comes right up to strike the solar plexus (perhaps the head?). Slick move.

[bushido_man96]

We teach the ridge hand in three ways, inside, outside, and downwards. A serious Martial Artist would probably assume that downwards wouldn't really work. As long as you get generate the power inside and outside could work if placed in the right spot.

Well, there was that scene in The Best of the Best where the Korean did the ridge hand break on those slabs of concrete, downwards. Pretty nasty, but, it was a movie....

As for the use of the ridgehand strike, I just don't think it is that useful. In some of our forms, we use it as a blocking technique, and from here, the application of grabbing could come into play. I have seen guys do board breaks with a ridge hand strike, but I feel that it is too easy to hyperextend the elbow when doing a strike like that. I would stick with the knife hand myself.

[tallgeese]

Yeah, those bob dummies are good for hitting in the throat. I usually flow into a grab if possible from this palm u p application. It works nicely for controling the mind of the opponant.

[DWx]

I like using ridgehand, mainly because of the trajectory of the arm I feel I can get a decent amount of mass behind it. Because of the thumb I would only consider using it on the neck (side and front) and possibly the solar plexus if I was to step through to the side of the opponent. I think it can be a pretty powerful technique if you can get the mass behind it; I used to throw discus in school and used to use a motion similar to a ridgehand, worked every time.

[joesteph]

I used to throw discus in school and used to use a motion similar to a ridgehand, worked every time.

This would be like the third strike in the self-defense exercise I referred to in the first posting, the blow to the neck coming by way of the path of an arc. I wonder if you have an advantage here, DWx, in that you've practiced this motion in a special way, to let that discus fly, so you find the movement more natural. You might even be moving in a faster arc than others in performing the ridge hand, generating more force.

[bushido_man96]

We have two one-steps where we knock down the attacker's punch and then follow with a side stepping ridge hand strike, like a clothes line attack.

[ShoriKid]

I've seen ridge hands swell a good mouse on the corner of someone's eye a couple of different times. I cut the same attack to the side of the neck, which can produce a heavy stun, as your talking about. The good thing about it is that the ridge hand, if you miss, either catches the frontal area of the throat or your get the inner edge of the forarm into the side of the neck. The built in safety of distance is a good thing.

Downward ridge hands are usually meant to show a motion used for throwing. Think of a left straight/jab coming at you. A parry and 45deg. step to put the punch past your left shoulder and bring that downard ridge hand up and then down in a tight ark. That ridge hand passes over the back a bit, the forarm catches the side of the neck as you tourque the hips toward the right and you get your throw. If you miss it, pivot on the left foot and bring the right hand up to clasp the left as you step belly to back with the attacker and you have a nice choke.

The ridge hand has it's uses, like a lot of the other less used hand techniques. But, they are not a one size fits all tool.