What part of the hand do you prefer to strike with?

[Harkon72]

For a lot of Karateka, the seiken or first two knuckles is their favorite part of the hand to strike an opponent. For some Kung Fu stylists it's the Sun fist or bottom three knuckes. The heel of the hand is better for others, but I prefer the Shuto or knife hand as it has more versatility and better choice of target. How do the members of this forum make a strike with the hand, punching or striking? Do we have any fans of the single knuckle?

[tallgeese]

Whatever weapon surface matches the target that I'm striking at. That might take any sort of configuration. Generally speaking; however, I tend to the top couple of knuckles while punching. If it's a punch that fits best in the situation.

[JGarner890]

First two knuckles, but also like knife hands. Just depends on what the target is.

[xo-karate]

Whatever weapon surface matches the target that I'm striking at. That might take any sort of configuration. Generally speaking; however, I tend to the top couple of knuckles while punching. If it's a punch that fits best in the situation.

In a self defense situation? I don't know what would happen. I've trained to use two top knuckles, but if I'd hit the face, I'd rather use bottom of my palm. (But what would happen in the actual situation, I don't know. Most likely I might hit to the core with two knuckles and use some kind of take down and continue from their - hopefully for submission or escape.)

[andym]

I like single knuckle punches, but they take time, will i have that time ? Nakadaka Ken is my prefered, as it just folds back into the fist and becomes Seiken, if it goes wrong. But the main striking surfaces for are seiken and Seiryuto, the outside edge (non-thumb side) of the wrist . I prefer it over Shuto.

[JusticeZero]

Palm or wrist. Conditioning the knuckle into a weapon takes time and we aspire to desk jobs.

[RW]

For a lot of Karateka, the seiken or first two knuckles is their favorite part of the hand to strike an opponent. For some Kung Fu stylists it's the Sun fist or bottom three knuckes. The heel of the hand is better for others, but I prefer the Shuto or knife hand as it has more versatility and better choice of target. How do the members of this forum make a strike with the hand, punching or striking? Do we have any fans of the single knuckle?

Ever hit a target, full force, with a knife hand? My small finger tends to "open", while all my front knuckles collide with each other. I don't get it.

I can break boards or the like just fine, but any full force strike will have that effect.

[Kusotare]

Basic rule of thumb that I usewith regards to striking with your hands is to hit boney parts with fleshy bits and hit fleshy parts with boney bits.

So, a strike to the face (which is after all a boney crash helmet) I typically use the heel of the palm.

And equally, I would use seiken more typically to the body.

K.

[mal103]

Basic rule of thumb that I usewith regards to striking with your hands is to hit boney parts with fleshy bits and hit fleshy parts with boney bits.

So, a strike to the face (which is after all a boney crash helmet) I typically use the heel of the palm.

And equally, I would use seiken more typically to the body.

K.

Sound advice, lately i've been using tate zuki on the punch bag, virtical punch with some twisting of the hips is very powerful but from another office dweller can be dangerous if you hit a hip bone.

We often train palm strike upwards and fists to body area.

Open hand - Shuto - can be good but can also hurt if you miss and strike with the little finger...

[DWx]

Basic rule of thumb that I usewith regards to striking with your hands is to hit boney parts with fleshy bits and hit fleshy parts with boney bits.

So, a strike to the face (which is after all a boney crash helmet) I typically use the heel of the palm.

And equally, I would use seiken more typically to the body.

K.

This is the rule we go by. Also it very much depends on positioning and angle of attack. A knife hand would be awkward if I want to hit someone in the face when they're straight in front of me.

However in answer to the original question I favour knifehands and palm heels.