Hikite (Pulling Hand) Usage

[Wastelander]

On 12/1/2025 at 4:22 PM, aurik said:

This got me thinking quite a bit -- we don't frequently pull hikite in Uechi-Ryu.  For example, our kata generally start with the hands in a guard position, we chamber the strike, execute the strike, and then return to the guard position.  We do pull hikite in some of our two-person drills, when we execute a sequence of strikes.  However, it's sufficiently uncommon that we don't explain the "why"; we just do it.

However, in thinking about the reasons you posted, several of them come to mind -- specifically the grabbing and pulling your opponent, and also activating the hips.  IMO these both go hand in hand for us.  We are taught that when we receive a strike, we should grab it, pull it (to disrupt the opponent), and this also activates the hips to prime the counterstrike.

I have noticed that Uechi-Ryu tends to do a lot of isolation gripping, where they grab onto something and hold it in place, rather than pulling it. In that context, I think it makes sense to use hikite as a way of freeing up your hand to strike with it.

[Spartacus Maximus]

Two of the most obvious explanations for hikite or “chambering” become clear when considering the strategy and range of Eastern martial arts. Particularly those of Chinese and Okinawan origins in their older pre-sport versions.

Unarmed fighting and self-defense is rarely if ever done at distances beyond arms reach and most techniques require closing distance. It makes a lot of logical sense to seize, trap and pull an attacker while striking. The other explanation for hikite is exploiting antagonist motions to train effective body mechanics and structure for maximum power generation.

This is not really unique to Eastern martial arts, but a vital concept. Every technique involves opposite  movements and push/pull is one of the most important. In Eastern arts, at least, this is more obvious in training and becomes more subtle once skill develops and when used in actual fighting or defense. 

[sensei8]

Hikite is NOT about power; it’s about being in close range of my attacker. Hikite aides in providing me information as to where the body is without me having to look.

With Hikite I can control, manipulate, and seize. Of course, I have to use both of my hands to do one or another. No Hikite, no acccuracy.

Imagine how kata would look like without Hikite??

 

 

[Furinkazan]

On 12/13/2025 at 7:36 PM, sensei8 said:

Hikite is NOT about power...

While an argument could be made that hikite could be used to grab, I don't think the use for power can be dismissed.  Even outside of karate where the word "hikite" isn't used, pulling one hand is indeed crucial for increasing the power of the other hand that's punching.  Without pulling that hand back, the punch is just another jab or cross.  A punch that's designed to wear your opponent down, and not knock them out.  In karate, we're always going for the knockout.  End the fight quickly and get out of there.  If we're just trying to wear the other guy down, that's not self-defense.

Here's why I don't think it's the grab that most people think when they say it is:  if someone is standing one foot away from you, you're not going to land a very powerful punch.  If you look at viral videos of fights on the internet, even untrained people know this: you have two egotistical guys in each other's faces, and the guy who swings first always either takes a big step back or pushes the other guy away before throwing that haymaker.

Your fist needs to travel a certain distance and your arm needs to be extended out by a certain amount before your punch can have much effect.  So if you grab the other guy and pull him towards you into the punch with the other hand, you're reducing the effectiveness of your own punch.

Edited 15 hours ago by Furinkazan

[sensei8]

48 minutes ago, Furinkazan said:

While an argument could be made that hikite could be used to grab, I don't think the use for power can be dismissed.  Even outside of karate where the word "hikite" isn't used, pulling one hand is indeed crucial for increasing the power of the other hand that's punching.  Without pulling that hand back, the punch is just another jab or cross.  A punch that's designed to wear your opponent down, and not knock them out.  In karate, we're always going for the knockout.  End the fight quickly and get out of there.  If we're just trying to wear the other guy down, that's not self-defense.

Here's why I don't think it's the grab that most people think when they say it is:  if someone is standing one foot awa

48 minutes ago, Furinkazan said:

Here's why I don't think it's the grab that most people think when they say it y from you, you're not going to land a very powerful punch.  If you look at viral videos of fights on the internet, even untrained people know this: you have two egotistical guys in each other's faces, and the guy who swings first always either takes a big step back or pushes the other guy away before throwing that haymaker.

Your fist needs to travel a certain distance and your arm needs to be extended out by a certain amount before your punch can have much effect.  So if you grab the other guy and pull him towards you into the punch with the other hand, you're reducing the effectiveness of your own punch.

I respect your opinions wholeheartedly; I thank you for them.

Power aided by Hikite isn’t forgotten nor is it ignored by us Shindokanists, inasmuch as how our grappling is aided by Hikite across the board. For us, our fists as well as our feet are used primarily as set-ups for our grappling; that’s us, and may not be for others.

We, you and I, might have different methodologies and ideologies concerning many different things including Hikite, and in that, I don’t discard what others have been taught across the board.

Oftentimes, MAists have yet to mature in their techniques, which is understandable because it takes a lot of time to mature in ones technique, and this by no means to be directed to you personally or anyone else here. 

Imho!!

Edited 14 hours ago by sensei8