non-fist hand attacks

...suggested that it was safer

Kuntao silat uses a lot of non-fist formations for hitting. The theory is that you hit with the big bones- like the end of the forearm at the heel of the hand. You especially don't hit with the little, easily displaced bones of the hand any more than you have to, and then you choose your targets carefully. Your hand is used more for grasping, grappling and small manipulations/striking. I have experience with non-fist formation striking as being very effective 'on the street'- when I actually had done it enough in practice that it became internalized, it expressed itself in reality quite nicely.

Chas 'It's Fighting, not Folkdancing!' http://members.xoom.com/kilap/Keepsafe.htm http://members.xoom.com/kilap/cane.html http://members.xoom.com/kilap/monkey.html http://www.kuntaosilat.com/ www.kilap.homepage.com/chas.mpg http://www.paladin-press.com/

Hitting with the palm-heel is a very effective alternate to the fist. The open hand can also strike with the karate knife-hand techniques, and there are many Chinese variants such as willow-leaf palm. The ridge hand is also effective and can be used striking with the lower forearm/wrist as well.

But my personal palm favorites are the slapping techniques such as (short) iron-palm.

The open hand in general fosters swift, relaxed delivery and leads to seamless presses, grabs, hooks (as traps, not blows), chin-na, etc.

I guess it all comes down to which is more important to you. To protect yourself or to hurt your opponent.

Why do them when you can punch instead? I'd only use the palm if I hurt my fist.

It is a fact that bareknuckle punches often lead to broken knuckles and hands(though you can reduce the likelyhood of these injuries with proper technique)but bare knucke punches also lead to broken jaws, noses orbiter bones and knocked out teeth.Generally it is a pretty good trade off for the guy throwing the blows.

The open hand does plenty of damage.

Opens palms still have the same concussive force, but they dont cause the same amount of pain, and damage.

I'd recommend Palm Strikes n stuff for people with smaller and weaker wrists.

But then again Mike Tyson broke his wrist punching someone in a street brawl, so who knows.

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Hurting your opponent is the best way to protect yourself.

But he won the fight, if he tried a palm strike he might have come up short and gotten beat down. If I walk away from a fight with just a broken knuckle.I'm counting my blessings.

Actually the best way to defend yourself is to run away.

The thread on heel-palm strikes made me wonder if people have practical experience in using other non fist attacks - like ridge-hand, knife-hand or crane (wrist joint) strike. Are these useful/practical.

And on the heel-palm thread, my instructor (watch the credits of Farscape for the occasional mention of Greg Blandy) suggested that it was safer hitting a thrown opponent with heel-palm than a fist because of possible cut knuckles due to teeth. Any thoughts??

the heel of your hand gives a good upward angle and positioning to do really nasty things with the bridge of your opponent's nose.

In an attack a man tries to invade your space. So you need to draw him out in a counter attack line, of your choosing the right timing for your attack against his weakest position. Like a trailing leg and bowl him over. Make him more cautious.

You as an attacker should have practiced Judo with the masters. Like Sensei Sadaka Nagabashi 8th dan. Or Hank Kraft third dan. US Army demobilised.

Pretend weakness yet maintain waryness. maintain your personal body space, at all time and/or counter attack. Depend, on speed and execution to do the work. Not power.

You can detect a weak opponent by the way he moves. Martial Artists move more subtly. Not raising their feet but gliding across the surface. When an opponent is positioned for an attack using distance he can't negociate. Draw him out. Taunt him. Entice him and dump him with a lighting move as he lunges to regain balance.

Speed is the most important. But being trained with the most adept is the key.

I played with the best for 25 years.

Sensei Cowan Swanson 2nd dan. Good foot sweep teacher.

Hey! Cowan

Its Herb Levinson one of your students and drinking partners back in the 1960s. How are you doing? My email account is This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Is Hank Kraft and Sadaka still around?

I was walking to a meeting on Ann street in Manhattan. When I felt a hand on my shoulder. Since I had never been in that area and lived some 40 miles away on Long Island. I suspected it was someone trying to mug me.

I reached back and with an open hand placed on his elbow and started to throw it over the center of his head. When I recognized it was another member of the invironmental group I was to meet with. And, I mansged to keep him from fall backwards on his.

He was so shocked that I knew he would never walk up to another person to do the same thing.

Master Sadaka Negabashi 8th Dan taught me that move some 25 years prior. He always taught me to "control the elbows" as well as many other unique Aikido and Judo techneques.
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