Knifehand strike

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Knifehand strike
Japanese name
Kanji:	手刀打ち
Hiragana:	しゅとううち
Transliterations - Revised Hepburn: shutō-uchi - Kunrei-shiki: syutô-uti
Korean name
Hangul:	?
Transliterations - Revised   Romanization: sohnal ?

A knifehand strike is a strike using the part of the hand opposite the thumb (from the little finger to the wrist), familiar to many people as a karate chop, (in Japanese, shutō-uchi). This refers to strikes performed with the side of the knuckle of the small finger. Suitable targets for the knife hand strike include the mastoid muscles of the neck, the jugular, the throat, the collar bones, the 3rd vertebra (key stone of the spinal column), the upper arm, the wrist (knife hand block), the elbow (outside knife hand block), and the knee cap (leg throw). In many Japanese and Chinese martial arts systems, the knifehand is used to block as well as to strike.

[edit] Japanese martial arts

Tegatana (手刀 : てがたな, Tegatana^? Japanese for hand-sword) is a term from Japanese martial arts like aikido and karate referring to a hand position that resembles that of the blade of a sword. This can be in a high, middle or low position but is usually extended outwards at about eye level.

During practice, uke and tori will often stand opposite each other with their respective te-gatana touching each other. From this position, considered by some the ideal combative distance for two unarmed opponents, many balance-breaking, striking and throwing techniques can be applied.