Hand/arm Techniques

Note: zuki is often pronounced more like the word ski. –zuki techniques are punches or thrusts. -uchi techniques are other strikes.

  • tzuki (-zuki) – punch
  • -uchi – strike
  • ate – joint strike
  • seiken zuki or choku zuki – basic punch with closed fist, striking with front two knuckles.
  • oi zuki – lunge punch
  • kizami zuki – leading punch, jab
  • gyaku zuki – reverse (rear) punch, delivered with twist of hips.
  • age zuki – rising punch
  • kagi zuki – hook punch
  • ura zuki – short punch (palm side up)
  • ura ken uchi – back fist strike, snapping wrist, striking with top of knuckles.
  • mawashi zuki – round hook punch, with top of hand facing outwards/upwards.
  • furi zuki – circular punch. Delivered in large circular path with swing of hips, top of hand facing inwards.
  • awase zuki – U punch. Double fist punch consisting of seiken zuki and ura zuki executed simultaneously.
  • heiko zuki – Parallel punch. Double fist punch consisting of simultaneous left and right seiken zuki punch.
  • yama zuki (mountain punch) – Double punch as in awase zuki, but seiken zuki is higher and is delivered in a circular over-arm fashion and ura zuki is lower and rises slightly.
  • hiji uchi or hiji ate – elbow strike
  • tateken zuki – vertical fist punch. Top of hand faces out to the side.
  • nukite zuki – finger thrust/spear hand. Straight hand, middle finger slightly bent so first three fingers are roughly even in length. Thumb bent and held tightly against palm.
  • shuto uchi – knife-hand strike, eg shuto hasami uchi (knife-hand strike to neck).
  • tettsui uchi – bottom fist strike. Closed fist, strike with bottom of fist.
  • shotei zuki – palm-heel thrust. Hand is open as in nukite, wrist bent back. Strike made with bottom of hand, as in tettsui (also called teisho zuki).
  • haito uchi – ridge-hand strike. Hand held as in nukite but strike is made with inside of hand, a little below the index finger.
  • keiko-ken zuki – one knuckle fist. Index finger joint protrudes slightly and is held firmly in place by thumb.
  • nakadaka ippon-ken zuki or just nakadaka zuki – middle knuckle punch. Similar to keiko-ken zuki, but using second finger. Thumb and index finger press firmly against middle finger to hold it in place.
  • kaiko-ken zuki – crab shell fist. Thumb bent and pressed against palm. First knuckles straighted and fingers curled inwards to touch edge of plam. Strike is made with middle bone of the fingers.
  • boshiken zuki – similar to seiken zuki but thumb presses firmly against the bent side of the index finger. Thumb is used to strike.
  • ko uchi – bent wrist strike, similar to ura ken uchi with open hand (wrist is initially bent, but snaps out).
  • kote uchi – forearm strike.
  • zu zuki – headbutt.