The Spearpoint Knuckle

The middle-finger knuckle fist (nakadaka-ken) of karate-& resembles this way of shaping the hand. As is shown in Figure, the projecting middle finger must be tightly squeezed between the supporting ring finger on one side and the forefinger on the other; further, the inner tip of the thumb must press hard up and under the terminal row bone phalange of the middle finger. Held in this fashion, the middle finger will not, even under hard impact, slip back in line with the other fingers. The formation is used for both thrust and strike actions against vulnerable points, such as the temple, the back of the hand, the eyes, and other facial areas.

The Beak Hand

The eagle hand or the bent wrist (washide or kakuta or koken of karate-do) resembles this widely used pencak-silat hand formation. Bring the tips of the fingers and the thumb together, holding them firmly under tension by pressure so that you feel them to be a unit. Flex your wrist, holding your hand bent downward, at a bit less than its maximum extent. This formation should resemble, as its name indicates, the beak of a bird. The fingertips may be used in combination as a striking surface; or the underside of the hand may be used to cupstrike targets such as sensitive facial areas or the groin when the target is "round the corners-when the enemy is standing, say, with his back and left side to you and you want to strike his right ear. By far the most important use of the beak hand, however, is its function as a hook to catch the enemy before hurling him off-balance. This is done by applying the beak hand to the far side of his neck from behind or alongside and then swinging him circularly backward to the ground as in Pencak Silat Training Exercise 13-A

The Upright Fist

The upright or standing fist (tate-ken of karate-do) is a tight fist flexed inward and upward so that the main surface of the fist contacts the target with the two knuckles of the little finger and the fourth finger (Fig. 5). Valuable in upward hooking, side hooking, and thrust punches this hand formation may be used with great effect against both midsection and groin (shown in Training Exercise 15).

The Arrowhead Fist

In general formation, this hand weapon resembles the "fore fist" (seiken of karate-do) but there are some distinctions worth noting. The tight fist is held so that it is flexed and locked at the wrist, with the mid-knuckles in line with the long axis of the forearm, to form a concave or saddle-back sway on the back surface of the hand. Occasionally a convex surface is formed by flexion in the inward direction so as to reach certain targets. Delivery of the arrowhead fist may be either by thrust or strike action. Favorite targets for the delivery of the arrowhead fist by either action include the face, throat, solar plexus, ribs, kidney areas, groin, the head, forearms, backs of hands, and shinbones. Delivery of the arrowhead fist as a thrust punch into the midsection, throat, or face is shown in Training Exercise 9.

Hand Formation of Karate-Do | Hiraken

Hiraken is called for fore-knuckle fist

Hand Formation of Karate-Do | Nakadaka-ken

Nakadaka-ken is called for middle-knuckle fist

Hand Formation of Karate-Do | Seiken

Seiken is called for forefist.

Hand Formation of Karate-Do | Ippon-ken

Ippon-ken is called for one-knuckle fist

Hand Formation of Karate-Do | Tettsui

Tetsui is called for bottom fist.

Hand Formation of Karate-Do | Uraken

Uraken is called for back fist

Hand Formation of Karate-Do | Oyayubi Ippon-ken

Oyayubi Ippon-ken is called for thumb one-finger fist

Hand Formation of Karate-Do | Washide

Washide is called for eagle hand

Hand Formation of Karate-Do | Keito

Keito is called for chicken head wrist

Hand Formation of Karate-Do | Kakuto

Kakuto is called for bent wrist hand

Hand Formation of Karate-Do | Kumade

Kumade is called for bear hand

Hand Formation of Karate-Do | Teisho

Teisho is called for palm heel hand.

Hand Formation of Karate-Do | Nukite

Nukite is called for spear hand

Hand Formation of Karate-Do | Haishu

Haishu is called for back hand.

Hand Formation of Karate-Do | Haito

Haito is called for ridge hand.

Hand Formation of Karate-Do | Shuto

Shuto is called for knife hand.