Strike (attack)

A strike is an unarmed attack with hand, arm or elbow in order to cause harm to an opponent. An attack with the hand closed into a fist is called a punch. A strike with a foot or leg is called a kick. Punches are usually a bit weaker than kicks, but faster to deliver.

Strikes are employed in many martial arts, such as Karate, boxing and Muay Thai. Few martial arts employ no strikes at all; wrestling is one of them. In most arts, strikes are complemented by kicks and grappling.

In karate, strikes are classified according to the part of the body used in the attack. Karate terms used in strikes are Japanese.

Consider for example striking with the closed fist. The most common strike with the fist is the seiken where the first two knuckles are used to hit the target. A strike with the back of the fist is called uraken. A strike with the bottom of the fist is called a hammer fist or tetsui.

Strikes with the elbow are called empi in karate.

If you open your hand with fingers together, you have a "sword hand" or shuto. Hence, a strike with the outside edge of this open hand is called shuto. A strike with the fingertips of your sword hand is called nukite. If you tuck in your thumb and strike with the ridge formed, this is haito. You can even strike with the flat surfaces of your sword hand.

Other hand forms exist that can be used in striking. You can strike with the heel of your open palm. You can strike at the eyes of your opponent with the tips of a finger (ippon nukite).