Karate: Hand Techniques Part 2

Seiken Jodan Tsuki

Everything that was said about the chudan tsuki applies in this technique, except for one little detail. If you are attacking the opponent's chin, can keep your fist aligned with the wrist. But what if you want to punch him in the forehead? Or in the nose? If you are attacking (with this particular technique) the area that cannot be approached from underneath, you may bend your wrist to keep the 90 degree angle between the knuckles and the target. Therefore, for a jodan tsuki, the wrist may be bent down; while for gedan tsuki, it should be up.

Note, however, that some people would keep their fist straight, and expect the opponent's head to adjust its position. Surprisingly, it works, too. Both techniques are called the same name; but obviously, they are different.

Tate Tsuki

This technique is faster than tsuki but is used just as frequently. If you watch kung fu movies, you will see it a lot. The attack begins from the less classical position. Pretend that you are doing push-ups. Close your fists and are doing it.

Here, the hand does not rotate. The palm is facing inwards, both at the beginning and at the end of the punch. Everything said about the shoulders and hips applies here as well, except in the case of the super-fast tate tsuki, when the body has no time to move all the way. Thus, it only sends a short impulse to the hand. Watch the movie ''Enter the Dragon'' to see how it works.