Straight chop
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Chop·KingstonSpiritCombat
Soke Brian Dossett shows the importance of movement while blocking a straight chop / straight strike with a stick to the…
Chop
Familyチョップ(Choppu)
TransliterationTranslation: chop
Overview
History & Origin
The chop strike, delivered with the edge or flat of the hand in a downward or diagonal arc, appears across numerous martial traditions worldwide. [1] In karate, chopping techniques are classified under uchi (strikes) and include both knife hand and ridge hand variations. [2] Western military combatives adopted the chop as a practical close-quarters weapon, with Fairbairn's World War II manual recommending edge-of-hand blows to vulnerable targets such as the neck and collarbone. [3] The chop was popularised in Western culture through early martial arts films and television, though its combat application has remained a staple of self-defence systems. [1]
Effectiveness
The chop strikes with the edge of the hand. [1]
Lineage
From karate's shuto uchi. [1]
Competition Record
Used in karate and MMA. [1]
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Generating and transferring kinetic energy from the body into the target through a striking surface
Joints Involved — Varies by technique — typically hip rotation, shoulder or hip flexion, and distal limb extension
Force Vector — Direction determined by the specific technique — linear, circular, or diagonal trajectory
Kinetic Chain — Ground reaction force transfers through the body's kinetic chain — each segment accelerates the striking limb
Position & Entry
From fighting stance — Extend the arm with fingers together, strike with the blade edge (ulnar side) of the open hand in a chopping arc
From close range — Short knife-hand strike to the neck, temple, or collarbone
Videos
1 video
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
4
Moderate4/10
Open hand chopping strike; less force than closed fist
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Beginner
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
Illegal
WBC/Boxing — Only closed-fist punches permitted {src— WBC Rules of Boxing}
Kyokushin — Only closed-fist strikes to body permitted {src— IKO Kyokushin Tournament Rules}
— WT — Prohibited
WT Competition Rules 2024PDF— WAKO — Closed fist only
WAKO Competition RulesPDFK-1/GLORY — Closed fist only {src— K-1/GLORY Kickboxing Rules}
Restricted
— WKF — Varies by technique — some open-hand strikes legal ...
WKF Competition Rules 2024PDF— ITF — Some knife hand techniques legal
ITF Competition RulesPDFLegal
— palm strikes, slaps permitted
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF— IFMA — Legal — palm strikes permitted in Muay Thai
IFMA Muay Thai RulesPDFTraining Notes
✓The chop strikes with the outer edge of the open hand (knife hand) in a downward or diagonal arc
✓Drive the chop from the shoulder with a hatchet-like motion, tightening the hand at the moment of impact
✓Target the neck, collarbone, or the side of the neck where the carotid artery and vagus nerve run
✓The chop is primarily a self-defence and traditional martial arts technique — it is less common in sport fighting
✓In combatives training (Fairbairn, Sykes, Applegate), the chop to the side of the neck was taught as one of the most effective close-quarters strikes
✓Keep the fingers together and the thumb tucked to create a rigid striking edge
✓The chop can be thrown from standing or as a ground-and-pound technique from top position
Common Mistakes
!Hitting with the fingers extended and loose, which causes jammed or broken fingers on impact
!Slapping with a floppy hand instead of striking with a rigid edge — the hand must be taut at contact
!Aiming at the top of the head where the skull deflects the strike — target the soft neck, collarbone, or temple
!Using excessive windup, which telegraphs the chop and slows delivery
!Not tightening the hand at the moment of impact — the hand transitions from relaxed to rigid at contact
!Chopping at a flat horizontal angle when a downward diagonal would be more effective against the neck
!Using the chop in sparring or competition where it may be illegal — check the rules
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1Assume Fighting Stance — begin from a balanced position with guard up
2Generate Power — use hip rotation and weight transfer for maximum force
3Execute Strike — deliver the technique to the target with correct form
4Recover to Guard — return immediately to defensive position
Sources & References
Primary Source
Karate-Do Kyohan: The Master Text (Gichin Funakoshi, 1935)
1BookBoxing (Dempsey, 1950)
Alias sources — [1] Karate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935) [2] Karate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935) [3] Karate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
2BookMuay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus, 2002)
History sources — [1] The Art of Striking (Blauer, 2004) [2] Karate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935) [3] Get Tough! (Fairbairn, 1942)
3OtherJapanese Combat Sports Katakana Convention
Standard katakana transliteration of Western martial arts terminology (外来語) — used in Japanese MMA, boxing, and BJJ communities
4CitationBoxing (Dempsey, 1950)
Alias sources — [1] Karate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935) [2] Karate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935) [3] Karate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
5CitationMuay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus, 2002)
History sources — [1] The Art of Striking (Blauer, 2004) [2] Karate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935) [3] Get Tough! (Fairbairn, 1942)
Community
Athletics
Requires
speed, power generation through kinetic chain, striking surface conditioning
Favours
athletic build with fast-twitch muscle fibres
Key muscles
varies by strike — hip rotators, shoulders, core
Sub-techniques
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is footwork important when executing a chop?
Footwork is crucial because moving only one foot while keeping the rest of your body stationary leaves you vulnerable—your opponent can still strike your shoulder or other parts of your body. You need to move your entire body, including your head and shoulder, to properly evade the counter-attack.
How do I prevent my opponent from catching my follow-up hand after I strike?
Keep your other hand ready to lock out your opponent's reach. If you control your leg positioning and maintain defensive hand placement, it becomes very difficult for your opponent to catch you or reach you from alternative angles.
How does the Chop work?
A downward or diagonal striking motion using the edge of the hand, similar to a knife hand but delivered with a heavier, more committed chopping trajectory.
Where does the Chop come from?
The chop strike, delivered with the edge or flat of the hand in a downward or diagonal arc, appears across numerous martial traditions worldwide. In karate, chopping techniques are classified under uchi (strikes) and include both knife hand and ridge hand variations.
Is the Chop legal in competition?
Unified MMA: legal — Legal (palm strikes, slaps permitted); WBC/Boxing: banned — Only closed-fist punches permitted; WKF: restricted — Varies by technique — some open-hand strikes legal in kata, generally restric…; Kyokushin: banned — Only closed-fist strikes to body permitted; WT: banned — Prohibited; ITF: restricted — Some knife hand techniques legal; WAKO: banned — Closed fist only; K: banned — 1/GLORY — Closed fist only; IFMA: legal — Legal — palm strikes permitted in Muay Thai
How dangerous is the Chop?
Danger rating 4/10. Moderate — open hand chopping strike; less force than closed fist
How do I set up the Chop?
The standard setup chain: Assume Fighting Stance → Generate Power → Execute Strike → Recover to Guard.
How do I defend against the Chop?
Standard counters include: Block — absorb the strike with a protective guard position / Evasion — move the target out of the strike's path / Counter-Attack — time an offensive response during the recovery phase of the strike.
What are the variants of the Chop?
Common variants: Standard variation (primary execution of the strike from the most common stance); Power variation (modified mechanics for maximum force generation); Speed variation (minimised telegraph for a faster, harder-to-read attack); Counter variation (timed to exploit the opponent's offensive commitment).
How effective is the Chop in competition?
Used in karate and MMA.
What are common mistakes when doing the Chop?
Top errors to watch for: Hitting with the fingers extended and loose, which causes jammed or broken fingers on impact / Slapping with a floppy hand instead of striking with a rigid edge — the hand must be taut at contact / Aiming at the top of the head where the skull deflects the strike — target the soft neck, collarbone, or temple / Using excessive windup, which telegraphs the chop and slows delivery.
What are other names for the Chop?
The Chop is also known as Choppu, Hand Chop, Chopping Strike, Tegatana.