How to chop and basics of a ring fight
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Standard Chop·iiCrazyy
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Standard Chop
SubFamilyスタンダードチョップ(Sutandādo Choppu)
TransliterationTranslation: standard chop
Overview
History & Origin
The standard chop represents the fundamental edge-of-hand strike delivered in a downward chopping motion. [1] Fairbairn codified this technique in his 1942 manual Get Tough!, where he recommended the 'edge of hand blow' as one of the most reliable strikes for close-quarters combat, noting that it could be delivered with devastating force to the neck, temple, and bridge of the nose. [2] In karate, the chopping motion is fundamental to several uchi techniques and appears in numerous kata. [3]
Effectiveness
Standard chop strike. [1]
Lineage
From karate. [1]
Competition Record
Used in competition. [1]
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Striking with the heel of the palm — transfers force similar to a punch while reducing risk of hand fracture
Joints Involved — Wrist (extended, locked), shoulder (flexion/rotation), hips (rotation for power)
Force Vector — Linear or circular — same trajectory as equivalent punch but with palm contact
Safety Advantage — The palm heel absorbs impact across a larger area — lower risk of metacarpal fracture compared to closed-fist strikes
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
✓From guard position, raise the striking hand and drive the knife edge downward or diagonally into the target
✓Keep the fingers pressed together tightly, thumb tucked against the palm
✓Strike with the meaty edge of the hand between the base of the little finger and the wrist
✓The chop should be sharp and decisive — a single powerful strike, not a flurry
✓Target the side of the neck (vagus nerve), the collarbone, or the bridge of the nose
✓Retract the hand to guard after impact — the chop hand should not linger on the target
✓In self-defence training, practise on focus mitts to develop accuracy on the neck target area
Common Mistakes
!Spreading the fingers during the chop, weakening the hand structure
!Hitting with the fingertips instead of the knife edge — causes finger injuries
!Over-committing and swinging past the target, pulling the body off balance
!Not conditioning the striking edge of the hand — practise on the makiwara or heavy bag to toughen the surface
!Chopping too softly in training and never developing the full-power version
!Using the chop at long range where a punch would be more effective — it is a close-range weapon
!Not protecting the head with the opposite hand during the chopping motion
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] Dynamic Karate (Nakayama, 1966) [3] Best Karate Vol. 3 (Nakayama, 1978)
2BookMuay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus, 2002)
History sources — [1] The Art of Striking (Blauer, 2004) [2] Get Tough! (Fairbairn, 1942) [3] Karate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
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] Dynamic Karate (Nakayama, 1966) [3] Best Karate Vol. 3 (Nakayama, 1978)
5CitationMuay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus, 2002)
History sources — [1] The Art of Striking (Blauer, 2004) [2] Get Tough! (Fairbairn, 1942) [3] Karate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
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
What is a lagon and how do I perform it in standard chop?
A lagon is performed by holding L2 and repeatedly spamming X. This defensive technique prevents your opponent from catching your lagon if they try to punch you.
What buttons do I press to execute a chop instead of relying on punches?
Press R2 and L3 together to execute a chop. You don't need to perform this quickly; you can take your time with the inputs.
How does the Standard Chop work?
The fundamental chopping strike bringing the edge of the open hand down in a forceful arc onto the opponent's neck, collarbone, or shoulder.
Where does the Standard Chop come from?
The standard chop represents the fundamental edge-of-hand strike delivered in a downward chopping motion. Fairbairn codified this technique in his 1942 manual Get Tough!
Is the Standard 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 Standard Chop?
Danger rating 4/10. Moderate — open hand chopping strike; less force than closed fist
How do I set up the Standard Chop?
The standard setup chain: Assume Fighting Stance → Generate Power → Execute Strike → Recover to Guard.
How do I defend against the Standard 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 Standard 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 Standard Chop in competition?
Used in competition.
What are common mistakes when doing the Standard Chop?
Top errors to watch for: Spreading the fingers during the chop, weakening the hand structure / Hitting with the fingertips instead of the knife edge — causes finger injuries / Over-committing and swinging past the target, pulling the body off balance / Not conditioning the striking edge of the hand — practise on the makiwara or heavy bag to toughen the surface.
What are other names for the Standard Chop?
The Standard Chop is also known as Sutandādo Choppu, Shuto Uchi, Knife Hand, Karate Chop.