Haito Uchi, Shuto Tsuki & Gyaku Shuto
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Haito Uchi·Tadashi Ryu Karate Do
Mechanics of how these strikes should be performed
Haito Uchi
SubFamily背刀打ち(Haitō-uchi)
TraditionalTranslation: ridge hand strike (back sword)
Overview
History & Origin
Haito Uchi (背刀打ち, 'reverse hand-sword strike') is the ridge hand or inner knife hand strike in karate, delivered with the radial (thumb-side) edge of the open hand. [1] The technique is documented by Funakoshi in Karate-Do Kyohan as the complementary strike to shuto uchi, targeting the temple, jaw, or bridge of the nose. [1] Nakayama classified haito uchi among the intermediate-level open hand techniques in Shotokan karate, noting that it requires careful conditioning of the striking surface to avoid thumb injury. [2] The haito uchi appears in advanced kata such as Sochin and Unsu. [3]
Effectiveness
Haito uchi (ridge hand strike) strikes with the inner edge of the hand. [1]
Lineage
From karate. [1]
Competition Record
Used in karate. [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
5
High5/10
Shuto/karate chop; targets neck, collarbone, temple
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Intermediate
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
✓Haito uchi is the ridge hand strike (inner knife hand) in karate — striking with the inner edge of the hand near the base of the index finger
✓The haito uchi travels in a hooking or circular arc, contacting the temple, jaw, or side of the neck
✓It is essentially an inside-out knife hand strike that uses the thumb side of the hand
✓The arc mimics a hook punch trajectory but uses the open hand's inner edge
✓Keep the thumb pressed tightly against the palm to avoid catching and bending it
✓In Shotokan karate, haito uchi is practised in several kata including Sochin and Kanku Dai
✓The inner ridge hand is harder to condition than the outer knife hand, so build impact tolerance gradually
Common Mistakes
!Leaving the thumb extended, which risks severe hyperextension on impact
!Hitting with the flat of the palm instead of the inner ridge — the base of the index finger must lead
!Swinging too wide and missing — the arc must be controlled and tight
!Not committing hip rotation to the circular trajectory
!Using the haito uchi at long range where its shorter reach is a disadvantage
!Not conditioning the striking surface — the inner ridge is bony and sensitive
!Confusing haito uchi (inner ridge) with shuto uchi (outer knife hand) — they are different techniques with different trajectories
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] Dynamic Karate (Nakayama, 1966) [2] Karate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935) [3] Kukkiwon Taekwondo Textbook (Kukkiwon, 2006)
2BookMuay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus, 2002)
History sources — [1] Karate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935) [2] Dynamic Karate (Nakayama, 1966) [3] Best Karate Vol. 3 (Nakayama, 1978)
Official karate technique names (和語/漢語)
4OtherJapanese Martial Arts Standard Terminology (武道用語)
Established Japanese martial arts naming convention — native Japanese term (和語/漢語)
5CitationBoxing (Dempsey, 1950)
Alias sources — [1] Dynamic Karate (Nakayama, 1966) [2] Karate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935) [3] Kukkiwon Taekwondo Textbook (Kukkiwon, 2006)
6CitationMuay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus, 2002)
History sources — [1] Karate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935) [2] Dynamic Karate (Nakayama, 1966) [3] Best Karate Vol. 3 (Nakayama, 1978)
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
Should I wind up before executing haito uchi, or start from a square stance?
Both approaches are valid. Tadashi Ryu Karate Do notes there's nothing wrong with winding up first to strike, though the instructor prefers starting square and firing from the hip for more direct power.
What's the correct path for the arm during haito uchi?
Ensure constant movement as you bring the strike across the body—the arm comes up and the elbow rises as well, staying tight to the body rather than moving in a straight line. Once you reach the proper point, then fire the strike. Tadashi Ryu Karate Do emphasizes this prevents telegraphing and maintains proper form.
Where should I aim with haito uchi?
Target temple height. The ridge of the hand is a valid emphasis point, and there should be a slight angle on the hand as you strike, aiming for the temple area.
How do I generate distance in haito uchi—by extending the arm?
No; according to Tadashi Ryu Karate Do, distance comes from your movement as you're on the way out, not from a straight arm extension alone.
How does the Haito Uchi work?
A knife hand strike using the inner edge (thumb side) of the open hand, the reverse of shuto uchi, targeting the temple or jaw in an inward chopping motion.
Where does the Haito Uchi come from?
Haito Uchi (背刀打ち, 'reverse hand-sword strike') is the ridge hand or inner knife hand strike in karate, delivered with the radial (thumb-side) edge of the open hand. The technique is documented by Funakoshi in Karate-Do Kyohan as the complementary strike to shuto uchi, targeting the temple, jaw, or bridge of the nose.
Is the Haito Uchi 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 Haito Uchi?
Danger rating 5/10. High — shuto/karate chop; targets neck, collarbone, temple
How do I set up the Haito Uchi?
The standard setup chain: Assume Fighting Stance → Generate Power → Execute Strike → Recover to Guard.
How do I defend against the Haito Uchi?
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 Haito Uchi?
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 Haito Uchi in competition?
Used in karate.
What are common mistakes when doing the Haito Uchi?
Top errors to watch for: Leaving the thumb extended, which risks severe hyperextension on impact / Hitting with the flat of the palm instead of the inner ridge — the base of the index finger must lead / Swinging too wide and missing — the arc must be controlled and tight / Not committing hip rotation to the circular trajectory.
What are other names for the Haito Uchi?
The Haito Uchi is also known as Haitō-uchi, Ridge Hand Strike, Inside Knife Hand, Sonnal Deung Chigi.