Lesson Plan 3: Combatives: Palm Strikes
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Standard Palm Strike Technique·Premier Martial Arts Marietta Ga.·Added by Admin
This week's combatives are focusing on palm strikes and the different ranges we can use.
Standard Palm Strike Technique
Genus掌底打ち（基本型）(Shōtei-uchi (Kihon-gata))
TraditionalTranslation: standard palm strike technique
Overview
History & Origin
The standard palm strike technique is the basic execution of the palm heel blow, delivered with a thrusting or rising motion to the opponent's chin or face. [1] Fairbairn described this as 'one of the most effective blows that can be delivered,' noting that even a relatively weak individual can generate knockout force with a properly executed upward palm strike to the chin. [2] In Shotokan karate, Nakayama documented the teisho technique in the Tekki and Bassai kata, emphasising that the palm heel must be driven forward with full hip engagement. [3] The technique continues to be a core component of military combatives and law enforcement defensive tactics training worldwide. [1]
Effectiveness
The palm strike delivers force through the heel of the palm, which is a dense, padded bone structure that can absorb impact without the risk of hand fractures associated with closed-fist punches ('boxer's fracture'). [1] This makes it a practical self-defence technique, though it is rarely used in sport competition where gloves protect the hands. [1]
Lineage
The palm strike (shotei/teisho in karate, zhang in Chinese martial arts) is found across numerous martial arts traditions. [1] Bas Rutten popularised the palm strike in Pancrase competition, where closed-fist punches to the head were prohibited, forcing him to adapt boxing technique to open-hand delivery. [2]
Competition Record
Bas Rutten used palm strikes exclusively to the head during his Pancrase career due to the promotion's rules, winning the King of Pancrase title three times (1995-1998) and demonstrating that palm strikes could be used as effective knockout weapons. [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 — Drive the heel of the palm forward with hip rotation, same trajectory as a punch but with open hand
From self-defence situation — Use the palm strike when punching risks hand injury — targets the nose, chin, or ears
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
Videos
1 video
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
4
Moderate4/10
Palm strike reduces hand fracture risk; used in self-defense systems
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
✓Begin from guard with both hands at chin level
✓Extend the striking hand straight from the chin, pulling the fingers back to expose the heel of the palm
✓Drive through the target using the same hip rotation as a straight punch — push off the rear foot, rotate the hip and shoulder
✓At full extension, the wrist is locked, fingers are pulled back, and the heel of the palm contacts the chin or nose
✓Retract to guard immediately after impact — snap the hand back to the chin
✓The non-striking hand stays pressed to the face in guard throughout
✓Drill on focus mitts: the trainer holds a mitt at face height and you palm-strike it with full mechanics, focusing on the sound of heel-of-palm contact
Common Mistakes
!Extending without hip rotation — arm-only palm strikes lack the force to affect the opponent
!Not pulling the fingers all the way back — they can jam on the target or poke the eyes
!Bending the wrist at impact instead of keeping it rigidly locked
!Reaching with the head forward instead of stepping to close distance
!Using a slapping motion instead of a linear driving motion
!Not training the technique with full power — many people treat the palm strike as a light, throwaway gesture
!Failing to retract — the hand lingers at extension and becomes vulnerable to a grab
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
The Essence of Okinawan Karate-Do (Shoshin Nagamine, 1976)
1BookWing Chun Kung Fu (Yip Man lineage)
Alias sources — [1] Karate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935) [2] Kukkiwon Taekwondo Textbook (Kukkiwon, 2006) [3] Dynamic Karate (Nakayama, 1966)
2BookKarate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Karate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
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)
5CitationWing Chun Kung Fu (Yip Man lineage)
Alias sources — [1] Karate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935) [2] Kukkiwon Taekwondo Textbook (Kukkiwon, 2006) [3] Dynamic Karate (Nakayama, 1966)
6CitationKarate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
Effectiveness sources — [1] 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
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I position my fingers when executing a palm strike?
Group your fingers together rather than relying on individual fingers to make contact. Premier Martial Arts Marietta GA emphasizes turning your hand slightly to ensure proper finger alignment for the strike.
How do I generate more power and impact with a palm strike?
Add rotation and torque to your strike by rotating your body as you throw the palm strike, which will significantly increase both the reaction and power output of the technique.
How does the Standard Palm Strike Technique work?
The basic palm heel strike thrusting the base of the palm forward into the opponent's nose, chin, or solar plexus, with fingers pulled back to avoid jamming.
Where does the Standard Palm Strike Technique come from?
The standard palm strike technique is the basic execution of the palm heel blow, delivered with a thrusting or rising motion to the opponent's chin or face. Fairbairn described this as 'one of the most effective blows that can be delivered,' noting that even a relatively weak individual can generate knockout force with a properly executed upward palm strike to the chin.
Is the Standard Palm Strike Technique 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 Palm Strike Technique?
Danger rating 4/10. Moderate — palm strike reduces hand fracture risk; used in self-defense systems
How do I set up the Standard Palm Strike Technique?
The standard setup chain: Assume Fighting Stance → Generate Power → Execute Strike → Recover to Guard.
How do I defend against the Standard Palm Strike Technique?
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 Palm Strike Technique?
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 Palm Strike Technique in competition?
Bas Rutten used palm strikes exclusively to the head during his Pancrase career due to the promotion's rules, winning the King of Pancrase title three times (1995-1998) and demonstrating that palm strikes could be used as effective knockout weapons.
What are common mistakes when doing the Standard Palm Strike Technique?
Top errors to watch for: Extending without hip rotation — arm-only palm strikes lack the force to affect the opponent / Not pulling the fingers all the way back — they can jam on the target or poke the eyes / Bending the wrist at impact instead of keeping it rigidly locked / Reaching with the head forward instead of stepping to close distance.
What are other names for the Standard Palm Strike Technique?
The Standard Palm Strike Technique is also known as Shōtei-uchi (Kihon-gata), Standard Shotei Uchi, Standard Batangson, Standard Palm Heel.