Editing Strike (attack) (section)

===Open-hand===
{{main article|Open-hand strikes}}

====Palm====
A strike using the [[Hand#Areas|palm]] of the hand. Whether the hand is open or the fingertips are folded against the bottom knuckles, palm strikes hit with the bottom part of the palm, where the hand meets the wrist. The hand is held perpendicular to the wrist to avoid hitting the softer inner wrist tissue against the target.

The bottom ridge of the palm is a surprisingly solid striking surface, and can do just as much damage as a closed fist when utilized properly (some studies have shown that a palm strike actually can produce more energy than a punch),{{Citation needed|reason=Speculation?|date=January 2010}} with far less risk of injury to the striker's own hand.

The palm strike is useful as it is thrown in a more relaxed manner than a clenched fist. This is because clenching the fist shortens the extensor muscles of the wrist which counter the action of flexor muscles of the wrist used in punching. Many martial arts teach to keep the fist clench relaxed until impact in order to maximize the speed of the punch.

Targets are numerous and some examples include the [[human nose|nose]], [[jaw]], [[ear]]s, back of the [[Human head|head]], the [[groin]], the [[kidney]]s, the [[Temple (anatomy)|temple]]s and [[abdominal cavity]]. Some combat sports, such as [[Pancrase]], have forbidden strikes using the clenched fist but permitted strikes using the palm.

=====Slap=====
{{main article|Slapping (strike)}}
Use a stiff arm as an example, from a standing position, left hand up in guard and right hand at your side, shoot your right arm upward hitting with the forearm, since the other hand has to check low let it pass by the bicep of the right arm, as you add more power and speed you end up slapping your bicep on the way by.

====Knife hand====
{{main article|Knifehand strike}}
[[File:Shuto.png|thumb|Knife hand]]
A strike using the part of the hand opposite the thumb (from the little finger to the wrist), familiar to many people as a '''karate chop''', ''Shuto'' or ''Tegatana''. This refers to strikes performed with the side of the knuckle of the small finger.

Suitable targets for the knife hand strike include the mastoid muscles of the neck, the jugular, the throat, the collar bones, the 3rd vertebra (key stone of the spinal column), the upper arm, the wrist (knife hand block), the elbow (outside knife hand block), and the knee cap (leg throw).  In many Japanese and Chinese martial arts systems, the knife hand is used to block as well as to strike.
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====Ridge hand====
[[File:Haito.svg|right|thumb|Ridge hand]]
By tucking the thumb into the palm, a striking surface called the ridge-hand, or '''reverse knife-hand''' is formed, extending a few inches along the inside of the hand below the first knuckle of the first finger.  Ridge-hand strikes commonly are delivered with a hooking motion, or with a straight arm swinging sideways.

Suitable targets include the mastoid muscles of the neck, the jugular, [[throat]], nose, jaw, the eyes, and the groin. The ridge hand is generally considered obsolete in the martial arts and highly circumstantial.{{by whom|date=November 2012}} The conditioning required to effectively use it is usually better suited towards basic conditioning of other more natural parts of the body, such as punching or kicking.{{Citation needed|reason=Speculation?|date=November 2012}} For example, the buckling that can occur on an unconditioned and sometimes even highly conditioned fighter when using the technique and slightly missing the main targets (eyes, neck, or nose) can do more damage to the striker, even when he hits decent targets instead, like the jaw or forehead.{{Citation needed|reason=Speculation?|date=November 2012}} As such, it is considered{{by whom|date=November 2012}} a high-level and highly-circumstantial technique in the martial arts that still teach the technique, such as most forms of karate, tae kwon do, jujitsu, and kung fu.
The ridge hand technique is very swift and when mastered can be a formidable technique, it was used successfully by Ian Fergusson (currently 7th degree Tae Kwon Do Master) in the 1981 Tae Kwon Do championships in Argentina earning him an individual bronze medal and contributed to the team international gold medal.

====Spear hand====
[[File:Nukite.png|thumb|Spear hand]]
Delivered just as with a punch except that the hand is held open like with a knife hand. The intended striking area are the tips of the fingers. The ideal targets are the [[human eye|eyes]] and throat. This technique is generally unsuitable against most other targets due to the high probability of it breaking one's fingers. It does have the added advantage of increasing the range of normal hand striking by 3–4&nbsp;inches or so as opposed to punching, backfisting, or hammer fisting. It is considered a high-level technique requiring enormous conditioning, but even accidental spear fingering can be quite devastating on the eyes such as punching mistakes seen in modern MMA circuits.