341 - Palm striking: A mixed skillset

A set for quick learning and home practice

Dec 12, 2022

Palm striking is not a new idea and certainly wasn’t invented in the 1940’s as some would have you believe.

It is simply one option to be used on it’s own or mixed with others to suit individual needs.

Open hand striking is also a large area of study with the hands being used for many different combat ideas, with that said the palm strike is very similar in principle throughout.

It’s advantageous for some systems (not the students) to label each different angle a strike is used at with a different name, as though to say that they are different ideas.

One strike launched in one of four ways is not as marketable as learning:

THE “xy or z” palm , THE face smash, THE groin slap, THE tiger’s claw, THE cupped palm which all sound like different ideas don’t they? But they are all performed with an open hand in some way just from different angles.

Here’s a skillset I use with beginners not as any kind of definitive thing but rather just a way to get certain targets and angles quickly into their consciousness to set up the understanding for further long term study.

Training must then progress ultimately to unscripted, resisted scenarios and sparring.

This is not a combination to be used in order whilst fighting, just a series of similar strikes put together for practice.

These strikes have no fancy names and are not special, they just give newer people simple ideas that they can practice along with the basic combat clock idea to use either solo or in partner work.

Beginner palm skillset

Perform this solo first.

Then move on to performing it slowly on a partner.

Start with your open hands up ( at head height or just above) and elbows bent - this is the position you will be in if reasoning with someone up in your face threatening you.

I get students to stand bladed slightly with their dominant hand to the rear.

Don’t worry about power, start with a focus on being slow, accurate and with good mechanics.

This set uses both straight and hooking shots and is using the basic combat clock idea from Hock Hochheim’s Force Necessary course.

The impact surface of your palm is the base (heel) of the palm. This enables you to drive force powerfully into the target without risking hyperextending your wrist.

Your fingers may be together or spread somewhat, just flex them a bit to keep them safer.

Steps 1 - 6

1 - Dominant rear hand drops from 12 O’ clock and strikes the nose/ jaw with the heel of the palm.

2 - A straight, thrusting palm heel delivered to the jaw, face or head.

3 - The rear hand fingers turn to 9 O'clock and the palm heel is delivered as a hook to the left side of the aggressor’s jaw/face/head from 3 O’clock. (Reverse this idea if you are left hand dominant).

4 - The palm heel is delivered up in a hooking movement (similar to a boxing uppercut) to the jaw from below ( 6 O’clock).

5 - Grab the non-dominant hand onto the aggressor’s shoulder/ back of neck and slap their groin from below with a hooking 6 O’clock palm. Your fingers will be facing the ground (6).

6 - The non-dominant left hand delivers a hooking heel palm to the right side of the aggressor’s jaw from 9 O’clock. (Reverse this idea if you are left hand dominant).