Karate Essence ‘Reality Check’: Nukite/Spear Hand
Karate Essence
‘Reality Check’
Nukite/Spear Hand Strike
This month’s ‘Reality Check’ technique is the Spear Hand Strike, which is an open handed, Rigid fingered, strike. There are differing opinions on the validity of this open hand technique and its uses; and, as you might expect, each art or style has its own unique variation on the theme.
Table of Contents
Fighting or Self-Defence
Karate Juitsu Nukite
Wing Chun Spear Hand/Zhua Zhang
Jeet Kun Do Straight Fingered Jab/Biu Jee
Tang Soo Do Kwon Soo Kong Kyuck
Tae Kwon Do Spear hand/Kwan Soo
Goju Ryu Nukite/Spear Hand Strike
Okinawan Kempo Nukite/Spear Hand
Kyokushin Karate Nukite/Spear Hand
Shotokan Karate Nukite/Spear Hand
Torakan Eye View
Conclusion
Fighting or Self-Defence
Here we have another technique that is practiced in various guises throughout the martial arts. It is quite obviously not used in any sporting arena, mostly because gloves are generally worn making it a moot point, or because it is considered too dangerous in regard to eyes et cetera. However, the ‘Spear Hand’ or similar techniques can be found in many Kata, Taolu and forms within almost every style or art. Nukite, Bui Jee, Zhua Zhang, Sonnal Dung, Kwan Soo, or simply Spear Hand is quite diverse in its uses; nevertheless, most will agree on one thing: it is more likely to be a self-defence application than an actual fighting technique.
Remember, in general, a fight is where two or more people face off and agree to take part in a combat situation. When combat commences (in a fight) the distance between adversaries is likely to be just outside that distance where you can reach out and hit or grab your opponent.
Self-defence, generally, happens at a much closer range; with one of the adversaries, having no wish to fight, who in defence then takes whatever action is needed to stop the attacker doing them personal harm.
So, except for one or two instances within certain arts (which we will see demonstrated), it is generally agreed that the straight fingered jab is a self-defence technique.
Karate Juitsu
I have started with Karate Juitsu quite deliberately to throw in something that most traditional Karateka might not have seen. The assumption suggested here is that the actual stiff fingered strike was never intended. The hypothesis being that somewhere during the passing along of Kata (Taolu, forms et cetera) a misunderstanding of the message occurred and was perpetuated… and that most techniques that look like ‘stiff fingered jabs are ‘meant to be performed thusly’.
Wow! Well, actually, that postulation is not all that crazy, and the traditional Okinawan styles have pretty much said that about most of the mainland Japanese styles that have mushroomed in the past 100 years or so, and which they call ‘Sport Karate’.
I’m not saying that I necessarily agree with them but, even in the last 50 years I have seen changes in Kata performance and the Bunkai (for the sake of tournament) that I definitely do not either agree with or conform to. While I have conformed to – what to me was – traditionally accepted ideas on Nukite within Shotokan and, further to that, embraced straight fingered concepts from other arts and styles when I found them to be practicable and useful. I have seen the Karate Juitsu applications too and have also adopted some of them as a supplement in my arsenal. Here is another short tutorial on ‘similar principals’.
Wing Chun Spear Hand/Zhua Zhang
Ip Man’s martial art, and Bruce Lee’s original Kung Fu style, is a martial art with the reputation of being a strict, no nonsense self-defence. The Spear hand strike/Zhua Zhang of Wing Chun Kung Fu involves extending the hand with the fingers together and the fingertips pointing forward (resembling a spearhead). It is generally used to target vital points on the opponent’s body, such as pressure points, the throat, the solar plexus, and the eyes. Wing Chun does not have a sporting aspect and the techniques are all practiced for real self-defence. The following link is to an excellent tutorial on ‘Finger Strike Applications.’
Jeet Kun Do Straight Fingered Jab/Biu Jee
Jeet Kun Do is of course Bruce Lee’s own ‘style without style’ (his words), which purportedly depends on what your own individual strengths and weaknesses are; applying to your strengths and away from any weaknesses. That sounds fine for someone like, the late great, Bruce Lee, who did not appear to have any weaknesses.
Like many other martial artists I know, I have watched all available footage of his interviews and his demonstrations… in one interview he talks about the advantages of the leading hand straight fingered eye jab as opposed to a leading hand jabbing fist. To begin with, there is quite a reach advantage – in my own case, 4 inches over my fist reach – and then there is considerably more damage that you can wreak upon an opponent, if you are accurate.
As for the question, ‘Is this a self-defence or a fighting technique?’ That will very much depend on what is at stake. For instance, in self-defence there are no rules and nothing is off the table as far as the damage you may inflict in an adverse situation against an assailant in an unprovoked attack. However, there may be some implicit rules (unspoken) in a fight that two people have mutually agreed to take part in. Jeet Kun Do Straight Fingered Jab/Biu Jee to the eyes.
Tang Soo Do Kwon Soo Kong Kyuck
Tang Soo Do, a Korean martial art, was Chuck Norris’s first martial art; he later blended it with other forms and styles, including Japanese Karate and Judo, and Brazilian Jiujutsu, to create a hybrid: ‘American Tang Soo Do’.
The Kwon Soo Kong Kyuck or Spear Hand Strike can be found in the forms or Kata which are called ‘Hyung’. They do not use this technique in their competitions for all the same reasons that the Spear Hand is not used in any sport combat systems. Apart from their Hyung they do practice it as a self-defence technique, targeting all the usual vulnerable, soft tissue objectives; as explained in this short tutorial.
Tae Kwon Do Spear hand/Kwan Soo
Tae Kwon Do is another Korean martial art and they have a similar practice for their Kwan Soo/Spear Hand. As for most arts or styles of martial art, there are an abundance of Spear Hand techniques in their Poomse (Kata or Forms). And they also practice the Spear Hand technique for self-defence situations; targeting vulnerable, soft tissue areas. For instance: The groin strike.
Goju Ryu Nukite
Since beginning the ‘Reality Check’ section of my ‘Karate Essence’ Blog, I have featured many styles and arts. However, for one main reason, Goju Ryu has been sadly missing from the line-up. I usually do a short write up of the technique from the particular style’s point of view, accompanied by a link to a short tutorial of the technique on the internet by someone from the style. I have found single technique tutorials from Goju Ryu particularly difficult to find. This month I have lucked out and found a couple of excellent Nukite tutorials.
The first link shows some alternative purposes for what appears to be a rigid fingered strike in Goju Kata, and they seem to be similar to some of the Karate Juitsu techniques. Here are some Goju Ryu examples of Nukite uses.
However, Goju Ryu, an Okinawan Karate, also use the actual Spear Hand/Nukite as a rigid fingered strike, this second link is a short tutorial showing a Goju conditioning routine for the Spear Hand.
Okinawan Kempo Karate Spear Hand/Nukite
This is another Okinawan Karate that uses conditioning routines to toughen the fingers for the Spear Hand Strike. They still target the softer, more vulnerable parts of the body like the groin, the solar plexus, the throat and the eyes; and for this they train in steel pots full of gravel.
Kyokushin Karate Nukite/Spear Hand
In Kyokushin Karate, as with most techniques, they do not mess around with aesthetics; ‘the hammer hits the nail thus.’ They do not use Nukite in their style of competition fighting but it is within their Kata and therefor in their self-defence. I find the Kyokushin approach to most techniques quite refreshing; however, I do find that their approach, in general, more suits strong, young and healthy males who like to fight. I do know older Kyokushin karateka, and female Kyokushin karateka, as well as some very young Kyokushin karateka, but not many. Certainly, at my age (74 years young) I would find their training schedules daunting to say the least.
The following link is to a very short, tutorial on a basic Kyokushin Nukite.
Shotokan Karate Nukite
The same applies here as applies to the Spear Hand technique regarding most styles and arts that have any kind of sports combat application; it is not used. Nukite, in all of its various guises, is of course used and practiced in many of the Shotokan Kata. Some schools of Shotokan practice Nukite simply as a rigid fingered, penetrating strike. While some schools make the application a little more complex and practice the ‘Nukite Bunkai’ similar to the Karate Juitsu schools. Other Shotokan schools (not unlike Goju Ryu Karate) do a variety of interpretations on the technique.
The following links are to two Bunkai interpretations of the Nukite found within Shotokan Kata:
Torakan Eye View
Nukite is a technique that occurs frequently, in various guises, in Kata; and so, if you practice Kata you practice Nukite.
The Spear Hand Strike is a very practical self-defence technique that can be used in a dangerous adverse situation. Also, as with Teisho, following an altercation should you find that you have to ‘defend yourself’ in a court of law, defending your use of an open hand technique would be a much safer bet than defending the use of a closed fist.
Again, from more than 60 years of training, and more than 30 years of practical application in the high-risk security industry, I would strongly advise that you practice Nukite in your self-defence training.
The following links are just some of the uses of the Spear Hand Strike from the Torakan point of view:
Conclusion
In conclusion, I believe there are a variety of ways to use a ‘Spear Hand technique’ for self-defence, and in the more dire situations – particularly when you are outnumbered or facing a weaponed assailant and are in fear for your life – in my opinion, straight fingers to the eyes or throat could save your life.
So… train your Nukite when you have the opportunity, and give your Mushin a tool to use at one of those moments that you hope will never come but, because of your preparations, should that moment come you are totally prepared.
Thank You to the Readers
As always, thank you for following the Karate Essence 'Reality Check'.
Thank you also for the terrific response to the launch of my latest book, ‘A Budōka Odyssey’. The reviews are still a little slow coming in but when they do they are excellent!
Top review from United Kingdom
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 July 2024
I have to say that I found this book to be compulsive reading. For someone who was born and raised in the West of Scotland I was immediately drawn to T.D. McKinnon’s Scottish roots. He writes in such a concise and realistic manner. As someone with no knowledge of karate and martial arts, I have nevertheless found the main themes of the book easy to follow and this has made me review experiences drawn from my own life. The concept of ‘gifts and lessons’ applies to all life, not just karate. I would recommend this book to anyone, particularly those who are deeply involved in a sport of any kind, and who is striving to be the best person they can be.Read, learn and enjoy. Thank you for this book, T.D. McKinnon.
Top review from Australia
5.0 out of 5 stars
Reviewed in Australia on 28 May 2024
Written by a man who has lived the life of a modern warrior. His ability to recognise the lessons and gifts in any situation and the having the humility to seek out those who can help you better yourself are important traits we should all endeavour to achieve not just in our own martial arts’ odyssey but in life.
Top review from the United States
Minimal shopper
5.1 out of 5 stars
‘A Fine Man Shares a Life of Budō’
Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2024
Verified Purchase
At over 500 pages there is a lot of content in this autobiographical journey. A quick overview is as follows:
Author Shihan TD McKinnon has had ALOT of fights in his life; starting under the age of 6! He tells the narrative of his life through all those fights and what he learned about himself and life along the way. I appreciate that he doesn’t make self-defense fighting seem glamorous and one sided. He talks about injuries, dangers, and making alternate choices to physical violence as a reality.
This book emphasizes lessons like ‘never quit’, ‘move on to the next venture’, ‘stay in the moment and learn what you can along the way’. I recommend it for young and old, karate people and non-karate folks. He carries the journey into today with a very relevant subject - training and aging. Take it on your next plane trip, or beach vacation. And if you’re a karate instructor, you can work it into your teaching. This book does not disappoint!
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