So many times I have seen the Nukite (strike using the finger tips) performed by world class karateka. What puzzles me though is why it is nearly always aimed at the opponent’s midsections.
To me, it is obvious that nukite is a poking type of technique, meant to be struck to areas which are vulnerable, especially to areas that are not meant to be struck with great force to be effective. The eyes, the throat and the groin are the only areas in my opinion that nukite should be aimed to. It is possible to train the fingers to become unbelievably strong. Demonstrations have been carried out showing great martial artists break boards with there finger tips and pierce melons with them. But what is the point of training the fingers to strike the torso hard when a fist could be used instead, and probably much better too. People say that, with the fingers the pain is more, since the striking area of the fingers is smaller than the fist. If that is what is sort after, then why not use the one knuckle fist (ipponken) as it is more solid than the fingers. To strike the vulnerable areas mentioned above, the fingers do not have to be trained to become hard. A simple jab to these areas can cause a great deal of pain. If struck slightly hard to the throat, breathing difficulties can occur or maybe blindness when struck to the eyes. Nukite is a very dangerous technique and must be used with great care in training, it should only be used with full contact, in extreme self defence situations.
Monday, 17 December 2007
Nukite, A Deadly Karate Technique
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6 comments:
I agree with what you have to say about the best targets for a good nukite--I definitely wouldn't want to pit my fingertips against someone's solar plexus (and risk hitting their sternum or flexed abdominals).
One thing I've been doing more recently is really studying my Kata--I was working with an instructor recently on nukite, and he wanted to demonstrate a bunkai (kata application) for nukite. He had me punch, and he parried, pulling my arm and body forward with the 'chambering' hand and sending his nukite right into my neck. Interestingly enough, the nukite (and my neck) was at his chest level.
I hope it doesn't seem like I'm trying to 'stretch' the kata or anything like that, but I think it's important when practicing a kata to try and keep an open mind about applications--perhaps that nukite to 'chest level' actually is going towards the throat or eyes (or other soft target).
DEAN, what you are doing in my eyes, is completly correct. Once good practical bunkai from kata has been found out, you have to play with them, using them in different situations from different attacks. Good work!
I find what you both have said about this technique quite interesting. It's true, a nukite to the torso must be done properly to avoid injury to yourself. However, like any technique, to be done properly takes practice. Along with this, it the true target is missed, hopefully your hands are built up enough to endure the attack and still cause damage. In past times, karateka's would actually plunge their nukite strikes into buckets of rice, strengthening their fingers over time to the point where they could reach the bottom of the bucket. Now, in a more modern time, most people would not go to this extreme, but it shows how far you can take such a technique.
Along with this, the bunkai are extremely helpful. I personally practice kata more than any other piece of my art, because to truly master those moves and understand their meanings can help you in ways that no other practice can. I doubt that you are stretching anything with what you say. At a standing level, a nukite would be to the solar plexus. However, a chamber (aside from being a loading position for a followup technique) could very well be a grab, positioning the opponent into a more vulnerable position. No technique that is done correctly has just one meaning. It is meant to be interpreted differently and manipulated for the given situation. I say to continue your studies and keep practicing, because the day you actually use the strike, you may be surprised at the approach you go about executing it by instinct.
There are points on the body you actually wants to drive your fingers through (upper collar bone area or armpit). Regarding other area with pressure points, you can most likely just use Shoken or Ipponken. But hey, Nukite has a slightly longer reach ^_^.
Hi,
You might want to take a look at the stuff Ian Abernethy is doing.
http://www.iainabernethy.com/
Basically, kata take into account the opponent's body positioning. If you examine the kata the nukite is taken from, you may see that it positions the opponent through a previous technique so that the nukite at chest level is striking a more vulnerable spot than you might originally have imagined.
p.s. the original term for "chambering" being "hikite" - the pulling hand. Pulling what, you might ask...
If you can break a board with a nukite you can break through ribs and through muscle. Body shots with the hands are good for the same reason that you use a gun for body shots: it is surer of causing at least some serious damage.
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