Striking
In martial arts, striking refers to the use of offensive techniques involving hits, punches, kicks, elbows, knees, and other body parts to make contact with an opponent. The primary goal of striking is to cause damage, disrupt an opponent’s rhythm, or create openings for further attacks or defensive movements.
Key forms of striking include:
Punches: Striking with the fist, commonly used in boxing, Muay Thai, and karate. Types include jabs, crosses, hooks, and uppercuts.
Kicks: Striking with the legs or feet. Different martial arts styles emphasize various types of kicks, like roundhouse kicks (Muay Thai, Taekwondo), front kicks (karate, kickboxing), and sidekicks (Taekwondo).
Elbows: Short-range strikes using the elbow, effective in close-quarters combat. Elbows are commonly used in Muay Thai and some forms of karate.
Knees: Striking with the knee, often in clinch situations, common in Muay Thai and MMA.
Open Hand or Palm Strikes: Less common than punches but used in styles like Wing Chun or Krav Maga, where striking with the palm or side of the hand can be safer for the striker and still effective.
Striking differs from grappling, which focuses on throws, holds, and submissions rather than impact-based attacks. Striking techniques are emphasized in styles like Muay Thai, Boxing, Karate, and Taekwondo, whereas some other martial arts, like Judo or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, focus more on grappling.