Shutō

The shutō is circled in red.

Shutō (literally: “hand- knife/sword”) refers to the knife-edge of the hand, which is opposite of the thumb, above the wrist, and below the little finger. Some karateka call this a tegatana (literally: “hand-katana”), and imagine their hands are sword blades which cleave through their enemies, “karate chopping” them as a defense or in various attacks.

When performing any shutō technique, always turn your wrist to point your fingertips away from the target. This guarantees that the shutō contacts the target first, and you will avoid damaging your pinky finger.

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