Shutō

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.

[picture of shuto]

When executing any shutō technique, slightly twist your wrist to point your fingertips away from the target. This guarantees that the shutō lands first, avoiding damage to your pinky finger.

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