Body parts for offense and defense Back previous topic to index next topic

Shorinji kempo uses almost all parts of the body for offense and defense. Sometimes, a wooden or iron stick is used. However, the main "arms" used are our own body, that is, hand, arm, leg and so on.

1. Hand : There are many variations other than illustrated below. But the following are enough for usual techniques.

kind name Part Description
fist seiken
Seiken		 Bend your four fingers onto your palm and attach your thumb to a pointing finger tightly. This is a most commonly used part. Seiken means "ordinary grip" or "right grip".

Uraken		 A backside of Seiken shown in the left figure. Used in backhand brow. Bend your wrist outside when use Uraken. There is a possibility that you may break a back of your hand if you hit something hard with Uraken bending your wrist inside.

Hiraken		 Flat fist, as shown in the left figure.

Shouken		 Use little finger side of Seiken grip.

Naishou		 Use wrist side of Hiraken.
open hand
Hirate		 Open hand.

Shutou		 Shutou means "hand used as a sword". Use little finger side as shown in the left figure.

Choujide		 This part is used in Juho to press a critical or vital point of a joint or arm.
others
Kumade		 Kumade means "a palm of a bear". Using this part will let you hit your opponent without cutting his skin.

2. Arm : Although there are many other way of use, the following are mainly used in usual techniques.

Name Part Description

Wantou		 Wantou means "arm used as a sword". Use little finger side as shown in the left figure.

Nai wantou		 Nai wantou means "inside Wantou". Use thumb side as shown in the left figure.

Hiji		 Elbow.

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