Strikes - Forearm Strikes

Forearm Strikes

Definitions:

• Inner forearm: palm side of forearm
• Outer forearm: back hand side of forearm
• Inside forearm: thumb side of forearm
• Outside forearm: little finger side of forearm

With inside and outside forearm strikes, the striking surface is bone. Bone is dense, hard, and may withstand powerful strikes even though it may be bruised at the point of impact and may be tender at this spot; however, the use of the hand is not impaired. With inner and outer forearm strikes, the striking surface is muscle. Muscle is soft and helps protect bone form bruising, but the muscle itself may receive trauma. If this occurs, use of the hand may be impaired.

Striking with the inside forearm is similar to throwing a roundhouse punch and striking with the outside forearm is a similar to the motion of a back fist strike. When striking with either side, it is important keep your arm bent to prevent injury to the elbow joint. Some types of forearm strikes are as follows:

• Execute a right reverse punch into abdomen, followed by a left elbow to right ear. Then whip your right arm around behind the head and snap the inside forearm into the base of the skull.
• When in a clinch, ram outside forearm upward under chin or under nose.
• From a kneeling position while facing opponent, snap inside forearm upward between opponent's legs into groin. From a kneeling position facing away from opponent, snap outside forearm backward upward between opponent's legs into groin.
• Raking. Strike with inside or outside forearm while sliding or raking the forearm along the impact point. If you are wearing sleeves, the cloth will burn the exposed skin of the opponent. If not wearing sleeves, your skin will burn the exposed skin of the opponent since all the friction is concentrated at one point on the opponent. Your skin will not burn because the friction is spread along the length of your forearm. The rake causes a distraction to the opponent while you are closing in to grapple or to throw. When used to the side of the opponent's face, it will cause the head to turn, which will cause the body to turn, which removes the opponent's weapons and exposes deadly targets such as the kidneys and base of skull. When you scoop or grab a kick, charge in with a rake across the face, and follow up with a throw.