More Than a Fist, More Than a Palm: It’s Not About the Hand Shape – It’s About the Purpose.

 

Posted by ADAM CARTER on JUN 21, 2025

More Than a Fist, More Than a Palm: It’s Not About the Hand Shape – It’s About the Purpose.

(Approx 2 minute 5 second read)

Why do some kata use closed hands and others open hands? Is it simply stylistic differences?

It’s a question that often arises, and it points to a common misunderstanding in modern karate training: the assumption that a fist or an open palm is simply a singular ‘technique’ for a singular purpose – typically striking.

This narrow view overlooks a fundamental concept in classical martial arts: movements were rarely just isolated techniques, but versatile tools meant for a range of uses – striking, grappling, controlling, deflecting, and more.

As I explored with oi-zuki in a previous article, the power of karate lies in its adaptability and the multi-functional nature of its movements.

The seemingly distinct emphasis on open or closed hands across different kata is not a matter of redundancy, but rather a deliberate choice rooted in varied tactical objectives.

While a fist can strike – and so can a palm – their design lends itself to a spectrum of applications: from powerful impact to seizing and controlling, to redirecting and unbalancing.

This isn’t about which is better – it’s about why.

Ask yourself this: what was the intent behind that movement in the kata? Was the open hand about grabbing, poking, redirecting, or even deception? Was the closed fist just about power? Or was it concealing something, securing something, or recovering from something?

Think about how an open hand might naturally follow a deflection, a limb control, or even trying to squeeze through a gap. A closed fist might be the end of that sequence – but what came before it? Too often, we’re shown the shapes without the transitions. But it’s in those transitions where meaning lives.

And this point is important, because most of the time it’s the end of the technique that gets discussed – not the beginning or the middle – which is often more important.

Some styles emphasize open hands because they train attributes like sensitivity, flow, or tactile awareness. Others focus on closed hands to reinforce impact and structure.

But in both cases, the key isn’t the shape itself – it’s what you’re doing with it, and what comes before and after.

Rather than asking “why this hand shape?” – a better question might be: “what function does it serve at this moment?”

If we only see fists as punches and open hands as pokes, we miss what the kata is trying to teach. The form gives us the shape – but it’s up to us to understand the purpose.

And in the chaos of real violence, that purpose becomes everything. What matters isn’t whether your hand is open or closed – it’s whether you can respond quickly and effectively to what’s unfolding in front of you. Sticking to a preferred hand shape is meaningless unless you understand what you’re trying to do with it. The threat defines the response – not the other way around.

Open or closed, the hand is just a tool. What matters is how – and why – you use it.

Written by Adam Carter