‘Karate Essence’ Reality Check Uraken/Backfist
- TD McKinnon
- Aug 30
- 14 min read
Updated: Sep 1
Karate Essence
'Reality Check'
Uraken/Backfist (Link)
Two years ago, after five years of writing articles and columns for various martial arts magazines, and a Karate Essence Blog, focussing on in-depth philosophical and psychological aspects of Karate-Do, I began writing a monthly ‘Reality Check’ Blog.
I had listened, mainly without comment, to statements and opinions, of praise or derision, concerning any number of ideals or techniques championed by particular styles or systems. With the ‘Reality Check’ Blog, my intent was to dissect one technique or concept each month with a view to discussing its validity in ‘real life’ situations.
The Uraken or Backfist strike was my first ‘Reality Check’ exploration. From that first article – where I described the standard, traditional model of Uraken and compared it with my own ideas, modified at the ‘furnace face’ so to speak – it has become more and more obvious that my modus operandi, ‘reality tuned’ by 30 years of frontline ‘Reality Checking’, doesn’t quite run in line with most traditionalists. So, I have decided to revisit the backfist to hold it up against my evolved ‘Reality Check’ presentation style.
Table of Contents
· Fighting or Self-Defence
· Shotokan, Uraken Uchi
· Goju Ryu, Uraken Uchi
· The Tae Kwon Do, Deung Jumeok Chigi
· Wing Chun
· Jeet Kune Do
· Wu-Wei Dao, Backfist
· Torakan Eye View
· Conclusion
Fighting or Self-Defence
So often I have heard ‘Uraken’ maligned, especially by the sport combat competitors. “Uraken doesn’t work! It’s impossible to generate power with Uraken… and it’s a waste of time and effort learning and practicing a technique that has little or no practicality.”
Is there a quick answer to the question: “Why is Uraken not used in combat sports?” Very simply, most Uraken Uchi, or Backfist Strikes rely on the final snap of the hard striking surface of a bare fist. It needs pinpoint accuracy, and even the lightest combat sports gloves soften this shocking action. I also doubt that many MMA fighters are versed in the subtleties of the ‘whip-like’ (tight fist, loose wrist) kinaesthetic action required to maximise Uraken Uchi. So I'm not at all surprised that it rarely, if ever, appears in combat sports.
The use of Uraken Uchi in, so called, non-contact Sport Karate tournaments probably hasn’t helped its reputation outside of that particular Karate game either. As with many other traditional techniques it has been severely diluted over time, through misunderstanding and, I believe, copy error. Moreover, the necessary adjustment for those point scoring, non-contact tournaments will not have helped.
My feeling is that – outside of gloved combat sports – Uraken is a more than useful fighting technique for close, medium or long-range fighting. Equally, there are so many Uraken Uchi in a vast number of traditional Kata that no one could doubt its place in a self-defence context.
So, regardless of what the glove handed contact fighters believe I, through my many years of practical, real life applications, believe and know that Uraken is a concrete, useful self-defence and fighting tool; it just needs to be practiced and accurate.
Shotokan, Uraken Uchi
Shotokan’s Uraken Uchi – although fairly standard throughout most of the Shotokan system’s many and varied organisations – does vary slightly from group to group. In fact, to be perfectly honest, not unlike most basic techniques in the Shotokan system, each chief instructor impresses their particular vision of how Uraken Uchi is practised and performed within their own organisation.
In my early Shotokan days in Scotland, I was with the Karate Union of Scotland and we were affiliated to the Japan Karate Association (JKA), and all of the visiting JKA Sensei directed us to strike with the back of the two large knuckles while executing Uraken. However, even among those exalted early JKA masters there were slight differences.
In those early days of my Shotokan training, beginning in 1972, and through to 1980, most of the senior sensei I trained under were from the JKA. Enoeda Sensei, my main Japanese influence, always remained JKA, of course, but he and the other top sensei – Taiji Kase, Hirokazu Kanazawa, Hiroshi Shirai, and Masao Kawasoe – all had their particular, unique expression of the Shotokan model. Most of the original JKA emissaries, for various reasons, broke away from the JKA to form their own organisations. There were other emissaries from that era who similarly broke away from the JKA, Nishiyama Sensei, and Asai Sensei, to name two of the more renowned masters.
My point here is that if you train long enough you will find what is important to you and become a unique karateka…
The following four links, taking you to four different Shotokan groups, will give you an idea of the variances I am talking about.
Goju Ryu Uraken
Uraken Uchi appears in many of the Goju Ryu Kata. There are 12 official, or core, Kata in Goju-Ryu. However, Sanchin Kata is separated into two Kata by some schools; and mistakenly, sometimes a little confusingly, karateka from those schools think there are 13 Goju-Ryu Kata. The Goju Schools who have close associations with Okinawa have their main focus on the self-defence aspect of their art; consequently, from their Kata, it is evident that their combat structures are very much close-quarter affairs.
Following the above assumption, the Goju Uraken Uchi/Backfist Strikes are mostly of the short to mid-range variety, compared to say Shotokan. However, like Shotokan, the striking area of the Backfist tends to be the back of the two large punching knuckles.
The following links will take you to two Goju Ryu Uraken Uchi tutorials.
Tae Kwon Do, ‘Deung Jumeok Chigi’
The Tae Kwon Do ‘Deung Jumeok Chigi’ or ‘Backfist Strike’ looks fairly similar to the Shotokan Uraken Uchi. I have mentioned in previous articles, that when Tae Kwon do was formed, in the early 1950s, Shotokan Karate was a large part of the formulation, along with Taek Kyon, an ancient Korean martial art.
There are some obvious differences between Shotokan and Tae Kwon Do that are mostly cultural in source. I believe that these differences are in regard to power generation and Kime; and those philosophical, ‘spiritual’, and generally Japanese aspects associated with the Budō soul. As opposed, say, to the flamboyant, acrobatic flare of the Korean psyche.
What is the same in the backfist strike, however, is that they are using the back of the knuckles. So, like Shotokan and most Japanese styles at least since the 1950s, Tae Kwon Do’s ‘Deung Jumeok Chigi’, quite literally, strikes with the back of the fist.
Wing Chun, Bi Chui
I have featured Wing Chun here a few of times. Ip Man’s martial art, and Bruce Lee’s original Kung Fu style, is a strict, no-nonsense self-defence.
It would appear that the Wing Chun, ‘Bi Chui/Backfist’, depending on the Kwoon (Dojo) or sometimes the target, is sometimes delivered with the back of the knuckles and sometimes the front of the knuckles. As a very practical Kung Fu self-defence system, Wing Chun does not waste time with aesthetics. They stick to the general centreline guideline, and so their Bi Chui or Backfist is practiced and executed with criteria to a certain characteristic model; which is to do maximum damage and set up a more devastating technique, in a rhythmic progression.
Jeet Kune Do, Backfist
I suppose just about everyone knows that Bruce Lee was the founder of Jeet Kune Do. Although, for most currently training martial artists, he passed away before they were born, or at least before they became involved in the martial arts. If you are a martial artist and you do not know who Bruce Lee was, I strongly suggest that you look him up.
Bruce Lee’s first, fulltime martial art study was Wing Chun; however, he studied just about every martial art that he possibly could, and took instruction from some of the best in their respective fields. I felt I had to bring him into this month’s ‘Reality Check’ for a number of reasons but the main one of course is that the ‘Backfist Strike’ was a speciality of his. In my 60 plus years in the martial arts, I have never seen a faster, more accurate, or more varied and devastating ‘Backfist Strike’.
Just over fifty years after his passing, there are a few differences in the execution of one of his trademark techniques by some Jeet Kune Do practitioners. I must say, however, that does not surprise me; nor would it surprise Master Bruce Lee himself. Bruce Lee encouraged individual diversity, so long as it was effective and suited that individual.
Wu-Wei Dao, Backfist
The Academy of Traditional Fighting Arts is a school that teaches traditional fighting arts from a number of East Asian countries: Japan, China and the Philippines. These arts include Okinawan Karate, Jodo, Arnis, Shaolin Gong Fu, Chen Pan Ling Gong Fu, Taijiquan, Baguazhang and Xingyiquan. These arts encompass a wide range of comprehensive skills and the academy’s full, extensive martial arts system is called Wu-Wei Dao.
The Academy of Traditional Fighting Arts has been dedicated to providing quality tuition in authentic traditional martial arts disciplines since 1985. Now, with the digital age, they have developed what they believe to be the most comprehensive martial arts resource provided by any single organisation, featuring historical and technical information, diagrams, videos and much more.
Here they present a scientific breakdown of why it is the front of the knuckles that form the main striking impact surface for Uraken Uchi.
Torakan Eye View
From the moment I learned to execute Uraken, it felt so natural to me; and quickly, it became a favoured technique. As I stated previously, I was initially taught the Backfist Strike the way those JKA stalwarts taught it. During my early competition days, it was my 'go to' technique, and because we were fighting controlled contact, supposedly skin contact to the head – enough to leave a bruise but not enough to move the head – the striking area was not an issue. And don’t get me wrong, Enoeda Sensei’s Uraken, I’m quite sure, would have done immeasurable damage.
However, from very early on in my Shotokan training, while working as a night club crowd controller (bouncer), I discovered that the most practical and destructive way of delivering Uraken was somewhat different from what we were taught was the traditional way.
Street fighter:
One of my first instructors, Danny Bryceland Sensei, a former Scottish, British and European Karate champion – way back when we fought Ippon and Sanbon kumite (‘controlled contact’ rather than ‘non-contact’) with bare fists – was also somewhat of a veteran street fighter. On one occasion, he was on the front page of the ‘Daily Record’ newspaper; he had stepped in to stop a gang of hoodlums from beating up one young guy, and managed to successfully fight them off until the police arrived.
Bryceland Sensei made it quite clear to me that there were traditional techniques, with tournament and dojo versions of those techniques (making them a little less dangerous) and then there were ‘reality’ versions making them more dangerous, more effective; Uraken is one of those techniques.
Whip-like action of a ball and chain:
Bryceland Sensei described Uraken, “Like a ball and chain!” he would say, demonstrating how loose and flexible the arm/chain remains, whilst the hand only remains loose until the final flick, when the fingers tighten, forming the ball.
The wrist which stays loose and flexible throughout, in the final flex, presents the front of the knuckles for the strike. Executing Uraken in the manner that I suggest presents the front of those two large knuckles, just like most punches, to provide a shocking, almost cutting action.
Conventional teaching:
This will probably surprise many readers as it is contrary to most ‘conventional Karate teaching’. However, if you think about it, it makes perfect sense: the back of your hand is not a particularly strong or resilient striking surface. The knuckles can take a lot of pressure from the front, but from behind they are comparatively vulnerable, featuring tendons, ligaments and other connective tissue that is quite intricate and delicate. Subjecting vulnerable aspects of the hand to danger seems to me counterproductive; especially when you consider that the snapping wrist movement at the very end of the Uraken easily brings the front of the two large punching knuckles into play.
Misunderstood concept:
Tight fingers and loose wrist gives Uraken, when properly delivered, a different striking surface than is conventionally taught… in Japanese Karate anyway. In this regard the term ‘backfist’ is somewhat of a misnomer. Backfist being more the direction the fist travels, rather than the surface it strikes with. You don't or shouldn’t, I maintain, use the back of the fist at all. You can of course use the back of the two leading knuckles, but the most effective, primary striking surface should be the same area used in almost any punch; the front of the two, large, leading knuckles.
Uraken and the importance of speed and accuracy:
I first learned the practicalities of Uraken in the early 1970s, working as a bouncer at the local discothèque/nightclub. In very close-quarter encounters – crowd control situations – Uraken is explosive. Requiring no set up, Uraken can buy you precious fractions of a second. Also, in the blink of an eye, Uraken can rattle the family jewels of your assailant then switch, whipping up, to break his nose before he realises you have moved.
Many times, in the chess game of those crowd control situations (which, in Scotland at the time, could very quickly turn into a full-blown brawl) Uraken served me well.
Working for 30 years in high-risk security, because of its speed and the accuracy I acquired, Uraken became one of my go-to techniques to end a physical conflict situation quickly. With practice, a pin-point accurate temple shot will drop an antagonist; and the chances are they won’t even see it coming. Even if, for some reason, your accuracy is a fraction off, the ear or the eye on either side of the temple are sweet spots that will give you fractions of a second to close the distance and follow up with a devastating elbow strike. Conversely, perhaps spin your adversary into a rear-naked-choke (sleeper or blood choke), ending the conflict once and for all.
The following links will take you to just some of the Torakan self-defence applications of Uraken Uchi:
Tournament Uraken Uchi:
The following three clips are from the very last tournament I ever took part in; at 42 years of age (33 years ago), coming out of 8 years of retirement to fight a friendly with a visiting USA team. My opponent was Antony ‘Satch’ Williams, the then-current USA and World 'International Sport Karate Association (ISKA)' Heavyweight Champion. The clips are of three Uraken strikes that I scored with, in a very close 'point scoring' match.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it’s not all about the concussive effect of brute force; and it is unwise to disregard a technique simply on the basis of ‘power’ alone. Power is but one elemental foundation upon which a technique’s usefulness can be determined. Uraken might not be powerful, as such, but it comes into its own as a shock technique. Uraken needs no setting up… springing out of nowhere, it can be launched with blinding speed; speed that can generate an impressive amount of force with relatively little movement.
Speaking from personal, practical experience, I can state conclusively that – executed in the manner that I suggest – with accuracy and speed, Uraken definitely contains ‘knock-out’ potential.
Thank You
A big thank you to our demonstrators from the Torakan Karateka; without whose assistance, of course, the ‘Reality Check’ Blog would be sadly lacking. Assisting me this month were Tyler, Rahul, Alan, and Zeke. Also, a special thank you to Kelly, our technical wiz.
Thank You to the Readers
As always, thank you for following the Karate Essence 'Reality Check' Blog post.
Thank you also for continuing to support my latest book, ‘A Budōka Odyssey’. The reviews continue to be excellent!
Top reviews from Australia
Reviewed in Australia on 8 April 2025
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This book is easy to read in short or long sessions - such an inspirational life story of an amazing guy. Well worth the read.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Reviewed in Australia on 28 May 2024
Written by a man who has lived the life of a modern warrior. His ability to recognise the lessons and gifts in any situation and the having the humility to seek out those who can help you better yourself are important traits we should all endeavour to achieve not just in our own martial arts’ odyssey but in life.
Top reviews from the United Kingdom
Carl Slee
5.0 out of 5 stars
‘A Fascinating Book’
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 October 2024
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A fascinating book, and not just for those interested in martial arts. Although if you are, this is one of those rare books that will help in not just the development of karate skills but in the facilitation of those psychological states (rarely discussed) of the true karateka.
From early childhood to the present day, Shihan McKinnon shares his adventures as, Truant, Soldier, Nightclub bouncer and Bodyguard as well as Business man but always as a fighter. And in this book he shares with us the ‘gifts’ and ‘Lessons’ that come from such a ‘life worth lived’.
A rare book, in that I found myself re-reading pages, chapters or passages over and over to further understand how such insights related to my own life. And this is the ‘gift’ of this book, I think that each person, whatever gender, age or interest will find something at some point within it, that is very personal and that will reverberate for them, long after reading.
Thank you Shihan
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 July 2024
I have to say that I found this book to be compulsive reading. For someone who was born and raised in the West of Scotland I was immediately drawn to T.D. McKinnon’s Scottish roots. He writes in such a concise and realistic manner. As someone with no knowledge of karate and martial arts, I have nevertheless found the main themes of the book easy to follow and this has made me review experiences drawn from my own life. The concept of ‘gifts and lessons’ applies to all life, not just karate. I would recommend this book to anyone, particularly those who are deeply involved in a sport of any kind, and who is striving to be the best person they can be. Read, learn and enjoy.
Thank you for this book, T.D. McKinnon.
Top review from the United States
Minimal shopper
5.1 out of 5 stars
‘A Fine Man Shares a Life of Budō’
Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2024
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At over 500 pages there is a lot of content in this autobiographical journey. A quick overview is as follows:
Author Shihan TD McKinnon has had ALOT of fights in his life; starting under the age of 6! He tells the narrative of his life through all those fights and what he learned about himself and life along the way. I appreciate that he doesn’t make self-defense fighting seem glamorous and one sided. He talks about injuries, dangers, and making alternate choices to physical violence as a reality.
This book emphasizes lessons like ‘never quit’, ‘move on to the next venture’, ‘stay in the moment and learn what you can along the way’. I recommend it for young and old, karate people and non-karate folks. He carries the journey into today with a very relevant subject - training and aging. Take it on your next plane trip, or beach vacation. And if you’re a karate instructor, you can work it into your teaching. This book does not disappoint!
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