Striking surface

The striking surface of a strike refers to the point of contact on the body that delivers the majority of the force to the target. Typically, harder parts of the body are used, as they provide more skeletal structure and are capable of sustaining impact. The other consideration for striking surfaces has to do with physics, specifically PSI, or pounds per square inch. Force is maximized when it can be reduced into a smaller surface area, rather than distributed over a greater area, which reduces force.

Common Striking Surfaces

 * kicks and knees
 * ball of the foot
 * blade of the foot
 * heel
 * instep
 * knee
 * shin
 * toes
 * whole sole of the foot
 * punches, elbows, and other hand strikes
 * backfist
 * blade of the hand
 * elbow
 * fingertips
 * forearm ridge
 * knuckles
 * palm
 * top of the wrist
 * other striking surfaces
 * crown of the head
 * shoulder