XingYi, Bagua, Taiji, and BJJ.

Which emphasizes striking (versus throwing or grappling)? Are the strikes fist or palm?

I am curious because when studying Japanese styles, I did not see the benefit of closed hand striking. I believed that the palm strike was the strongest and also that open hand allowed for more control.

Chadwick,

All of the internal arts I studied relied on open palm as strike, block, trapping, applying locks, etc. As I began in taekwondo, alot of strikes were fists but I never actually utilized them except in form practice.

All three style use the open hand to strike the head, and the fist to strike the body (with the exception of some schools of Baguazhang that use the open palm exclusively).

Thre are closed fist strikes to the head in Xingyiquan and Taijiquan, but the striking surface is the outside edge of the palm on the ulna side of the arm ("hammerfist"), not the big knuckles. Xingyiquan also contains "rapping" type strikes with the foreknuckles to the face and head.

I see.

I am remembering the Taijiquan strikes a little better now.

Thank you.