Sokuto
足刀
The outer edge of the foot, literally “foot sword”. The striking surface of the side kick yoko-geri, especially the thrusting yoko-geri kekomi.
Quick Facts
Word breakdown
Definition
Sokuto (足刀) means “foot sword”: soku is foot, to is sword. It is the outer edge of the foot from the heel to the little toe, the counterpart of the knife-hand shuto on the hand. In a kick the foot is turned so that the edge points at the target, and the toes are pulled back. Sokuto is the striking surface of the side kick yoko-geri, whether the snapping yoko-geri keage or the thrusting yoko-geri kekomi.
Relations to other terms
Equivalent in another art
See also
Ball of the foot below the toes, literally “tiger toes”. The striking surface of straight kicks mae-geri, the toes are pulled up during the kick.
Kakato踵The heel. In karate the striking surface of the back kick ushiro-geri and the downward kick kakato-geri, in which the heel drops vertically down.
Geri蹴り / 蹴り技Japanese for “kick”. In karate it is the second part of every kick name: mae-geri, yoko-geri, mawashi-geri, ushiro-geri. On its own it is read keri.