White Beltpunchbeginner
Lunge Punch
追い突きOi Zuki· Oh-ee Zoo-kee
Oi Zuki is the lunge punch — a full stepping punch where the same-side hand as the stepping foot delivers the strike, channelling the momentum of the step into the punch.
Target Areas
bodyhead
Prerequisites
Front Stance
Speed
Oi Zuki (lunge punch) is the fundamental stepping punch of karate. Like the Taekwondo straight punch, the striking hand is on the same side as the lead foot — the "oi" (chasing or following) hand. What distinguishes it from simply punching while stepping is the Shotokan emphasis on synchronising the full body momentum of the step with the delivery of the punch: the fist arrives at the target at the precise moment the front foot lands. This timing converts the mass and momentum of the entire stepping body into the strike.