This strike is most often used to attack soft target areas such as the throat, mid-section or groin region and other such areas of the body.  Bend all of your fingers on one hand at the second joint with your fingertips pressed tightly against the upper part of your palm.  Your thumb should be bent at the knuckle and placed along side your index finger.  Strike your attacker with the first three knuckles in a whipping, jabbing-type motion.  Very little strength and power is needed when you strike an attacker into his windpipe.

The thumb gouge is an extreme quick, effective and versatile strike that can easily be performed in an attack situation.  The eye is one of the most delicate parts of the human anatomy, which makes it an excellent target for the right technique.   Bend your thumbs at the knuckle and place the tips of your thumbs on the inside corner of your attacker's eyes.  Thrust your thumbs in a jerking-type motion into his eyes retracting your hands back as soon as you make contact.  Drive your thumbs toward the inside of his eyes at a 45-degree angle toward his ears.   

Poking someone with your fingers may not seem like a very powerful attack, but if that poke is to a soft or vulnerable point on the attacker's body, it can be extremely effective.  Put a slight bend on the first and second knuckle of your index and middle fingers.  Bend your ring and baby finger at the second knuckle pressing them tightly against the palm of your hand.  Using a thrusting or poking motion, insert your index and middle finger just slightly below the attacker's adams apple can push him on this point forcing him to move away from you, or push in and than down toward the floor taking him to the ground.   Simple push stepping into an attacker can easily move him back and away from you.  A powerful thrust or strike to your opponent's adams apple can cause serious damage to his windpipe.  If you are being choked against a wall and your arm length is too short to reach your opponent, turn the width of your shoulders into your attacker and you attack his lower throat.  This can add up to two feel or more length onto your arms reach.