An elbow strike (commonly referred to as simply an "elbow") is a strike with the point of the elbow, the part of the forearm nearest to the elbow, or the part of the upper arm nearest to the elbow. Elbows can be thrown sideways similarly to a hook, upwards similarly to an uppercut, downwards with the point of the elbow, diagonally or in direct movement and in several other ways like during a jump etc.

Elbowing is a disallowed practice in most combat sports. However, Muay Thai, Pradal serey and several mixed martial arts (MMA) organizations do allow elbowing, or allow elbowing in a specific manner. The mixed martial arts organizations disallowing it usually do so because elbowing the head increases the risk of lacerations in a fight.

While elbows are mostly disallowed in most modern combat sports, they are common in traditional martial arts. There are few traditional martial arts that don't use elbows though it depends on which martial art it is, if the elbows are primary or secondary weapons and also in which manner, what tactics and how often they are used. Some well known and respected traditional martial arts that use elbows are karate, taekwondo, Hung Ga, bājíquán, Wing Chun, Silat and Muay boran.

Andreas "Andy" Hug (September 7, 1964 – August 24, 2000) was a Swiss Seidokaikan and Kyokushin karateka and kickboxer from Wohlen. Hug was the K-1 World Grand Prix 1996 champion and runner up in 1997 and 1998.

Andreas Hug was born in the city of Zurich, Switzerland in 1964. His father, Arthur, was a foreign legionnaire, who died in Thailand without ever seeing his son. Hug rarely saw his mother Madelaine Hug-Baumann, and grew up, with his brother Charly and sister Fabienne, with his grandparents in Wohlen. Aged six when he started playing soccer and was also selected to the Swiss National Under-16 team. At eleven years old, he started practising karate at Wohlen Karate school under Werner Schenker.

At the age of fifteen, he won the Swiss national 'Oyama Cup'. In November 1977 he was selected to represent the Wohlen Karate School during the National Team Championships.

Andy recorded his first international success in 1981 at the Dutch Kyokushinkai Karate Championships. Two years later, he took first place at the European Cup in Hungary. In 1983, Andy took part in the Karate World Championships. Around eighty fighters from all over the world were at the start of the open weight class. Andy was able to battle his way through and reached the final sixteen. He made his second World Championships in 1987. In the semi-finals, Andy defeated his opponent Akira Masuda and for the first time in the history of Kyokushinkai, a non-Japanese fighter, was taking part in the finals. Andy lost the fight by a controversial point decision to Shokei Matsui.