I have recently started training my 5 year old female mix with marker training. She has had past obedience training and clicker training but I am trying to take her back to the basics and start over, so both she and I can be more consistent. I have charged the mark and clicker (I am using the clicker and yes)and that seems to be good. I am trying to work on the touch exercise and I am confusing her. I worked with treats in my hand and got her to touch the closed one with treats and the one without over several sessions over several days.

And I also worked with an open hand with treats between the thumb and the palm. However as I start trying to work with my open hand without treats in it, she frequently reads that as a hand command and starts offering sits and downs and stays. I tell her wrong gently but short of wiggling my hand or moving it towards her she is reluctant to move and touch my hand. Do you think I just need to spend more time with treats in my open hand? Btw, I am not using any voice commands, since she doesn't have the idea of this yet.

If it were me, I would work without the treats in the palm. She's throwing behaviors, so she knows that you're looking for something, she's just not sure what yet. If you keep changing what you are doing, she will continue to be confused.

I don't think there's anything wrong with moving your hand toward her; once she touches, mark immediately and make sure you are waiting a second or two before you move to give her the reward. Then try again with little or no movement...
(I would add the voice command to this one as soon as you see that she 'gets' it...)

Keep your sessions short and upbeat (5 minute sessions) to ensure that she's not getting bored with too may repetitions...

Use bits of real food; this is a great motivator for many dogs...

I wouldn't put the food in my hand either. I would display my hand, then wait for the behavior. Just starting out, I would mark the dog looking at my hand. Then (this is the important part) you must feed the dog at the palm of your hand. After that, you can progressively mark behaviors that are closer and closer to what you really want, i.e. nose touching your palm.

So step by step:
(1) Display hand
(2) Mark positive behavior, i.e. looking at hand, moving toward hand, nose touching hand, etc.
(3) Move your other hand to the baitbag, withdraw food, then move the food to the open palm of your displayed hand.
(4) Allow the dog to eat the food while his nose is touching your hand.

If you're consistent at those 4 steps, your dog will figure it out in no time. Ideally, you want to cause the dog to move to your hand to get his reward. In other words, don't move your hand to the dog.

I hope that makes sense.

I kept my thumb over the palm of my hand even when I moved away from using treats for this. That way he didn't have to transition from one hand signal to another.

 Quote: Kathy Lubbers

And I also worked with an open hand with treats between the thumb and the palm. However as I start trying to work with my open hand without treats in it, she frequently reads that as a hand command and starts offering sits and downs and stays. I tell her wrong gently but short of wiggling my hand or moving it towards her she is reluctant to move and touch my hand.

Same problem with Hambone...glad you posted!

 Quote: Jennifer Lee

I kept my thumb over the palm of my hand even when I moved away from using treats for this. That way he didn't have to transition from one hand signal to another.

Excellent suggestion! Hambone's wait signal is open palm fingers, pointing down. Touch came to a stand still...literally.

I plan on trying this!