knuckles to punch with

[bob919]

what do you guys prefer and why

i prefer usig the bottom 3 and a vertical fist for ody targets cause they are better aligned with the forearm. but for hooking and some face shots i use a horozontal fist and the biggest to knuckles cause hey are harder and the metatarsals are stronger

that do you guys think

 

[Mudo Warrior]

I punch with my first 2 knuckles no matter what punch I am using at the time.

 

[7starmantis]

Yeah, different arts tend to have differning techniques about this. Some use different knuckles and hold their fists differently.

7sm

 

[Robbo]

Hey Everybody,

I was always taught that the first two knuckles will hit first if you punch to the front keeping your wrist straight. Hitting with the last 3 involves a turning of the wrist to bring the knuckles in line with the wrist which would in my opinion weaken the punch.

But I have heard of systems that use the last three knuckles to strike with so there must a effective way to brace your strike this way.

Rob

 

[bob919]

i belive the bottom 3 allow better alignment cause the wrist is straight.

whats stragne is that jack dempsey favours the bottom 3 in real fighting despte being a boxer

 

[Rich Parsons]

Originally posted by bob919
i belive the bottom 3 allow better alignment cause the wrist is straight.

whats stragne is that jack dempsey favours the bottom 3 in real fighting despte being a boxer

When one wears a boxing glove or padded glove, the glove lines up with the last three knuckles for the most surface area of for the best chance to score a hit.

Although, I know that the break in the hand that involves the bone(s) in hand, not the fingers, that involves the pinky and ring finger bones in the hand, is called a boxers break.

Now, I am not saying you will break you hand if you hit with the last three fingers.

Me personally, I hit with the index knuckle and the middle knuckle. Why, on my hand and for me I find that I can hit and have good contact and not feel pain in the hand. If I do make contact with the last two or three, I can feel the lack connection to my body.

I am sure there are people who can hit with the last three, I jsut do not know them personally nor have trained with them.

 

[Cruentus]

Horizontal punch: first 3 knuckles.

Vertical Punch: Last 3 knuckles.

I learned that if the thumb curls under fist, you strike with the first 2 knuckles; done in the horizontal punch. If doing the vertical punch, your thumb presses on the side of the index finger (but not curled over). The positioning of the thumb lines the bones in the hand up to be able strike with the bottom 3 knuckles without breaking the bones in the hand.

whats stragne is that jack dempsey favours the bottom 3 in real fighting despte being a boxer

Really? Where did you hear that? I have never heard that before.

:asian:

 

[bob919]

in his book championship fighting he says that it is more effective because it is better aligned with the forearm cause the little fingers bones are aligned with the radius.

he says the little finger is the exit for the powerline but he says it shouldn't land on the own instead it should be a 3 knuckle landing.

personally i was very skeptical until i tried a 3 knuckle landing a few hundred times now i can feel the wrist is more stable and feels more connected with the rest of the body

but i can see why you souldn't want to punch the face with the little knuckles and indeed i prefer using the 2 uppermost ones for that or a palm strike.


a funny thing i've noticed is that in alot of pics of wingchun techniques you see them striking the attackers jaw and the contact pointis in between the 2 smallest knuckles they do this even when coming up under the jaw that has to break something

 

[clapping_tiger]

Originally posted by bob919
in his book championship fighting he says that it is more effective because it is better aligned with the forearm cause the little fingers bones are aligned with the radius.

he says the little finger is the exit for the powerline but he says it shouldn't land on the own instead it should be a 3 knuckle landing.

personally i was very skeptical until i tried a 3 knuckle landing a few hundred times now i can feel the wrist is more stable and feels more connected with the rest of the body

but i can see why you souldn't want to punch the face with the little knuckles and indeed i prefer using the 2 uppermost ones for that or a palm strike.


a funny thing i've noticed is that in alot of pics of wingchun techniques you see them striking the attackers jaw and the contact pointis in between the 2 smallest knuckles they do this even when coming up under the jaw that has to break something

It's funny you point out the "little bones" of the last 3 knuckles. That was one of the points I was going to make about punching with the first 2 knuckles, those bones break more easily, ever heard of a boxers fracture? Usually that is refering to a break of one of the bones in the three last fingers in the hand. Another point to argue for punching with the first two knuckles, is make a fist and just look at them, I would rather get hit with one of the last three, then those boney things. Plus you get better penetration with the first two. Just my 2 cents.

 

[bob919]

i used to use the upper 2 even when doing vertical punches to the body i dont know why i changed but my forearm is certainly less tense when i use the bottom 3

 

[Cruentus]

Opps. Correct my first post. That would be Horizontal Punch: first 2 knuckles...I typoed by saying first 3.

 

[chaosomega]

I don't think the knuckles make a significant enough difference to be debating which ones to hit with.

 

[bob919]

Originally posted by PAUL
Opps. Correct my first post. That would be Horizontal Punch: first 2 knuckles...I typoed by saying first 3.

when you think of how many people who have broken bones in their hand or wrist when punching i think it is very much worth debating

 

[Cruentus]

Originally posted by bob919
when you think of how many people who have broken bones in their hand or wrist when punching i think it is very much worth debating

Dude, I think you ment to quote chaosomega.

 

[someguy]

I use the bottom three. Its much more natural. Theres less chance to damage the wrist it seems.

 

[kenpo12]

I use the bottom three. Its much more natural. Theres less chance to damage the wrist it seems.

If you think that you must not hit very hard. You'll break your hand hitting like that. I've broken my hand twice because I accidentally hit with those knuckes.

 

[Touch Of Death]

Originally posted by someguy
I use the bottom three. Its much more natural. Theres less chance to damage the wrist it seems.

I cant beleive this topic is even being debated. Practice with the first two knuckles only. Any other method is a specialization not worth practicing. End of story!!!! :soapbox:
Sean

 

[Cruentus]

Originally posted by kenpo12
If you think that you must not hit very hard. You'll break your hand hitting like that. I've broken my hand twice because I accidentally hit with those knuckes.

I cant beleive this topic is even being debated. Practice with the first two knuckles only. Any other method is a specialization not worth practicing. End of story!!!!
Sean

Guys, don't be morons...there are many different ways of striking, not just the way you learned!

I generally punch with the 1st 2 knuckles; horizontal punch. Most people who have broken there hands by punching with the last three intended to punch with the 1st 2 and failed. Their technique was off, angle was off, and their fist wasn't properly aliagned...so they broke their hand. If they practiced punching vertical punch with the last 3 knuckles on hard surfaces, and if they intend to punch with the last 3 knuckles in a fight, the chances of them breaking their hand are far less.

I usually punch horizontal w/ 1st 2 knuckles. I have broken boards with my vertical last 3 knuckle punch. There IS more then one way.

PAUL

 

[bob919]

Originally posted by kenpo12
If you think that you must not hit very hard. You'll break your hand hitting like that. I've broken my hand twice because I accidentally hit with those knuckes.

i've hit soe very hard things with these knuckles without injuring them infact i can break 3 bricks(nospaces) with a puynch like this




bruce lee advocated using the bottom knuckles i dont want to get into a 'bruce is the greatest' type debate but he did study 'real' fighting for a long time and used the bottom 3

jackdempsey used them despite the fact that boxers usually aim with the two top knuckles

 

[KennethKu]

The reason knuckles are broken is due to poor or bad conditioning.