CLOSED FIST STRIKING TO THE HEAD

[knuckledragger]

What has been the experience(s) of members of this forum concerning closed fist (boxing/karate type) blows to the head. Has anyone ever broken their hand ?When I belonged to a boxing gym I was shocked at the number of competitive(i.e. golden gloves and some semi -pro ) boxers who had broken their hands in the ring either in sparring or in a bout,some even with 16oz pillows on.One of the guys there was was training for the Gloves was a bouncer and said that any time he threw a power shot at somebody his would expect sprained knuckles and had broken his hand and fingers multiple times at his club, all within the space of a year.(sidenote: those injuries caused him to leave boxing altogether..it was too painful for him to do prolonged bag hitting and sparring)IMHO opinion I think boxing type blows are among the most natural and powerful to learn.I dont wanna go into a discourse about the sex life of my knuckles but I know that hitting the head hurts so I like palms and thicker parts of the hand and arm as striking tools.well ,will appreciate the feedback!

[gungfuhero]

I think it all depends on where on the head you hit. If you're hitting the jaw, nose or cheek-bones then the fist would do fine I think. However, anywhere else-the forehead and anywhere covered by hair-is likly to be too hard for the knuckles.

Just my two cents

[John Bennett]

The myth that you can "hit the right spots" in a real fight, in the dark, in line at the movies with people screaming all over the place, ranks right up there with the TKD myth "We don't need no wrasslin. We just take out that ol knee".

You are correct knuckledragger, a broken hand will end a fight quick, and not in the puncher's favor.

Why do you think all those NHB guys wear gloves? It ain't to be nice to their opponent.

People convieniently forget about all the broken hands that used to occur back in the old UFC pre-glove days.

I've had to fight with a broken hand. It's bloody frickin scary.

Plus, cut knuckles on busted lips equals blood transfer which sometimes equals HIV infection.

[feijoada]

i've always understood bare-knuckle striking to be dangerous to the hands, but the vale tudo tapes i've seen from brazil in the "good old days" featured no gloves and lots of haymakers. were there tons of hand injuries?

[Water Dragon]

What actually got me into CMA was a broken hand. I got in this fight in high school and hit a guy on the cheek bone. He ended up was a fractured cheek bone, but I ended up with a hand about 3 times it's normal size. I also got an ass whooping because even with a fractured cheek he didn't go down and kicked my ass good.(It's hard to fight one handed)

If your gonna punch-hit the body
If your head hunting, use your palm or forearm. But make sure you find someone who knows how to do it. There is a definate technique, and it IS very different than closed hand punching.

Also, there's a CMA called Hsing I that I've heard has solved this problem. They strike with closed fists to the head and have a reputation of being the hardest hitting CMA around. But they don't punch like a boxer, they do more of a chopping thing which changes the impact rebound to the fist. Maybe try playing with that.

[Oberleutnant]

gungfuhero: Cheekbones safe? not barehanded! I can personally attest to that

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"I want their kids to say, Oh, my God! Daddy! what did that animal do to you!!? I don't give a duck about their kids, cause they don't give a duck 'bout mine!!"- Mike Tyson

[Water Dragon]

That's what i said buddy boy . I was doing karate at the time and pop. That's why I got into CMA, more emphasis on the palm. I will NEVER punch someone in the face again. Besides, I was trying to get his nose, not his cheekbone. That's another reason not to punch to the face. Ya just might miss(or he might move)

Bruised/broken knuckles are a major drawback to boxing for the street, IMHO.
Karate does more with open-hands and other strikes.

You can hit REAL HARD with a hammer-fist (closed fist, side edge). I cracked a windshield with one once, no lie.

I used to have poor anger control skills.

[Water Dragon]

OOps, my bad. I thought you were veing a smart azz and calling me a gung fu hero. Anyway, punch to the cheekbone? Hell no. Maybe the neck...

Water Dragon:

You mean you're NOT a gung fu hero?

Say it ain't so!

[knuckledragger]

What do you think about jabs to the head as opposed to power shots ? I remeber reading some where that verticle fists (as opposed to the standard boxing jab that lands with the palm facing down ) are "safer " to use.but John Benett's comment about cut knuckles on busted lips make me think ... scary stuff those blood born pathogens .Hep c wouldnt be fun either .

[mild7]

Yup... vertical fists are much safer for your hand.
J-trigger pointed out to me as well, referring to how boxers of old generally punched with vertical fists. Jack Dempsey also used the vertical fist punching method.
The vertical fist's main benefit is that it reduces your chance of spraining your wrist, and also helps you to land more than one knuckle on your opponent's face.

Theory aside, from past experience the first time I punched some one in the face my hand went numb. This was before I learned boxing/MAs.
If you can punch a heavy canvas bag at the base without gloves, and not suffer from wrist pain or sore/splitknuckles, you should be ok.
Also depends on how hard you hit(obviously).

and going for the cheekbone is not a good idea.

[Joe Manco]

I've been in several fights, whalloped several faces, and never once hurt my hand (with the exception of someone's tooth in my middle knuckle once).

I think you guys either have fragile hands, limp wrists, or are not swinging properly.

The side of the jaw, with hooks, is how you should be throwing your streetfight punches. Most bozos who hurt their hands are throwing right crosses, to a ducking opponent, and so crown the guy on the top of the head ... thus f*cking up their hands.

Body shots, and hooks, are what you should be throwing in the street. Jabs are good to set them up (if you're on the outside), but most people are pretty close up in a crowded atmosphere when they get pi$$ed enought to fight, so body shots/hooks are the way to go.

Vertical fists? LMAO, only in the movies guys. They have nowhere near the power, and the bend in your elbow is facing the floor when you throw them. You know what that means? That means your arm can be bridged with your opponent's cross when you throw it ... which can leave YOU on the floor. So turn that elbow out, with the palm down, when you throw that jab ... and your throwing arm will be defending you while you're jabbing ... rather than leaving your a$$ wide open for a counter shot.

Jeeze, I've never seen so much mis-information about punching in one thread.

[YeLLa-TiGeR]

I myself havent had very good experiences with hooks. One time a guy picked up a rock and swung a wild right hook at my head. All I did was step into his punch and his forearm ended up hitting me in the shoulder. No damage. I think timing is the key for hook punches to work.

[Joe Manco]

Of course, timing is the key to everything ... especially good sex

But serriously, your "rock" story must have involved an ignoramus, not a trained puncher.

There is a big difference between a wide "arm swing" by a bozo w/ a rock ... and a tight, explosive inside hook to the liver followed by an equally-tight, explosive hook to the chin thrown by someone who knows WTF he's doing

Later.