I feel weird sharing this. But I did discover it while fighting with siblings as a kid. And it is moderately effective for knocking another kid down. And I’m sure as an adult, if aimed at the right location (nose, side of head, solar plexus, throat, balls) that you could, at the very least, stagger someone.
Put your hands together like you are holding a baseball bat.
Make a firm fist with your fingers together.
Swing your arms like if you were swinging a baseball bat. Make contact with the side of your hand. (Side with your pinky fingers).
Here is a picture reference from star Trek of Kirk and a Gorn.
You are very unlikely to break your hand with this method plus it’s a more powerful punch if you don’t have strong arms.
And never put your thumb inside the fist, that’s where a dowel or roll of quarters goes.
Other errors people make with fists:
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Putting the thumb under the fingertips in such a way that impact would push the fingertips into the thumb.
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Letting the thumb just stick off to the side.
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Angling the thumb along the arm so that it sticks out in front of the knuckles instead if curling under them.
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Failing to squeeze the fist on impact or otherwise having a loose first when the impact occurs.
These will all risk harming your hand in some way.
Also, try not to hit them with the lateral column of your fist, that would be the 4th and 5th knuckles. The neck of the 4th and especially the 5th metacarpals are the weakest bones in the hand and are prone to transverse fractures, often known as a boxers fracture.
I work in orthopedics and it’s probably one of the most common hand injuries I see. Really, if you’ve never punched anyone before, I wouldn’t start with someones face/head. Unless you have a job/training that has toughened up your hands, you’re more likely to hurt yourself worse than anyone else.
Good point! I forgot about that. Almost every untrained person wants to curve their punches and connect with the third and fourth knuckles instead of the first and second. One of the easiest ways to break a bone in your hand.
Yeah… People just don’t know how easy it is to break a bone in your hands. Skulls are made up so much harder and more dense bones than your metacarpals.
There’s a reason even people with years of conditioning as boxers or mma fighters still wear gloves and protective hand wraps, and it isn’t to protect their opponents’faces.
May I add: Boxer’s fracture SUCKS, don’t lead outward, lead in. Pretend your forefinger knuckle is the driving edge towards solving greed & bigotry. It can’t, but at least you can break some jaws without pain for the rest of your life.
That there was my tip. Line up the bones in your index and middle fingers with the bones in your forearm. Now you have a bar. Use that bar to punch with. Those two bones lined up, punch with those knuckles. Your other fingers, you hit with those and you will break those bones and that hand is done for the night and next six weeks at least
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Bonus points if you have a rod of osmium or depleted uranium.
Whoa Mr Fancy Pants, tungsten or lead too good for you?? Geez, even a rod of mild steel would suffice.
Dr. Brown? I thought that the Libyans got you…
Doc Brown stole weapons-grade plutonium (presumably 239) from the Libyans. Depleted uranium has a mass number of 238 and is generally not fissile. Thanks for coming to my unsolicited TED talk. Yes, I am fun at parties, which I will gladly prove as soon as I’m invited to one.
Also, thanks for the Back to the Future reference. It’s still one of my favorite movies.
TIL, it’s maybe time for a triolgy re-watch, I’m forgetting the finer details.
It’s always time for a re-watch, but I wouldn’t burden yourself with minutia. It’s weird that I remember that stuff at all. The trivia probably displaced something more useful.
An ASL S is a great fist if that makes sense to anyone
Intellectually I know where you’re going with this, but am unfamiliar with the exact form.
Beat me to it by two hours, and don’t forget to scale from dimes to dollar coins (sorry Yankees, try the Canuck or European ones if you have no rolls in your sock drawer), as optimized for your own hand size.
My rolls of pennies has a function afterall.
Please also mention where the thumb should go. Not inside the fingers.
Never punch someone in the mouth with a closed, unprotected fist.
Teeth are REALLY GROSS, and you don’t want that bacteria getting into the joints of your hand. The infection can be super bad.
Damn, I never thought I’d actually see good punching advice here
Soft to hard, hard to soft.
Palm strikes to soft areas like the face, where you can damage your knuckles.
Closed-fist strikes to soft areas like the stomach, where it’ll hurt more.
Also, your power comes from the hips. Get your hips to swing in with the arm that is punching. And aim your fist to end behind the intended target, like you are punching through them.
Also, if you have the opportunity to take a martial art, no matter what you think your skill level or physical fitness level is, do it. I always recommend Tang Soo Do, or Soo Bahk Do.
And your obliques, can’t forget about those power houses.
Striking with the heel of your palm, while not as flashy, is less likely to leave you in a cast.
That good angle could be a bit more straight, I was always taught it should be straight and for initial contact to be with the first two knuckles. That image looks like its a bit tilted upward and could hurt their wrist.
Just my two cents, I haven’t done martial arts in 20+ years and the Army loved to roll around on the ground more than punch.
Also don’t punch the face. Skulls, especially of neanderthals, have hard, sharp bits that can break finger bones.
Punch right in that soft belly. Or the kidneys.
Go for the larynx.
For the average person, just use the heel of your palm. Seriously, go try it right now on a wall or something, and see the difference in the ‘strength’ you can use. For the slightly less average person, start walking with a small ‘limp’ and have a good thick cane at hand.
To build on this: hit soft things with hard things, and hit hard things with soft things. Fist to stomach, palm to face.
But palm is safest to yourself if you can’t control it.
Also, punch in a straight line. Hand goes from waist to face. Don’t make any detours. Hand doesn’t need to visit your shoulder or take a little tour out in space. Straight line to the target.
And of course, punch past the target. Through it. Hit the back of their head through the front. Kick their spine by way of their sternum. Etc.
c/usefulguides
Nazi punks fuck off (is a fun song :3)
Also remember when punching to make an almost twisting motion for extra impact
If you do it right (try wearing a loose long sleeved work out shirt to get the effect) your clothing will pop with the twist. Just a small 90 to 135 degrees
