What is the optimal palm strike form? (I busted my knuckles)

**Epicurus** · Posted On: 9/26/2006 8:59pm

I injured my right hand after I decided that it would be a good idea to punch some phone poles after I had some personal troubles and many, many rum & cokes. Now my knuckles are recovering and I can't throw any punches with resistance using my right hand, probably for several more days.

But I still want to train so now when I do a jab-cross drill on the focus mitts I throw a palm strike when I used my right hand and it works pretty well - I never cared much for palm strikes but this could be a blessing in disguise to make me appreciate them.

Anyway, long story short: Is it better to throw a straight palm heel strike to the face (think boxing cross or jab) with the fingers extended upward or curled back to the palm?

So far extended upward means my arm is more relaxed -> strike travels faster/hits harder than when I curl my knuckles. Anyone know anything about proper palm strike hand form? Please include reasons & rationale for your method.

EDIT: a typo.

**Simonthesong** · Posted On: 9/26/2006 11:45pm

I think the only advantage to curling in your fingers is that it protects them. It is easy to sprain them or break them in the very possible event that your strike is blocked.

If you keep the fingers extended, you can grapple or claw more easily. Frankly, I don't know if it's worth it.

**Dr. Sleepless** · Posted On: 9/27/2006 1:06am

You should only keep your fingers extended if you have flexible hands. I have found that curling them sometimes means that I hit my nails on whatever I'm trying to hit and, let me tell you, it fucking hurts. So I have always hit with my fingers extended because I have really flexible hands.

**TheOtherChris** · Posted On: 9/27/2006 3:00am

The best way is to try to push the heel of your hand forward while keeping the fingers relatively straight. This way you will only hit with your palm. The risk of getting punched on your extended fingers is less than that of curled fingers breaking on impact.

Most proper (read: traditional) palmstrikes are done with the elbow low for structure and protection, and are usually delivered the chin or chest (for chest palmstrikes, it's better to extend your fingers forward, so that they automatically slide into the throat, generating teh deadly effect seen on TV.)

**Lv1Sierpinski** · Posted On: 9/27/2006 3:20am

Why don't you just work on your jabs for the 'several more days'?

After having the top joints of my fingers jacked up from trying to catch footballs, sparring, and various other youthful indescretions, I wouldn't curl my fingers except when I was hitting a predictable target (pad, board, etc.). To the face I'd extend my fingers, but keep them together as much as I could.

But mostly I'd just wait until I could punch again...few things will screw up your wrist faster than a palm-heel gone wrong.

***WhiteShark*** · Posted On: 9/27/2006 7:07am

I agree with the "Work your jab" most people have crappy jabs anyway. A couple days of focus could only help. Remember don't drop your hand when you bring the jab back.

**PirateJon** · Posted On: 9/27/2006 7:38am

I injured my right hand after I decided that it would be a good idea to punch some phone poles after I had some personal troubles and many, many rum & cokes.

She's not worth it.

Work the jab and work slipping. You can never be too good with either.

**Teh El Macho** · Posted On: 9/27/2006 8:07am

well, you can always try the bitch-slap... I mean the power slap a-la crazy monkey :tongue3:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC-lIMuBkko[/media]

... and yeah, she is not worth it :p

**Seraphim** · Posted On: 9/27/2006 10:02am

I'm with El Macho. I give it a more manly powerful name thought...the bear claw!

**Epicurus** · Posted On: 9/27/2006 10:56am

Originally Posted by WhiteShark

I agree with the "Work your jab" most people have crappy jabs anyway. A couple days of focus could only help. Remember don't drop your hand when you bring the jab back.

Yeah, but try just throwing jabs nonstop for a few rounds... my arm gets so tired that my form starts to automatically get bad and then I kinda pick up habits from when I'm overtired. Besides, it'll be pretty tough to injure my wrist on just a focus mitt.

The further problem is that I normally jab with my right hand (I'm a right handed user of the southpaw stance, don't ask) though it doesn't hurt to work both sides.

P.S: And yes, I have been practicing my crazy monkey beatdown bitch slap since I injured my hand. You can get some pretty good force into that thing! Also, it's about ten times louder than a hook when you hit the focus mitt because of the "slap" effect, so it scares the crap out of my roomates.

I've decided that in bareknuckle fighting, you're likely to break your power hand on someone's face, so I've developped my own new fighting art (in which I hold a 10th Dan BB) where you hold your lead hand in a fist and your rear hand does palm strikes and slaps. It is a combination of Boxing, Palm Striking, and Slapping, which I call "Balm Strapping". Anyone want a 9th Dan? send me an e-mail and $50 CAD.