How To Punch In A Street Fight? Don’t!
How to punch!
It’s the first self defense technique everyone learns, right?
Perhaps you learned it from school yard fights.
Maybe your father taught you how to punch when you were growing up.
Or maybe it was the first martial arts move you learned in the dojo.
No matter where or when you learned it, the punch is the most common method taught anybody for self defense.
But there’s a problem here…
Is A Punch Worthless In A Real Street Fight?
Most punches in a real fight are instinctively thrown at your attacker’s head.
We know subconsciously that this is our best chance for a knockout.
However, your opponent’s head holds his brain which is well protected by a very hard skull and an instinctive response when it feels it’s in danger.
You see, when your attacker recognizes that a punch is coming, he will naturally tuck his head and his chin to protect his throat and his eyes as well as present more of his bony skull to your fragile knuckles.
When it comes to targets, the skull is about as “bulletproof” as any part of the body gets.
The Real Danger Of Punching
In A Real Street Fight
When you go for a traditional punch to the head when fighting, chances are very good that you’re going to hit the skull.
When the knuckles of your clenched fist strike a hard surface like the skull in a street fight, they’re very likely to break.
With broken knuckles, you’re now less able to protect yourself because your follow-up blows will lack power coming from your injured hand.
However, you’re losing more than just the ability to punch hard if you injure your knuckles.
Weapons And Broken Knuckles Don’t Mix In
A Real Street Fight
Maybe you carry a gun or a knife as a self defense weapon.
Maybe your attacker is and you’re able to disarm his weapon and use it to protect yourself.
If you damage the knuckles of your hand from punching however, you may not be able to wield either a gun or a knife as effectively, if at all, with a crippled hand.
You can’t open a folding knife or hold it firmly because your hand is broken.
You can’t aim a gun or pull the trigger when you smashed your knuckles punching the other guy in the skull.
What could have been a great self defense weapon has now been rendered useless!
Three Self Defense Techniques Better Than Punching
While there are many strikes that can be used for self defense, the three that are better choices in a street fight are the palm heel, the hammer fist, and the edge of hand blow.
All three pack more power than a traditional punch and are very easy to master for self defense.
But just as importantly, you can strike with any of these methods with much less danger of injuring yourself than if you used a punch.
When striking the head or neck I totally agree. I tell students to strike “Hard on soft and Soft on Hard” eg: Closed fist to gut and Palm Heel to head.
I won’t go so far as to say that “punching” is useless in a street fight. It can be very effective when used against the right targets. However, I agree 100 percent that because of the instinctive desire to strike to the head, the punch is the least effective technique precisely because of the increased chance of injuring oneself.
In my Women’s Self Defense course, I specifically advise against punching. I tell my students that the three most effective hand strikes (to the face/head area) are: palm heel, hammer fist, edge-of-hand (knife hand). I also throw in the claw hand, but describe it as being a modification of the palm strike (keeping it simple).
In fact, I am an experience puncher and would not use it in a street situation myself. I prefer the other strikes much better.
Joshua
Precision Self Defense Solutions
I played very competitive ice hockey growing up and had my fare share of on-ice fights…
I can tell you I wish I had an option other than punching (like using my stick – lol) because your knuckles and hands get absolutely destroyed. Not only is a guys head hard but sometimes you can’t get his helmet off – ouch!
Knuckles lose against helmets every time.
Hey, maybe there is an opening for an entirely new style of hockey fighting, Jeff?
Ty doug i agree. Im a black belt in Ninjitsu,and the first strike they taught us was the edge of hand shuto in japanese and palm of hand too as a counter strike. A shuto strike to the caritded artory is effective.
You too joshua I agree with you sir.
Both excellent points. Here’s a third . . .
Don’t be a “headhunter”.
As mentioned, we instinctively go for the head. Whether it is a subconscious directive to achieve a knockout, or if our social training is drawing us to the face, or just because it is what’s modeled on the school playground, many people are naturally headhunters. Tim Larkin points out that there are near 175 targets on the human body that can get the job done. Several are on the face, neck, and head overall, but the lion’s share are all below the nape of the neck, and are just as effective, and, not only that, usually easier to access. They are within easy reach and we don’t have to ride up on the guy, trying to get past his fists, and whatever external weapons his clenched fists might be holding, to get to them. After a few injuries at these external targets, his self-protective reactions won’t function well, and the head/neck targets would be ours for the taking.
Another point:
“Be a 360° Fighter . . . not a one quadrant fighter”.
If you looked down on your attacker from above, and divided him out diagonally into four equal quadrants, with the first in front of him, the next two to either his left or right (occupied by his arms), and the last one to his back, most of us would hang out in that first quadrant, squared off with him in a round of fisticuffs.
Well, that’s fine for competition, and that’s where we learn it, along with other antisocial, chest bumping encounters on the school playground as well. But if we are looking to render this real life attacker non-functional, why hang out in the quadrant where he’s strongest? If that’s where we start, that’s where we start; but if after the first initial strike, we blow past him through the next strike, and then continue striking from the other quadrants, he will be relatively defenseless, and we will be, for all intents and purposes, invisible to him. Unless he has eyes in the back of his head, he will not see the blows coming from behind, and will not be able to counter them.
Unsporting? Perhaps, but then, this isn’t a sports application; it’s a street encounter with asocial, criminal violence, and this predator in question may have several kills to his name already.
(Incidentally, an initial claw-hand rake to the eyes will also blind him and render you invisible, which also works to your benefit, and will not likely result in an injury in terms of broken knuckles.)
Chris
Most people are trained to expect and defend against a punch to the head,I prefer to initially go low. You can usually see a fight coming. Half-step if you have the time, then kick your opponent in the knee. Did you know that because of all of the nerves that converge at the knee an injury to the knee is the most painful injury that the body can suffer and most people aren’t trained to defend against an initial low attack. I also prefer the hi-lo method of fighting; Attack low and while your opponent is defending low attack high and while your opponent is defending high…you get the drift. Go animal; You will never see it on WWF TV but don’t be afraid to tear ears or genitals, break knees, crush adams apples, gouge eyes. If you have an opening stick your thumb between your opponent’s teeth and cheek and rip his face off. Do what you’re going to do quickly and don’t gloat, maintain your balance and be prepared for his buddies
(note well the use of the plural term “buddies”). Draw your power from your hips and don’t hold back, there is no second place winner!
There is no winner in a serious fight, only survivors. Never ever fight for pride or prestiege and only for a woman if she is family. I will do anything I can to avoid a serious fight, including running away if I can, but when there is no way out, fight as if your life and your loved ones’ lives depended on it, The only way to win a fight is to avoid it but if you can’t avoid it always remember, there is no second place winner.
Lastly, I trained so hard breaking boards, bricks and punching rice paper at full power without hitting the concrete wall in back of it that now all of my knuckles are level. Don’t use your closed fist unless you are trained on how to properly form a hammer fist! Did I mention that there is no second place winner?
“Do what you’re going to do quickly and don’t gloat, maintain your balance and be prepared for his buddies (note well the use of the plural term “buddies”).”
You never know how many people you are fighting until you are fighting all of them.
Incidentally, the issue with broken knuckles and non-functioning hands is especially poignant and apropos when you consider that you need your hands for manipulating important survival artifacts such as the doorknob leading out of the room, or the keys to your car so you can make a quick getaway.
I agree completely. I remember a time during middle school, near the end of the 8th grade year (I must have been around 14) I got in a fight. As two stupid middle schoolers who thought we were just the toughest people in the world we both ended up getting hurt. I didn’t pull out a haymaker, but a jab, hit him in the right cheek bone, which is still hard, and now all the knuckles on my right hand are level. Damaged my right hand. If only I had seen this video years ago and prevented that stupid mistake, or better yet not been stupid and gotten into a fight at all.
The information in this video is the mainstream of hand strikes from Defendo, World War II combat system.
This is the meat and potatoes of Close Quarter Combat. Nothing can be further from the truth.
I DO agree that a punch has many “cautions” and considerations for it’s use…
BUT I would not “leave it out of my tool box”. (o:
Just as it takes more than a hammer to build a house, I would not try to build a house without a hammer at all. A PUNCH to the solar plexus can be DEADLY…and can NOT be ‘applied’ effectively with the side of the hand or even a hammer-fist… The same is true for a number of other effective movements. So it is really an issue of the RIGHT moves with the RIGHT techniques. Wisely select the proper tool for the specific job…
You have a concealed weapons permit for a reason. Use that properly and you won’t take the chance of finding out the target may have tranied better than you. I spent several years in Kempo. A punch is just another tool. After the motor vehicle wreck and getting both legs cut off, I still trained. Discovered that most people have no clue how to fight up close and on the ground. When they go to kick me I’m expecting it. Broken ankle and a gator roll, and the opponet will be on the ground where I can get to him easier. Learn to fight in any and every position. Because most people, don’t.
You all need to check out geoff thompsons website, He was a bouncer for 10 years in coventry and in over 200 fights knocked out 90% of his opponents with a PUNCH and states that punching is the most effective tool to use,
One other point:
For most guys, using a punch is as instinctive as shutting the eyelids if anything gets too close to the eyes. It’s what we do. Therefore, we have to “train” ourselves to use the other strikes. Fortunately for me, I sustained a hand injury many years ago that prevent me from making a properly tight fist with my left hand. As a result, I have been “training” myself (naturally) in using the other strikes. I don’t really have to think about it anymore.
Women, on the other hand, don’t naturally punch. They actually prefer using open hand strikes, especially against other women. Oddly however, when they have to go up against a male attacker, many of them feel as though they have to use fists (punching), as though open hand strikes are ineffective against guys. When I’m working with them, that is one of the first myths that must be dispelled. Correctly applied, a palm heel and other non-punching strikes can be deadly.
To James:
James says:
June 13, 2011 at 4:39 pm
You all need to check out geoff thompsons website, He was a bouncer for 10 years in coventry and in over 200 fights knocked out 90% of his opponents with a PUNCH and states that punching is the most effective tool to use,
James, I submit to you that Geoff Thompson does not disprove the rule, rather he confirms it.
Most of the comments opposing the use of the punch (even if not explicitly stated) do so because most people simply do not know how to punch. Someone who does (Geoff is obviously one who does) know how to punch correctly, and who has conditioned his hand to accept that level of punishment, can do so effectively.
It takes a high degree of training (as most boxers and martial artists can attest to) to be able to consistently form a proper fist, maintain that proper fist during a dynamic fight scenario, develop and maintain proper fist/wrist/forearm alignment, and have all that come together consistently at the moment of impact so as not to hurt oneself. Kudos to Geoff–he deserves it. But, I would never recommend punching to the head for the average person. It’s a losing proposition. Geoff is not average.
Geoff is not average, and definitely has his chops about him, but he was also dealing with inherently social situations, mostly of the ANTI-social variety, not A-social.
Combat sports, however adversarial and intense, is still a sport. Ultimately you’ll finish with the two opponents shaking hands and one walks away with a trophy and the other a bruised ego. In a bouncing situation, 99.9% of the time you are dealing with jerks or belligerent drunks. Sure, you never know what to expect, but a lot of it comes down to that. Bars are meant for drinking and socializing, not fighting, despite what movies would have us believe.
When dealing with A-social, criminal violence, things are totally random, and looks nothing like a social encounter, which to the chagrin and demise of many people who couldn’t distinguish between ANTI-social and A-social. (The horror stories and cautionary tales on this are legion.)
The only way to bring order out of chaos is by striking and inflicting the attacker with debilitating injuries. Remember, Injury Ends Competition. That’s where the encounter in the ring stops and the encounter on the street starts, and there is a world of difference with duking it out with a drunk or an athlete, and fighting for your life against a gang-banger who is stabbing you to death.
I agree completely with Joshua but would like to add that there can be a lot of difference in the actual “fist physiology” of various individuals. I’ve seen big guys with giant ham fists who could punch an opponent in the head or punch through walls all day long with little or no physical consequences to their hands. Then, there are guys like me with a thinner build who would break every bone in their hand with a hard punch to someone’s frontal skull. Age also has a lot to do with resiliance of the hands to impact.
I Belive in using the Palm of my hand or hands. Because I can knock out an opponent with that no matter what size and already have ! It’s easier than using a fist. Even tough I’ve used my fists in the past. I recieved training in punching from my uncle, and he was a Boxer. I also have a friend that is a Golden Gloves Boxer, he damages his hand. I still prefer the Palm of my hands.
I’ve been in thousands of fights in my lifetime. And prefer to use the Palm, the fingers, the knife edge of hand, the Hammer Blow, and the headbut. This is not the Marques of Queensbury rules in a real street fight. So I’m don’t worry about what my opponent considers fair play. I have also used the knee to the face or head in the past, but I don’t like it too much because you might damage your kneecap against the skull. But this Close Quaters Combat Video looks really good.
I’d like to ask Jeff Anderson, Were you in Psyop ? Because you deal a lot with the Brain.
Punching is a natural gross motor action. Punching works. Period. Hit a man hard on the button or temple with a tight fist and it’s lights out. Palm strikes and knife hands don’t come instinctively.
Mddlp:
I don’t disagree with anything you said. However, we must qualify the first comment with this: Punching is a “natural gross motor action”, for men. Not necessarily for women. They have a tendency to slap at each other. So, for them, a palm heel strike would be more natural. Now, I’m not saying this is a universal rule, just that it is the norm–for women.
Punching works. Indeed, it does–if done properly. Most people don’t know how.
Lights out? Absolutely–if on target. In the dynamic environment of a fight, being on target is not easy. Plus, the possibility of hurting your own hand is just too great.
Bottom line: I think that although punching works, there are just too many negatives associated with it–for the average person. It would be much better for them to take the relatively short amount of time to become comfortable using open-hand strikes. After all, it would take much longer for the average person to become proficient enough at punching (properly) without hurting himself.
You just hit on the real core issue of this debate, whether you intended to or not.. ‘the average person’.
see my expanded memo below on it and let me know, honestly, if you think that ‘the average person’ should even be involved in a fight, with any serious notion of success? In other words, i think an average person should get a ccw and condition himself to avoid a fight at all costs.
in further other words, a skilled hand to hand self defense practitioner. is NOT an average person. You have to develop yourself to be way above average if you really want to survive serious street fights. In my experience, I’ve never ever seen this achieved, in a ‘relatively short amount of time’, to any level where the outcome of the incident relys more on chance than on learned effectiveness.
I actually broke my knuckle punching a guy in the head. After the fight, my hand began swelling and I knew I had broken something, but not until I had wrecked the other guys head.
So, yes, learn other ways to do damage, instead of the traditional punch.
Very good information – Thanks Jeff Anderson!!!
Many thnx for the vediO..
Joshua,
You are correct in qualifying my comment regarding punching being a natural gross motor action “for a man.” And I agree that an improperly thrown punch by an untrained individual could result in a broken hand for the puncher. Nonetheless, I believe that punching is the most natural, easiest defense to employ under stress. I also think that it’s not that difficult to teach your average man how to punch effectively and correctly. For example, I know from personal experience and from training others, that 6 months of hard “boxing” training-including hard sparring- is one of the best ways to prepare a man for real violence. I’ve seen guys with 6 months boxing training beat the hell out of black belts and street toughs, easily. And the best thing is that punching is so natural that you can just do it
instinctively for the rest of your life with minimal upkeep. I love Jeff’s teachings. His stuff works. I think the open hand stuff is good too, particularly for a preemptive or first strike situation, but after that first shot- you better know how to punch hard,and you better know how to take impact without freaking out. Hard fisticuffs training is just the ticket.
Mddlp: I think you’re making my point for me. Who has time for “6 months of hard “boxing” training-including hard sparring” to be ready to properly throw a punch in order to defend oneself? I can teach a complete novice to throw effective strikes (palm heel, hammer fist, etc) in a fraction of that time. In fact, almost anyone can learn to throw a palm heel in one class session with sufficient power, speed and accuracy to hurt someone, regardless of size (within reason). I know, because women are doing it every week in my classes.
Sure, it takes some training, but then, so does learning to punch. I encourage my students (women) to leave the punching to professional boxers because there is just too high a risk of injury.
One note: I do teach them what it takes to throw a proper punch but find that most prefer the open-hand strikes and the hammer-fist.
Punching IS dangerous to the knuckles, but punching is even more dangerous to the punchee than the puncher, and works very well in a fight. In fact, I would go as far to say that people knocked out of a street fight by every other technique put together — all the throws, kicks, palm strikes, etc. — don’t add up to half the number of the people knocked out by the good old “Sunday punch.” Everybody uses it for one reason: it works!
I don’t argue that punching does not work–it does! But, I would argue that it CONSISTENTLY works only when the one doing the punching knows how to do it properly. As for the reason “everybody” uses it? — that’s all they know. I just know this: If you and I were throwing strikes at a moving, hard target–you using a punch, and me using a palm heel–you would be ready to quit before I would be.
That would be true, but we’re not talking about a three minute round in a boxing match; a street fight is more likely to be measured in seconds, not minutes. For 90% of real fights, endurance is far less important than doing maximum damage quickly — concussions, broken facial bones, deep lacerations, etc. — and, when attacking the face, the fist does this faster and easier than any other weapon, with the possible exception of a head butt, which is much more limited in application. As to the puncher having to know what he’s doing, I’m sure it would help, but I’ve seen a lot more people knocked down and/or out by people who didn’t have a clue as to the “right way” to do it. If you put enough ‘ummph’ behind a punch and are fast and/or unexpected enough in the delivery that it connects solidly with the opponent’s face, the odds are he’s headed for the ground. I tend to believe that is why the fist is used the most. It’s not all people know; anyone who has ever been in the military since early WWII has learned palm heel strikes and chops, but those tend to quickly be relegated to secondary techniques with most people when it really hits the fan.
well said, Greg, seem my expanded comments below.
Gregory is correct. For most men, punching training gives you a lot more bang for your buck. It is unquestionably what comes more naturally when it hits the fan. Most fights between MEN involve multiple blows and more than likely an exchange of blows. You can train all the palm strikes you want, but after your first strike or two you will revert to punching.
Joshua is right that for WOMEN, open hand strikes make more sense. A woman is not likely to engage in an exchange of blows with a male assailant.
Spot on Jeff. Thanks
When you first learn to do something, like throw a baseball and hit a target, at first it’s easy. not too accurate but easy. After practicing awhile it becomes more difficult. You can’t get the right speed, can’t hit the second baseman’s glove, can’t step into the throw and keep your balance , etc.
After continued practice it becomes easy again. The power and balance and accuracy are all there and without even thinking about it. It’s called inculcation, you’ve transferred the required movements from your conscious to your sub-conscious mind and the required coordination seems to come automatically. (This is why Sensei tells students that whatever he teaches them they are to practice it 10 thousand times).
It’s the same with a punch. Anyone can make a fist but it takes instruction and practice to make a proper fist and train the muscles to make a hard fist at just the right instant. If you strike with an improper fist of untrained muscles making a soft fist or hit with the wrong knuckles there’s a fair chance that you will injure yourself. Always remember, practice doesn’t make perfect, practice makes consistent. Perfect practice makes consistently perfect. It’s much easier to learn to do something correctly the first time then to learn it incorrectly and have to unlearn the incorrect form to learn the correct form. Bummer!
I think the key is knowing the the proper technique regardless of what you choose. I have seen inexperienced martial artists use the palm thrust and not have their arm in alignment and break the wrist. The tools for close fighting are “tools”. It is up to the individual and instructor to be aware of how to use them. Thanks for the video Jeff!
I have been attacked and found myself much too close to punch. I have been taught to use my knees and elbows and successfully knocked down (and out) the guy who grabbed me. The other point is, as Jeff says, the head is very hard – why do you think a head-butt is so effective?
Very true . . . tho headbutts do cut both ways. The odds are good it will give him a concussion, but far greater that it will also give you one first. And if you find yourself faced with this miscreant’s “buddies”, the last thing you want to be is foggy-headed.
I’m 67 years old and have been training in martial arts for many years. I only train as a Ninja. Not the one’s you see on T.V. or in the movies.
I agree totally with Jeff Anderson. I am retiered now from the New York City Transit Authorty. Over the years I had to go too work late at night. Traveling on the trains.
You can’t believe the freaks that you run into.
On one occasion I was reading a book on my way to work. I was taking notes with a pencil. Two fellows decided that they wanted my wallet. No one else was on the train.From my training I knew that in times of riot and disorder, you must keep your mind calm and clear. A quote from the “Book of Five Rings”. As one kept watch a few feet away, the other fool was leaning over me. He wanted my wallet. I play the game with all the confidence of my training. I still had the pencil in my hand. I reached back like I was getting my wallet. As I was doing this I put the pencil earaser in my plam and the point between my ring finger and my middle finger. He was neverous and was looking from right to left. Then I made my move. As he was turning to look back at me I drove the pencil through his lower jaw and felt it go through his tongue to the roof of his mouth. Blood came shooting out of his mouth and he was trying to talk. I jumped up and told his buddy “Your Next”. He had his hands up and was asking me if he could help his friend. At the next stop, they both got off the train. I lost a good pencil, but I still had my wallet. As Jeff Anderson is telling you, a punch is useless. Attach the legs. A straight kick to the shine bone is a great fight stopper. I have knocked out more then one fool with that as my lead.
While people like Steve obviously watch too many Jason Bourne movies, otherwise his fantasy episode on the train might have been more realistic like when I was working undercover on the CTA elevated trains back in the days…
He’s lucky the punks (if there really were any) Weren’t that sharp. Otherwise when they got off the train, they would have had had Steve arrested, and THEN really make out like ‘bandits by sueing him and the city. This is better than than stealing your wallet.
First of all, Just for you JB wannabees, don’t try anything like that at home, especially in public, or any freakng where for that matter. All those so-called ‘improvised’ weapons like a rolled up newspaper or pencils are just that. supposed substitutes for When you are too stupid or lazy or whatever your problem is to not carry at least a good knife or even better, a gun. Most improvised weapons are absolutely useless, unless the perp falls down laughing, and will get you into further trouble. except in the hands of a master expert. But if you are so stupid as to not have a real weapon, if only your hands, then you are not an ‘expert’ in the first place.
Although, having ‘seasoned’ experience with these type of whack job incidents, After interviewing both Steve and the perps, I could probably have saved Steve from being arrested –if he said exactly what i told him to say for the report, and not brag about his super ninja abilities. The civil lawsuit, however, would cost Steve dearly and make him wish he never learned how to write.
And if he told the jury he was a ninja, the prosecuter would kneel down and givethanks because that would immediately win his case because the first thing he would ask Steve, is “don’t ninjas know Tonpo- Inpo Ninjitsu strategies? In fact isn’t this an emphatic part of the art? Why would you attack an unarmed assailant with a potentially deadly weapon if you could easily escape the situation?”
If you are in a certain potentially dangerouos situation, (especially like late night riding of public transportation in a big city) get prepared properly like you would for any job or other functional situation. Get you ccw permit, AND/or carry a good blasting canister spray with marking dye, for unarmed morons, Otherwise…prepare for ‘unintended consequences’, which are always bad. And remember, you must be ‘in extreme fear for your life’ before you can justify deadly force in most if not all cases. Otherwise the prosecuter will say something like:
“…if you had been training in martial arts for many years, couldn’t you have used some simple non lethal bare handed self defense techniques, especially since there was only one individual actually confronting you. AND HE WASN’T EVEN ARMED?!
What if they turned out to be a couple of high school ‘honor students’ who somebody ‘put something into their pop at a party’ and they were ‘not responsible’ for their ‘behavior’ and you killed one, Steve? If you can live with that, Steve, then you’re a ‘better’ ninja than me, because I still have a hard time thinking about people I had to kill in real warfare…wondering if there
couldn’t have been another choice…
I got off the topic, but i had to straighten that out to hopefull reduce the ‘moron copycat’ effect of inane examples like Steve’s. Unfortunately these de-bunks seem to take up a lot of quality fight training time these days….but they’re getting so bad lately those of us who carry the burden of serious knowledge proliferation have an ethical and professional oblicagion to nip this nonsense in the bud. but back to Steves last, pertinant to the discussion, but nevertheless, stupid statement: “As Jeff Anderson is telling you…a punch is useless”.
The bottom lines in the last paragraph on the last page in the last book on this subject is this:
Aside from the fact that Jeff is Not ‘telling’ you that a punch is ‘useless’ , No martial arts instructor can legitimately say that if he’s for real. Jeff’s forum question was “is a punch ‘worthless’ in a street fight?” Although, unfortunately, this seems to be an implication.
One of Jeff’s exemplary manifestations as a true pillar among self defense instructors is that he throws out a lot of what he learns to other ‘experts’ in the field for objective functional analysis based on their own experience. This is always a good thing and is why CQB instruction is so advanced these days. At least the quality stuff…
So here’s the wrap up: Punching is NEVER worthless in street fighting. Period. Surprise! but it’s actuallty superior to most other hand techniques! Thats why it’s an embarrasing fact that even amateur trained boxers usually take out black belts very fast in one or two combos in street and barroom situations. And thats why real black belts eventually pass on the makiwara and get up to an H-bag pounding level and speed bag routine just like boxers.
Caveat: So punching is really effective Only in highly trained ‘hands’, (pun intended)
As many said here, if you don’t make a fist properly and burn into your muscle memory the proper knuckle joint alignment, and etc. Yes, you have a higher probability than not, of damaging your knuckles hitting the skull.
BUT! and thats a big fat ass kicking BUTT…I’ve seen just as many people break their fingers or sprain (worse leverage for this than a clenched fist) their wrists on a misjudged palm strike to the jaw or a shuto to the temple but a slight head movement made the fingertips smash into the forhead, or a spear hand to the eyes which hit the forehead, and on and on…
First of all, hand formation/strike technique is never going to be mitigated in a street fight or self defense situation, as long as the body has hard points meeting soft points, and conversely betweent impacts
Again, with adrenalin and advanced mental focus, this shouldn’t be too much of a concern when your life is at immediate compromise. Anything can happen in fight. Injuries happen BECAUSE IT’S ALL ABOUT INJURIES IN THE FIRST PLACE! A highly disciplined and trained fighter will overcome this. It’s why you learn how to hit with other parts of your body, isn’t it? Also, if you are really ‘good’, you don’t have to worry about this too much. You should have a 98% target aquisition rate!. I don’t pass any of my advanced operators with proficiency certificates until this is achieved.
But if you are too obsessively compulsively mitigated in your conflict assessment by this ‘injury’ potential, then concentrate on avoiding the conflict in the first place as your first priority. Or carry a more suitable weapon, at least for deterrent purposes. Which begs the question, why is JEFF worried about breaking his knuckles and not being able to pull his gun or knife? If you are carrying in the first place, is it even that smart to start dancing with a partner who can then possibly grab your gun?
Why don’t you simply back off, and leave, (in progress jump off attack, notwithstanding) but if followed, then pull in self defense mode 3, (while still retreating) and notifying the moron that you are ‘in fear of your life’ and running for help, but if you touch me, you will be obviously trying to kill me and I’ll D-T you in the balls? and save one for your eyball if that doesn’t work to calm you down?
Why risk breaking your knuckles at all if you have a gun, and then worrying about not being able to use it AFTER you broke them! LOL (nobody else got your joke, Jeff, but a couple of us did! very clever!)
Most practitioners who think Bruce Lee was the grandaddy of street fighting technique remember on page 88 of the 1994 original version of Tao of Jeet Kune Do where he said in his beginning striking segment that “…The leading straight punch is the backbone of all punching in Jeet Kune Do.
It is used both as an offensive and defensive weapon to “stop” and “intercept” an opponent’s complex attack at a moment’s notice.”
Think ‘way of the intercepting FIST’ (not shuto) You should be good enough to ‘intercept’ the target–lets say nose, for instance, even if the head starts to come down in avoidance, not be so slow and off that you hit the top of the skull instead. Hopefully, if you’re not that skilled, you won’t be that power developed either, and hopefull the damage won’t be that bad because of the weakness of the strike you threw in the first place.
Also most if not all major martial arts systems begin with their first strike being a fist. Or straight punch or Seiken Zuke. It’s the major training move in virtually all systems, And for good reason as mentioned by many above. But like mentioned above, a shuto or other strikes in some ninjitsu styles are emphasized because ninja techniqes are NOT street fights, but are more in the realm of military ambush tactics. This doesn’t make the shuto or palm the all around best choice as a hand strike.
Last time. Don’t ever say fists are useless, you’ll have real fighters just drop their eyes and shake their heads at your ‘innocence’. In fact they offer a wider range of ‘options’ especially in ‘ranging’ options, where your other hand techniques might be effective in limited close range, which is not a good place to be in the first place if you don’t have to.
Street fights are a different beast than sanctioned hand to hand warfare NOT regulated by laws and weapons limitations. In many ways, military combat is not as complicated from a reprisal and consequential aspect. Being a knock out Artist with fast punch combos is a tremendous advantage, street or otherwise.
Josh and Mddlp and others weighing in are obviously highly skilled and knowledgeable practitioners. Read and assimilate all their points above. Lots of free and otherwise very expensive personal training knowledge herein. (later I’ll explain a little more in detail about the ‘natural motor function’ of striking for them since they are advanced in this as well).
I’ll cap these off by saying that Jeff should modify this video somehwhat for optimal truth. He should have said: “…If you want to minimize training and time, forget about hard fist techniques until you gain considerable skill at punching. Instead, use the palm, shuto hammer fist (forearm is better) if you get into a close range situation. I actually have two other ‘strikes’ that i would teach before that, especially for women. (no, not a kick in the nuts, which is another myth in terms of optimal targets for women).
…But thats another problem besides movie ninja technique/strike mythology. Which is the other myth that a 45 minute self defense class can actually do any good. I’m guilty of this. I gave executive self defense seminars at companies. They loved them and I made good money doing it. But they should be nothing more than promo demos for further instruction and comprehensive training if you want to be honest. So i hope they never get into a situation where they have to try and use this info, if they didn’t get serious about it. It’s like the old Master’s aphorism. ” ..a little knowledge always gets you into enough trouble…” Otherwise known as ‘green belt syndrome’.
The problem is facilitated when everybody is out to make a buck by busting out the ‘obsolete traditional Arts’ and re-inventing the wheel of super genious ninja instant training that can instantly even take out space aliens when they finally land! A recent blurb for someone’s course, which i had respect for… hell of a sharp, nice guy, but actually made the statement that one ‘doesn’t need to be in good shape to do SGN magic! (i.e. just buy my course)
What serious students and instructors better start realizing that although much of antique traditional forms might need re-evaluation in terms of modern applications, And i’m one of the founders in my area of ‘reality fighting’, the one single fact throughout history and in any pursuit in life remains immutable:
NOTHING WORTH DOING, COMES EASY. In life and death physical conflict, it’s certainly well ‘worth it’ to do it right. Fighting is really nothing but basic mechanical physics in optimum application for specific purpose. Which take time and effort. Period. That’s one tradition thats hard to change…
Pax anu Luz!
So, how much can you learn in a two-day seminar over the course of a weekend? Anything that can make you truly effective, say against a multiple, armed fighter situation? (Assuming no weapons on you or available at the time.)
Chris
Is it possible to receive the DVD in other country? Thanks.
Can anyone tell me if Jeff’s course teaches how to disarm opponents of knives and guns?