Punched in the Jaw

[WingChunABQ]

So I've been hit in the jaw/chin at various degrees of intensity, with and without a mouthguard. Every time I can't clench my jaw or even chew for days. It sucks.

Help me out here:
Is it better to clench your teeth when taking a hit or to leave the jaw slightly loose?

[Pork Chop]

I usually clench my teeth and bite down on my mouth guard.
The worst shot to the jaw that I ever took was wearing a double-sided mouthguard that was too bulky to let me get a good clench.
In general though, i try to keep that chin tucked and not take shots to the jaw.

[sanjuro_ronin]

So I've been hit in the jaw/chin at various degrees of intensity, with and without a mouthguard. Every time I can't clench my jaw or even chew for days. It sucks.

Help me out here:
Is it better to clench your teeth when taking a hit or to leave the jaw slightly loose?

Not getting hit.
That said, raise the shoulder and tuck the chin and when you strike, clench your teeth.
A loose jaw will get your jaw broken.
The worse time to get hit is when you are hitting (obviously) so take care to see that you are NOT raising your chin when you throw a strike.

[LoneTiger108]

Help me out here:
Is it better to clench your teeth when taking a hit or to leave the jaw slightly loose?

I was taught to 'smile', which doesn't involve clenching the teeth but putting intent throughout the face and head, lifting the ears and tongue. Develops a kind of Iron Head :D

[Brule]

I was taught to 'smile', which doesn't involve clenching the teeth but putting intent throughout the face and head, lifting the ears and tongue. Develops a kind of Iron Head :D

Seriously?

My advice would be to bite down on your mouth guard, less a chance you'll have your jaw broken or even ko'd. Also, strengthen your neck.

[David Jamieson]

Shoulders up, chin tucked, eyes forward, guard up.
You will minimize the target that is your head when you do this.

That whole thing about relaxed shoulders etc applies when you are out of reach.
Once you get into range, you better tighten up your en-garde positioning. Protect the head.

Much of the instruction from sources that do not competitively fight or do not get involved in full contact sparring will neglect this feature of protection.

Concur with SR. Get cha hands up, get ya shoulders up, get ya chin tucked, keep moving, keep ya eyes open.

[Lucas]

personally, i found that while i keep the tip of my tongue against the roof of my mouth, it makes it difficult to have a slack jaw. a habbit i created for myself and, for me, it tends to promote a more constant clench. this might be just me though.

[Hebrew Hammer]

Sounds like you've been dislocating your Jaw...I'd get it checked out by a doctor. Not something to play with. They have some newer mouth pieces that are supposed to more shock absorbent. You could try moving your lower jaw left and right hoping to slide it back into joint. The mandible is kind of free floating attached by powerful muscles. I'd also look into wearing head gear.

[David Jamieson]

personally, i found that while i keep the tip of my tongue against the roof of my mouth, it makes it difficult to have a slack jaw. a habbit i created for myself and, for me, it tends to promote a more constant clench. this might be just me though.

You are also creating a connection at a lao gong point that negates a bubbling well void and cultivates continuous flow of qi.

true story.;)

[WingChunABQ]

Thanks all. Thankfully, I haven't had a full-on dislocation yet. I also have had the bad habit of leaving my mouth slightly open during fisticuffs, mostly because I'm breathing heavily.

Guess I can stop wondering if I'm like Glass Joe from Mike Tyson's Punch Out. :)

[Hebrew Hammer]

That would even make it more likely that you've been dislocating it. Probably lucky it wasn't broken.

[Lucas]

Thanks all. Thankfully, I haven't had a full-on dislocation yet. I also have had the bad habit of leaving my mouth slightly open during fisticuffs, mostly because I'm breathing heavily.

Guess I can stop wondering if I'm like Glass Joe from Mike Tyson's Punch Out. :)

If you jog or run, a habbit you can help yourself with is to work up to being able to run consistantly with your mouth closed doing only nose breathing. this will get you in the habbit of using more nose breathing while you fight.

[Lucas]

You are also creating a connection at a lao gong point that negates a bubbling well void and cultivates continuous flow of qi.

true story.;)

thats because i have the bone structure of a kung fu genius.

[WingChunABQ]

If you jog or run, a habbit you can help yourself with is to work up to being able to run consistantly with your mouth closed doing only nose breathing. this will get you in the habbit of using more nose breathing while you fight.

Good idea!

Although, I like running about as much as I like being beaten with sticks, but doing cardio with a mouthpiece in sounds like a great way to condition.