Which knuckles do I punch with

[Facepalm]

So Ive heard that you should punch with the first two knuckles because they are the largest and the bones extend into your forearm.

Ive also heard you should punch with the last three knuckles because they extend into your forearm.

Which one is it guys.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Both.
Your welcome.

[Cappadonna]

i've heard that your other knuckles other than the first 2 are prone to breaking easily if you punch with them

[TenTigers]

it all depends. Different punches require different alignments, and will strike with different knuckles. The Ping Choy-reverse punch-hits with the index and ring finger knuckles, the Yat Ji Choy-vertical punch hits with the bottom three.

[Pork Chop]

I personally prefer the middle two (middle & ring)
my middle knuckle is significantly taller than my other knuckles
i refuse to do the old style karate training of flattening the middle knuckle, so..
if I go the first two knuckles (index & middle), i have to over pronate my wrist to make contact
if i go the last two knuckles (ring & pinkie), my pinkie's likely to shatter
the middle two is a happy medium that helps me get power, keep my structure, and not risk too much damage

that being said, if i throw a hook with the fist horizontal, i'll try to land with the first two knuckles - i do that to ensure that i don't accidentally catch my pinkie and break it.
sometimes, i'll land with the first two on my cross as well - coming from a southpaw angle, many times my target is more on the thumb-side than the pinkie side so I don't have to pronate the wrist.

Dempsey recommended the last 3 (middle, ring, & pinkie)
Frazier and many others recommend the first two (index & middle)

[TenTigers]

"i refuse to do the old style karate training of flattening the middle knuckle"
must be referrinng to some white guy teaching what he thought was traditional. Not even Oyama advocated this. But I remember when training in American Combat Karate with Richard Barathy, some of his Black Belts said you had to break the knuckles and then 're-form them"-and some of these guys did just that.
but, these guys were also known for "Better training through modern chemistry"

[TenTigers]

I throw my hook with a vertical fist. This way, it ensures that I am always landing with my fist, wrist and knuckles aligned to my radius and ulna. If you have a taped, wrapped, gloved hand, for sport fighting, it may not be as crucial, but in bare-knuckle fighting, it most certainly is.

[Lucas]

it all depends. Different punches require different alignments, and will strike with different knuckles. The Ping Choy-reverse punch-hits with the index and ring finger knuckles, the Yat Ji Choy-vertical punch hits with the bottom three.

thats how i look at it. the structure of your arm depending on your punch can dictate what knuckles will be in better alignment to take more force. horizontle/verticle fist.

excample: verticle jab i use the last three, horizontle straight i use the first 2. but maybe thats just me.

[TenTigers]

excample: verticle jab i use the last three, horizontle straight i use the first 2. but maybe thats just me.

you and Dempsey.

[Lucas]

you and Dempsey.

lol, at least im not the only one!

[Pork Chop]

I throw my hook with a vertical fist. This way, it ensures that I am always landing with my fist, wrist and knuckles aligned to my radius and ulna. If you have a taped, wrapped, gloved hand, for sport fighting, it may not be as crucial, but in bare-knuckle fighting, it most certainly is.

I'm a vertical-fist hooker as well , for the same reason you mention - throwing horizontal-fist hooks I've actually seen lead to fractured hand bones along the pinkie in training; that's why if i ever DO throw horizontal hooks I make extra sure to hit with the first 2 knuckles


I don't remember which karate guys I talked to that mentioned busting down the middle knuckle.
i went to high school with some pretty high level kids in uechiryu & seidokan - children of some of the higher level instructors on Okinawa; but I also hung out with a couple guys who were pretty delusional karate wannabes. I wouldn't be surprised if i heard the middle knuckle thing from one of the wannabes.

[Ben Gash]

I just keep it simple and aim to hit with the middle knuckle whichever punch I'm throwing (Bas Rutten advocates this).

[Boston Bagua]

I dont punch much.

Much more fun to use all open hands and see where it goes...

[iron_leg_dave]

So Ive heard that you should punch with the first two knuckles because they are the largest and the bones extend into your forearm.

Ive also heard you should punch with the last three knuckles because they extend into your forearm.

Which one is it guys.

Don't go that way.

Hit with your fist if you are hitting with your fist.

[iron_leg_dave]

I dont punch much.

Much more fun to use all open hands and see where it goes...

Not everyone can break bricks by phucking glaring at them Dale.