Punching Art

[YouKnowWho]

If punching art, what else do you need besides:

1. jab,
2. cross,
3. uppercut,
4. hook (haymaker)?

Of course you can add

5. hammer fist,
6. back fist,
7. side strike (XingYi Heng Chuan),
8. curve strike (Mantis Ha Chuan).

But how often will you use 5, 6, 7, and 8?

What's your opinion on this?

[MightyB]

5. You see hammer fist used more and more. Especially when you need to soften up a downed opponent for ground work or to break a guard / half guard situation. Standing not so much, but I think that's a matter of not enough exposure and training to the technique - not a measure of effectiveness or strategic preference.

8. is being used more and more - and it's resulted in some KO's, it's always been part of old school boxing though - I believe they called it a winging knuckle punch. It's also one that's not being used only because of lack of training and exposure. Not effectiveness.

[Orion Paximus]

Only a fool limits his tools. Train all fist and leg techniques and you may be lucky enough to have something in your box your opponent doesn't.

[MasterKiller]

Only a fool limits his tools. Train all fist and leg techniques and you may be lucky enough to have something in your box your opponent doesn't.

This is foolish. Get really good at 6 punches, 5 kicks, 12 throws, and 8 submissions, and you can beat 95% of anyone anywhere.

The other 5%, you probably wouldn't beat, regardless of what you know.

[Frost]

This is foolish. Get really good at 6 punches, 5 kicks, 12 throws, and 8 submissions, and you can beat 95% of anyone anywhere.

The other 5%, you probably wouldn't beat, regardless of what you know.

This is sound advice, and I agree with both this comment and MKs list of punches, I would personally also train the hammerfist for standing (but that’s because one of the arts I train is lung ying and it’s a big part of that style) but truth be told 9 times out of 10 I use jab cross uppercut overhand and hook (close and long range) and that’s it

Hell you can mess most people up with just using jab cross

[sanjuro_ronin]

You strike OUT, you strike UP, you strike DOWN, you strike BACK and you strike "AROUND".
How you do that is up to you of course.
I prefer:
Jab
Cross
hook
uppercut
And variations there of.
Hammerfist and backfist I do as well.
I once smashed a guy in the occipital area and he went down fast (hammer fist).
I have noticed that the back fist can be used as a jab from some good angles but also can be used as a "smasher" to the ribs really well.

[SevenStar]

Only a fool limits his tools. Train all fist and leg techniques and you may be lucky enough to have something in your box your opponent doesn't.

“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.” - Bruce Lee

many good judoka only really practice 8 throws - one for each direction - even though judo has many throwing techniques.

in mma venues, which striking arts have the most success? boxing & Thai boxing, even despite their limited toolbox.

[sanjuro_ronin]

The reason that a system has many techniques is so that the practitioners can find the right ones for them.
People come in all shapes, sizes and "attitudes" and what works for A may not work for B and what works for B may not work for C.

[MasterKiller]

1. Jab
2. Cross
3. Lead Hook
4. Rear Hook
5. Lead Uppercut
6. Rear Uppercut
7. Rear Overhand
8. Spinning Backfist

Even if you want to change the hand formation, the delivery remains the same.

I only teach hammer fists for ground fighting.

[SPJ]

If punching art, what else do you need besides:

1. jab,
2. cross,
3. uppercut,
4. hook (haymaker)?

What's your opinion on this?

In Tong Bei;

We use open hand or palm to strike.

Palm side/face, palm back and side.

1 Pi

2. Tan

3. shuai

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[JamesC]

I never was a fan of the side kick. Never was good with it.

[sanjuro_ronin]

I never was a fan of the side kick. Never was good with it.

Its a stop kick or a finisher.
Once drove a guy through a wall with it, very cool but got reamed by management.
Still, it stopped the group altercation before it got worse.

[David Jamieson]

Straight punches.

Punch in straight lines. I guarantee you'll deliver more hits to the target when you do this.

[JamesC]

Its a stop kick or a finisher.
Once drove a guy through a wall with it, very cool but got reamed by management.
Still, it stopped the group altercation before it got worse.

Right. I know how to use it. Its just something I never really liked. My buddy that trained in San da was brutal with it. He could sneak it in there before I knew it was coming. Which is one of the best parts about it.