Which knuckles do the hitting in boxing?

[Chris Nagel]

If you feel any trouble in your smaller knuckles when punching, first make sure your hands are wrapped properly in that your hand-wraps do not impede your ability to make a good solid fist (i.e. too much bandage over your palms). The same applies with gloves, make sure you can make a proper fist with them on. Wrapping your fingers around the bar of the glove will help too, as well as to ensure that the small metacarpals in your hand won't shift around when you punch. Then assuming you're throwing your punches properly, and aren't coping a hand injury, the three-knuckle landing as advised by Dempsey should be fine.

Landing with the other knuckles can depend. Say for instance with a long overhand right, the larger knuckles may be better suited, since the force may not be distributed equally if attempted to land with the three knuckles instead. The same maybe true with a jab thrown in an arc to get around a guard.

[HerbM]

Thanks Chris, especially the additional information about the wraps and gloves as I think I might need to pay a little more attention to this.

Do you think the differences in the various strikes you describe require conscious effort, or is that just the result of the angles and directions?

Yesterday, I adopted a 'gel wrap' glove-like substitute for my Mexican wraps. They're Title fingerless, and mostly palmless, gloves with gel on the striking surface and a length of wrap for finishing the security.

My hands are large enough that I already have trouble getting into the gloves unless I turn them just right.

And the gloves don't seem to bend fully, e.g., not quite enough to pull the finger tips easily down and away from the target -- my finger tips are right at the end of the gloves.

I also need to practice with Dempsey's advice to aim with the ring finger to hit with the last three knuckles.

Does any of this make an actual difference?
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Herb

[Chris Nagel]

It'd probably take some conscious effort at first, perhaps a little more so with hooks. I also noticed in Dempsey's book that he emphasized the three knuckle landing with all of the various punches. It might help to take off your gloves and see how your punches would land for a better idea.

I haven't used the gel-wrap before, so I can't really comment on it. As for gloves, they do come in sizes that accommodate larger hands. It'd be worth checking out. As for feel, I had a good experience with Ringside gloves, larger Reyes are nice too, although pricey. Everlast wasn't too bad after becoming well worn.

It's just too bad that there's such a limited selection at sporting goods stores. The best way is probably to order them from catalogs or online, and if you don't like it send it back and try another pair.

[HerbM]

I bought really cheap Everlast gloves for my starter pair -- not even leather. I figure by the time I tear up the surface that the foam padding will be going and I will know more about what to buy next. (And, I did order them online.)

My index finger knuckles (mostly on my right/power hand) first started getting a little sore last week so I ordered the gel wraps.

Wore them second time today, and they weren't helping much -- neither better nor worse really as far as I can tell.

The pain isn't a big deal, except if it is a warning of either doing something wrong or that it will get worse.

None of the pain has much to do with my question about which knuckles to use but came up from reading Dempsey and questions of others at the gym.

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HerbM

[HerbM]

So I went to the noon boxing class today and when it came to the heavy bag my power-right hand index knuckle was still VERY slightly sore so I concentrated on hitting with the smaller knuckles.

Here is what happened:

1. It didn't hurt so that was an improvement
2. It seemed like I was hitting harder (very subjective)
3. It seemed that I was rotating better (shoulders/waist)

Subjectively it really did feel like I was getting a better line (Dempsey calls it the "power line") from the foot to the knuckles.

This and the slightly improved rotation would actually make for a harder hit.

So for now I am a (tentative) believer.

Thanks for the help.

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HerbM

[Chris Nagel]

Hi Herb, that's nice to hear.

Another quick tip for the heavy bag is to not try hard to move it. Now I'm not talking about pushing your punches, but rather that you shouldn't succumb to the inclination to constantly hit hard. Especially when working with a harder/stiffer bag, which otherwise would lead to sore hands and shoulders.

Opt for a softer or lighter bag if available. Keep moving instead of trying to move the bag. A little push to get the bag swinging is fine, but don't try to get the same effect with your punches. This is just a simple suggestion, and not meant to be criticism.

[HerbM]

[Chris, I know you are just being helpful and you really don't even have to apologize for any criticism -- I am pretty egoless in this whole thing. I am not trying to prove how great I am, just trying to incrementally get better. I appreciate ALL of your help.]

Bag choice is coach's -- he assigns us to bags, and yes, I likely bruised the knuckles on the hardest bag. He has generally avoided assigning me to that bag, but not this time.

We do move when we hit -- as soon as we quit being absolute newbies, coach has us move and hit.

Yes, I am hitting hard -- really hard for me -- and hoping to hit even harder, but mostly I am working on hitting harder with the jab and letting the power hand take care of itself (but that is the knuckle that primarily hurt.

Today, I did three classes. Our classes are not heroic, but they are pretty serious (about 1:30 of constant moving). That was a lot of hitting, and with your (and Dempsey's) guidance the knuckle not only didn't bother me through all three classes -- in fact it seems to be a little better even. (Of course this was never a 'bad' pain, just a small irritation that I didn't want to get worse.)

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HerbM