During my first full-time job, I worked with a guy who carried a taped up roll of 2p pieces in his pocket, which he had prepared to sit inside his fist if he got into a scrap. He had learned about the cotton fist through boxing. Years later, I saw lots of bare knuckle casualties with broken hands, broken fingers, or with their opponent's teeth embedded in the knuckle. Palm strikes > bare knuckle punches from the evidence that I have seen.
I have heard it said that you should leave enough space for a caterpillar in the palm of your fist, and when you punch it should not be harmed.. something like that. I liked your investigation/exposition very much.
i was thinking about this in my training the other day, i find that i can punch much harder when i let my hand relax and my fingers hang down with my thumb at their side, rather than balling or clenching with my thumb wrapped around. when i punch with a fist, i tend to hurt myself more. however when i punch as if im stabbing with my knuckles while the rest of my hand is just kinda there, i can hit much harder
Is it physically possible to punch with 4 knuckles? If you put your fist against a wall, you can either make the top 2 knuckles or 3 knuckles flush...?
