Heel of the Hand blows

I just wanted to know what everyone thought of the pros and cons of the heel of the hand blow and how you each deliver the blow.

 

palm strikes? or the other side of the palm?

I'm not sure what you mean.

 

Sounds like Palm Strike to me.

 

Good for striking to the head in instances when you risk damaging your knuckles or fingers by striking the bony protrusions of the skull.

Mike

 

A good example being a side palm to cheekbone.

Question: Can you damage your hands doing a palm strike?

 

Supposed to be particularly useful for girls with small/weak hands who are more likely to do damage to themselves than an agressor if they try punching them, and fingernails which prevent making a proper fist.

Aside from that, they cut out the complication of getting your fist properly aligned. And despite the larger striking area, I don't see why they couldn't cause a substantial amount of damage if aimed properly - the philtrum (area under the nose) I think is a common palm heel target area.

 

You could potentially hyperextend the wrist joint (bend it too far backwards). I think this is most likely if you were to use it to strike to torso.

Mike

 

we use palm strikes in CLF they are very effective for striking most parts of the body, especially torso ribs etc..., benifits are that the palm of the is difficult to damage, someone mentioned hyperextending the wrist, i don't really see how you could manage this as the hand is never pulled back that far.

palm strikes are fast and powerful (i've had experience of being hit by them), they are particulary useful for close combat situations, especially after trapping an arm or so.

 

Performing palm heel strikes with fingers straight (i.e. hand is flat) causes a potential injury in that if the person raises their head and the fingers strike the chin they may bend back and break so it is best to curl fingers together .... and still the thumb is still prone to being jammed.

You are more prone to injury from delivering a punch is but that doesn't mean that the palm is 100% safer either... both are effective depending on situation and your range.

We're all built differently Picksey (so let's not generalize)....

 

Thanks for the info people.

 

I think that in a "street" situation, *if* I remembered, then I would use the heel of the hand.

Think about it this way - an agressor wants to start something, you put your hands up in front of you - calm down mate - typical non agressive stance, or a well disgused fighting stance with a loose knifehand guard (or whatever its called in your art), person tries to hit you, you hit person first on the chin with the heel of your hand.

The police get involved and ask what happened - witnesses say - this bloke was being shouted at by the other chap, so the bloke punched his lights out. Or do they say - this bloke was being shouted at, so he tried to calm him down, but the bloke tried to hit him, the guy then flinched or something and caught him. Was it a punch? No, more of a slap.

We know its an effective self defence method, but do the public which are now on our side?

If you see my point....

 

the third quote in your sig is quite wise.

 

Depends exactly how you strike, and possibly it also depends on whether (like me) you've already had a previous hyperextension injury.

Mike

 

I've always been taught to try to hit someone as a cross to their nose to break it and cause their eyes to tear up. The best thing about that is that the heal of my hand at least fits there perfectly like it was meant to hit people there. I really like using open fist cause I'm always afraid of hurting my knuckles, but oh well, sometimes you gotta get your hands dirty.

 

I think palm strikes both to front (up to nose or chin) or to side of face like a slap are effective and powerful techniques to use and pretty safe for minimising risk of injury to yourself (much better than a poorly formed/aligned punch with the fist)
I find that I tend to naturally curl my fingers into the base of the fingers (rather like starting to form a fist before curling fingers around at knuckles)
rather than have fingers fully extended.
I think I do this to shorten potential length of hand that could hit against something before palm strike actually hits home(ie if I missed and caught tips of fingers on chin this would push them back,forcefully levering wrist) also I find it easy to scratch/grab from this finger position ,it also gives more density/ support to the fingers (being doubled up) if I mishit with them ,But the main reason for me is as I say it that "feels" more natural personally (especially on a focus mitt full whack front on).
Does anyone have any views on this finger formation as against "fully" extended "slightly curled" fingers

p.s. I hope you can decipher this garbled explanation I'm much better with diagrams/plans

 

I prefer extended but not locked out straight. The rationale is that if you curl your fingers and bend your wrist back you inevitably cause tension in the extensor muscles of the forearm. This inevitably slows down the strike.

I don't find it dangerous to my fingers to strike in this way but then, as usual, it depends on exactly how and where you're striking. For instance, if I strike to the nose straight on then my fingers naturally curl along the curve of the forehead. They come into contact with the skull but there is no harm done.

Mike

 

If you punch somebody, your fist will probably curve diagnolly. If you hit somebody with a palm heel strike, your hand will go straight, and you will be able to follow through more.

 

Like most I find this useful. I tend to keep the hand as "natural" as possible, as if you were reaching out to grab something. The added advantage is that it can obscure vision more than a punch can, thus an excellent set up technique. In this way it doesn't have to connect in order to get a reaction and has the benefit of looking purely defensive as someone has already mentioned.

 

I think I know what you're getting at re tension to arm, my curled fingers are more for the front on "jabbing" thrust rather than the longer round palm strike where my hand is more relaxed and is delivered thumb upwards.
Front on short range I prefer curled fingers especially if hitting a moving target
and joint above fingernails accidently connects
I dont suppose there is too much difference if strike moving in slightly upward direction but for me personally I think my strikes are cleaner when I curl fingers than when I dont.
I have been experimenting with an almost vertical partially palm strike/claw hand technique at very short range where my hand is more open with fingers further away from intended target "scenario" being that I've been grabbed and use strike rather like an upward punch but with more chance of hitting accurately as I'm pushed back offbalance holding assailants arm with non strike hand....................dont know if this technique has a name ..if it not I hereby name it an "ecky"

 

Thanks guys

Thanks for your input, I've been practising the palm-heel awhile now and found it to be brutally effective close quarter blow that is very versatile when combined with knees,elbows and head butts!
For the record I prefer to curl my fingers in as well-feels more natural! I really have to use open hand as I broke my little finger on my right hand a few years back throwing an overhand right, can't hit properly with right fist since as it healed a bit amiss.
My practice has thrown up a few questions however:
1:How do you set your hand to strike somebody in the chin if they are all tucked up(chin 2 chest) like a boxer?
2:How do you set your hand to strike the body?