odd Punching technique

OK, scence I was 11 I was taught to punch with the index and middle knuckels. But a book told me that you punch with every knuckle exept the index. And I was taught to keep my fist horrizontal, but I hear people arguing that horizontal or even diagonal is better. Which one is more powerful? which alighnment is better?

All this jib jab is confusing

Your question just inspired me to get up and try it haha. As I was doing it, something just felt wrong... The rotation of a punch coming off the side has some power in it.

I dont think a diagnal much is that strong

when I punch I find the horizontal position feels more natural with circler punchs and the vertical fist position feels more natural with linear strikes. As far as diagonal strikes they have their place to I've found them effective for pp strikes.

This was previously discussed by myself and other karate-ka on this thread: www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/Forum10/HTML/000180.html


It was a good discussion on fist positions, although it drifted into another topic.

There are also several good articles on punching dynamics under the "Body Mechanics" section of the Reading Room on this site.

-Al

O and the punch I do is a boxing like punch not Karate. Just to straiten things a bit

OK, but do you know what a "boxer's fracture" is? Any ER nurse/doctor can tell you that it's the fracture of either the ring-finger metacarpel, little-finger metacarpel OR both. Mainly due to those 2 fingers being unsupported by the wrist. Why do you think boxers need to wrap & glove-up while karate/kung-fu practioners don't. Also, in karate, the 3/4 or diagonal punch IS stronger because it's natural position doesn't over-rotate to horizontal. Providing you angle the index-finger knuckle slightly forward, you'll have a strong punch.