Is finger breaking an effective technique in grappling? Under what circumstances? And does anyone have any real life experience to relate?

I had my thumb broke in a wrestling match once, if that counts. The guy did it deliberately, I believe, (He says otherwise) and the instant it happened my hand broke free of his grasp and broke his nose, so I wouldnt say its all that effective. I think in a grappling situation it might be more suitable to go for a wrist break if you already have the opponents arm in your grasp. Or maybe you could be really nasty and break the finger then jam it hard with a palm trying to force a compound fracture.But only if you want to be cruel about it. [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif[/IMG]

I was in the jungle once when I came across a very deadly snake. My imediate reaction was to chop and chop the snake with my machette. I mean I was really intent on killing the snake quick!
What does this have to do with your question?
Well the same thing will happen. While you are breaking my finger, I will be intent on smashing your face. So it is a trade off. I don't think spending the time to break someones fingers is worthwhile enough to use. Ed

I suppose that finger breaking would be an acceptable tactic in street grappling. We attempt to train things like this during grappling sessions and it occurs to us that attacking such a target is not the easiest thing in the world to do! Small joint manipulation is just hard to accomplish in the heat of battle. That's why it isn't practiced much in alive settings.

-John

I don't consider it a "finishing" technique, but I tend to think of it more of an opportunistic situation.

If I happen to find my opponents finger in my hand, should I try and break it?
If I had a choice, would I grapple with a guy with a broken finger, or one without a broken finger.

Hey, I'll give the finger a tweak, it's not cost me anything.

JohnL

Honestly, if we are discussing street fighting, in that you (for whatever reason)are
FORCED to fight, then it's all about survival, i mean not a schoolyard fight, or barroom brawl where someone is likely to step in and "stop" the encounter.
If it was just me and an opponent(with serious intentions on causing me physical harm or killing me)
then, ALL's fair game
every time he strikes, i would try to destroy
the limb Every strike would be to injure/maime(maime?mame?whatever..)
if he gets gay on me I'll remove his eyes then bite them(taste like chicken!)
if he gets me to ground then I'll...Huff and puff and blow his house down
the point I'm trying to make here is
if you are gonna fight, then by all means fight!
these discussions are fun and occasionally informative but,when it's on then it's ON
I have never felt that threatened myself
(a few bar encounters and dealing with idiots at work)but never have I HAD to "Kill or be killed"
so, till it really happenes Who really knows?
I'd like to think I'd be able to pull the metaphoric trigger but as yet I'm not tested in that arena
so I'll keep on enjoying these posts.
ChangLab

If the oppurtunity arises...Yes of course I'll use it.

But it isn't one of the main techniques in my fighting arsenal.

I know a kid who's pinky was broken by another kid in a confrontation. As far as i know, the kid who broke the pinky wasn't even a martial artist, but he still got the kid to cry. Need I say anymore? In the RIGHT situation, with angle and opportunity taken into consideation, itcan work. (For example, see the article by W. Hock Hockhein in the September issue of Black Belt Magazine--he escaped from a choke by braking a man's pinky!!!)

Welcome to grown up land. Breaking some old ladies pinky might work but not on most adults.Ed

Ive only seen a few of your posts but your the man Ed. Its like Ed said these are one of those things thats really going to fire your opponent up and if your not fully prepared for that its going to cost you. So you broke his index, he just broke every major bone in your face and is now working on your ribs and internal organs while you are laying on the ground beaten and broken.