AboutMarc MacYoung Expertise Street self-defense, crime avoidance and personal safety
Experience I grew up in the streets of Los Angeles in 'situational poverty.' I have dealt with criminals and violent people all my life -- both personally and professionally. I have written 15 books and 6 videos on surviving street violence. I was originally published under the name Marc Animal MacYoung. (Animal was my street name). I've taught police and military both internationally and within the US. I've lectured at universities, academies and done countless TV, radio, newspaper and magazine interviews. I'm a professional speaker on crime avoidance and personal safety. And I am an expert witness recognized by the US court system.
My bio is at
www.nononsenseselfdefense.com/marcmacyoung.html
My abridged CV (Curriculum Vitae) is at
http://www.nononsenseselfdefense.com/seminarEW.htm
Organizations See CV
Publications Too numerous to list here. My CV (for my expert witness work in court) is at
http://www.nononsenseselfdefense.com/seminarEW.htm
I have been taught to hit with first two knuckles but i recently read Get tough form Jack Dempsey and he advocates last three knuckles. I tried my fist against a wall and for me the wrist alignment feels more solid when connecting with last three but on the other hand pinky and ringfinger knuckles seem more frail than index and midlefinger. So I would like to know your opinion about the correct landing of punches.
Answer Okay first things first NEVER try to learn a new way of hitting by yourself. Find someone who really knows how to do it and -- this is important -- can ARTICULATE the details (like, range, targeting and what muscle tension patterns) of a particular punch.
Otherwise you're going to break your hand.
There ain't NO such thing as a universal 'right' or 'best' way to punch. Each punch is like a specific tool that you use for a particular job. A tool that's great for one job sucks for another. And this goes for ALL the different ways of punching
The last few knuckles is a good way to punch, but here are a of considerations
a) it's best as a mid-range punch
b) it's best as a vertical punch
c) it's best as a body shot
d) it's to be delivered to the center line of the body/head
e) you tighten the muscles along the ulna bone and wrist
f) you don't really use it on circular punches
g) you kant your wrist slightly up
The last forms a 'straight line' between arm, wrist and hand. One that you can run your other hand along you ulna bone, across your wrist and over the pinky-side of your hand without changing direction.
But the most important thing about this kind of punch is that you have to deliver the knuckles straight into the opponent's centerline. This is why it works best as a vertical punch. It's less about whether you're hitting hard or soft target with a hard fist (which is still important), than it is about making sure your punch isn't deflected off a cylinder.
Think about a barrel in front of you. Now you poke it with your finger. If your finger doesn't hit on the center line, it's going to be deflected one way or the other -- because of the barrel's shape. When you poke it in the middle, your finger won't deflect.
You need to do the same thing with the THREE knuckles during a vertical punch. It doesn't matter if you're coming straight in, from an angle or from the side, the punch has to hit the middle of the 'cylinder'
There are many exceptions to this rule, but as a starting point, it's a critical to ingrain this rule if you don't want to break your hand. Those exceptions are specific punches that you can do AFTER you've learned how to tense your muscles and hold your wrist so you don't break your hand when hitting with power.
And while we're on the subject, do you think it's important NOT to break your hand?
What I have just described to you is a Wing Chun vertical punch that uses those knuckles. It's the safest way I know how to be introduced to hitting this way. Dempsey's punch is a VERY powerful one, but I wouldn't try to figure it out on my own. And once again, I strongly suggest you not try to do this stuff without good instruction.
