Instructor myth #4 Don't punch in self defence as you could break your hand!
This has to be the most ridiculous myth I have ever heard. Although I shouldn't be, I am constantly surprised by instructors who still believe and perpetuate this rubbish. It would seem some instructors are not capable of or do not have the knowledge to dissect and scrutinise any and all aspects of what they are teaching.
A friend once said to me as I arrived at a training seminar for instructors "Don't be too impressed" I wasn't and I am still not on many occasions. This phrase helps me keep things in perspective.
Now this myth has been going round for years and I came across a blog post on another instructors website recently saying; don't punch because you could damage or break your hand.
There is one word in that phrase that has such a negative effect on not only getting you to 'Do' but to actually 'Try to do' and is used way too often. That word is 'COULD'.
You could break your hand if you punch. OK but lets put that into perspective.
You could break your shin/toes/foot if you kick.
You could knock yourself out if you headbutt.
You could get winded if you get punched in the stomach.
you could.... and the list goes on.
With the amount of violence, street fights and self defence actions we see today, local A+Es must be awash with patients with broken hands, guess what, yep they're not.
Here is the thing, yes it does happen, but very, very rarely. Please don't take this the wrong way when I say "I have punched a lot of people, in self protection situations" and not once have I damaged my hands.
Now you would think that it would happen more to untrained people who fight or defend themselves, wind-milling punches every which way but again it doesn't.
Arguments for why not to punch range from damaging the hand on the forehead, the side of the head, on the teeth or having small bones in the hand. Here's a tip, DON'T PUNCH THEM THERE!
There are some reasons why you are going to damage your hand, not only while punching but also while using their favourite substitute for the punch, yep the good old PALM HEEL, which by the way I have never used, Bitch Slap yes, Palm Heel no.
And its basics, so a few basic reasons:
Wrong formation of a fist.
Unaligned fist, wrist and forearm. The recoil has to travel through the knuckles to the wrist, up the forearm so the Triceps; the shock absorbers can dissipate the force of the recoil.
Not punching with the full area of the fist. (Karate two knuckle punch is a great example of how not to punch), same with the sport karate fist alignment.
Hitting the wrong target area.
Hitting the correct target area from the wrong angle with the wrong technique.
Now here is a question, your instructor says don't punch in self defence. so why are you still doing the following?
Punching the bag
Punching the pads
Practicing shadow boxing
Practicing punches (Karate, TKD, Kung Fu) students
Sparring with gloves on and, wait for it, YES PUNCHING!
Why are you punching and not palm striking?
You could wipe out a lot of your training syllabus if you follow your instructors no punch philosophy, but I bet when the chips are down and you are in a hell of a fight you will revert back to type and punch.
So if you are going to punch then learn how to punch properly. Punch the correct target areas from the correct angles with the correct technique and with a properly formed fist.
Basics!
Stay Dangerous
Rock
This has to be the most ridiculous myth I have ever heard. Although I shouldn't be, I am constantly surprised by instructors who still believe and perpetuate this rubbish. It would seem some instructors are not capable of or do not have the knowledge to dissect and scrutinise any and all aspects of what they are teaching.
A friend once said to me as I arrived at a training seminar for instructors "Don't be too impressed" I wasn't and I am still not on many occasions. This phrase helps me keep things in perspective.
Now this myth has been going round for years and I came across a blog post on another instructors website recently saying; don't punch because you could damage or break your hand.
There is one word in that phrase that has such a negative effect on not only getting you to 'Do' but to actually 'Try to do' and is used way too often. That word is 'COULD'.
You could break your hand if you punch. OK but lets put that into perspective.
You could break your shin/toes/foot if you kick.
You could knock yourself out if you headbutt.
You could get winded if you get punched in the stomach.
you could.... and the list goes on.
With the amount of violence, street fights and self defence actions we see today, local A+Es must be awash with patients with broken hands, guess what, yep they're not.
Here is the thing, yes it does happen, but very, very rarely. Please don't take this the wrong way when I say "I have punched a lot of people, in self protection situations" and not once have I damaged my hands.
Now you would think that it would happen more to untrained people who fight or defend themselves, wind-milling punches every which way but again it doesn't.
Arguments for why not to punch range from damaging the hand on the forehead, the side of the head, on the teeth or having small bones in the hand. Here's a tip, DON'T PUNCH THEM THERE!
There are some reasons why you are going to damage your hand, not only while punching but also while using their favourite substitute for the punch, yep the good old PALM HEEL, which by the way I have never used, Bitch Slap yes, Palm Heel no.
And its basics, so a few basic reasons:
Wrong formation of a fist.
Unaligned fist, wrist and forearm. The recoil has to travel through the knuckles to the wrist, up the forearm so the Triceps; the shock absorbers can dissipate the force of the recoil.
Not punching with the full area of the fist. (Karate two knuckle punch is a great example of how not to punch), same with the sport karate fist alignment.
Hitting the wrong target area.
Hitting the correct target area from the wrong angle with the wrong technique.
Now here is a question, your instructor says don't punch in self defence. so why are you still doing the following?
Punching the bag
Punching the pads
Practicing shadow boxing
Practicing punches (Karate, TKD, Kung Fu) students
Sparring with gloves on and, wait for it, YES PUNCHING!
Why are you punching and not palm striking?
You could wipe out a lot of your training syllabus if you follow your instructors no punch philosophy, but I bet when the chips are down and you are in a hell of a fight you will revert back to type and punch.
So if you are going to punch then learn how to punch properly. Punch the correct target areas from the correct angles with the correct technique and with a properly formed fist.
Basics!
Stay Dangerous
Rock
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