Making A Fist

[EmptyCup]

Tonight I had a talk with a longtime Hung Ga practioner about his old days training and fighting in Hong Kong. Stories about how they used to prepare themselves to fight, etc

One thing that was interesting is that he insisted the best and most structurally solid way to make a fist is to have all the fingers, when curled up, above the palm line that arcs up to the area between the middle and first fingers. He said that when the fingers were tucked in so tightly, the fist was most solid and any other way would make the hand buck and break under impact.

I had always made my fists along the line or perhaps slightly past it but never had any problems. In fact tucking in my fingers as tight as they can go and punching something makes it feel less solid. I noticed that the palms of his hands had callouses from making a fist this way.

This has got me wondering if I could improve my punch/fist structure if I tucked my fingers in super tight.

Any thoughts? How do you fellows make your fists?

[SevenStar]

I hold my hands open loosely, and clench them into a fist right before impact. Making a fist as you described, I wouldn't be able to fully clench it before impact.

[Royal Dragon]

I'm with Seven Star on this one.

I have a bag on some bricks, leaning against the wall in my appartment, and I just hit it a few times your Hung Ga guy's way, and my fingers were forced back into the normal punch position on impact anyway, so I don't see it doing anything but adding some cusion to the blow.

[Meat Shake]

What he described is a "leopard fist".
Its actually a pretty **** mean attack if you go for softer areas, like the throat, bridge of the nose, teeth....
I condition this type of fist and the pheonix eye fist on my makiwara. Before doing so I couldnt hit with said fists if my life depended on it. As with most things, you must practice to be able to effectively apply it.

[IronFist]

^ I don't think he's describing a leopard fist.

The line that runs from like an inch below your pinky up to in between your index and middle fingers, right? Every time I make a fist all my fingers are above that line. That's the only way I've ever been taught to make a fist, from Isshinryu people, Wing Chun people, and boxing people.

I can't believe some of you guys would have your fingers behind that line. If I put my fingers behind that line I could fit like 2 #2 pencils in the opening and that's loose as hell, there's no way I could hit with that.

Maybe I'll show pics of what I'm talking about if this discussion picks up.

[Meat Shake]

Hmm... Just tried curling a leopard fist into a regular punch... feels horribly incorrect. Tai chi guys punch with 1 index finger room in their hand. I have hit the bag like that, it works.

[IronFist]

Originally posted by Meat Shake
Hmm... Just tried curling a leopard fist into a regular punch... feels horribly incorrect.

That's how I was taught to make a fist in 3 different styles. It's nice, tight, and solid. Just don't squeeze it so tight that your ring and pinky knuckles get out of line.


Tai chi guys punch with 1 index finger room in their hand. I have hit the bag like that, it works.

How can you punch with 1 finger space? That hurts like hell when I squeeze it. My fingernails dig into my palm. How do you punch like that?

[SevenStar]

Originally posted by Royal Dragon
I'm with Seven Star on this one.

I have a bag on some bricks, leaning against the wall in my appartment, and I just hit it a few times your Hung Ga guy's way, and my fingers were forced back into the normal punch position on impact anyway, so I don't see it doing anything but adding some cusion to the blow.

The same thing happened to me.

[Mr Punch]

I'm with Seven too.

Hung Gar people are just mad as brushes.

[EmptyCup]

no it's not the leopard fist i'm speaking of but a normal fist.

this actually picked up quite a bit in the wing chun forum too where i posted the same thread.

ironfist - you cna have the fingers not as tight as that and still not be able to fit so many pencils in the opening