Palm Heel Strike Overrated?

[UseoForce]

The palm heel strike (curling your fingers back and hitting with bottom part of your hand) is used extensively in most combative martial arts. So long as you hit with your "palm heel," it is very effective. However, have you ever tried using it against a hard target? However, I often end up hitting my curled fingers panfully, and forcing my wrist back. This defeats the main purpose of the palm heel strike, which is to protect your fingers/wrist. Could this with the fact that the palm inflicts less trauma than a punch and reduces range slighly mean the palm heel is overrated?

Having said this, I certainly would never eliminate it entirely from my arsenal, because, like I said, if you hit only with the heel of your palm, it is very powerful.

[Kaminari]

I don't think it's overrated at all. The curling of your fingers keeps your fingers safer than if they were extended, and I find very effective. I think I know what you're doing: it sounds like you're hitting with the whole hand instead of the heel of the palm only, or you aren't pulling your fingers back enough. I've used it against a hard target, and didn't have any problems with it. Ask your sensei/sifu/instructor about how you could be applying it incorrectly. I have also heard of people not being able to fully form fists due to some problems with their fingers, keeping them from delivering the punch correctly. Maybe your fingers don't have the capability to pull back that far? I know mine didn't when I was younger, but practicing often eventually fixed things for me in time.

[SubGrappler]

I think its a good strike to protect you from breaking your hand, but natrually you sacrifice power you would otherwise have in a closed fist attack.

The only instance I saw a palm strike work rather effectively was Keith Hackney vs the Sumo giant in UFC 3. Other than that, Pancrase had rules restricting strikes with a closed fist to the face, and as a result you didnt see KO's when people were given a shot to the jaw.

[UseoForce]

Kaminari said:

Maybe your fingers don't have the capability to pull back that far? I know mine didn't when I was younger

I'm sure thats part of it. Obviously, I try to strike with the heel of my palm, but that requires targeting which is sometimes difficult to to acquire in fast paced training.

Subgrappler, thanks for your comments. I thought I heard Royce Gracie used it once (in UFC 1, I think) ?

[Menjo]

I dont think so, if you can use it effectivly...why not

[elbows_and_knees]

The palm heel strike (curling your fingers back and hitting with bottom part of your hand) is used extensively in most combative martial arts. So long as you hit with your "palm heel," it is very effective. However, have you ever tried using it against a hard target? However, I often end up hitting my curled fingers panfully, and forcing my wrist back. This defeats the main purpose of the palm heel strike, which is to protect your fingers/wrist. Could this with the fact that the palm inflicts less trauma than a punch and reduces range slighly mean the palm heel is overrated?

Having said this, I certainly would never eliminate it entirely from my arsenal, because, like I said, if you hit only with the heel of your palm, it is very powerful.

you are supposed to hit hard things with it... it's safer for YOU that way. The old saying is hard to soft and soft to hard. In other words, you use a hard surface - like your fist - to hit soft areas like the stomach. Use a soft area - like the palm - to hit something hard, like the skull. How many times have you heard of people breaking their hand from hitting somone in the forehead, jaw, wtc? there is a reason for that - hard against hard, and it's possible that the hardest thing will win. a palm won't do much damage to the stomach area, but it can be devastating on someone's face.

That said, no, I wouldn't say the palm heel is overrated. It's a great tool to use, if you know where and how to use it.

[elbows_and_knees]

I think its a good strike to protect you from breaking your hand, but natrually you sacrifice power you would otherwise have in a closed fist attack.

The only instance I saw a palm strike work rather effectively was Keith Hackney vs the Sumo giant in UFC 3. Other than that, Pancrase had rules restricting strikes with a closed fist to the face, and as a result you didnt see KO's when people were given a shot to the jaw.

seen in more places than that. in pancrase, closed fist strikes aren't allowed. watch some of those. Specifically, watch some of bas rutten's matches. He is a master of the palm strike.

[UseoForce]

I guess other people have the wrist flexibility to pull it off consistently. Wish I did!

[G95champ]

Sounds like you need to practice it more. I break with a palm a lot in fact its about all I use.

Note when throwing the palm to the body of an attacker the hand is to the side not up and down.

If I had to pick a hand strike to hit an attacker with it would be a palm no questions.

[Ted T.]

"However, I often end up hitting my curled fingers painfully, and forcing my wrist back."

If your fingers hit, forcing your wrist to bend, you are doing it wrong, either from a bad wrist position at the start or a bad angle...If you can't get a good angle, slap.

Don't think of a stiff hand with your fingers curled in tight, (bear paw?) think of hlding a grapefruit then push the root knuckles a little forward. Don't over bend the wrist, pull it back just enought to expose the palm heel to the target. Then practice on hard stuff!!