Head Butts

[classiccopy]

What is the proper technique for a head butt? I was always taught to strike with the "crown" of the head. That imaginery cirlce around the head. In class the other night, a black belt was showing me the proper way to head butt and he made a point of striking with the top of the head which is counterintuitive to everything I have ever heard or known. He said there was more "cushioning" at the top. The only cushioning I know of is that thing called your brain. Have I been wrong all these years?

[Dont call me Sir]

What is the proper technique for a head butt? I was always taught to strike with the "crown" of the head. That imaginery cirlce around the head. In class the other night, a black belt was showing me the proper way to head butt and he made a point of striking with the top of the head which is counterintuitive to everything I have ever heard or known. He said there was more "cushioning" at the top. The only cushioning I know of is that thing called your brain. Have I been wrong all these years?

The ideal striking part of the head is the upper forehead, running from temple to temple (though not the temples themselves!).

I've used the headbutt a number of times, resulting in at least two KO's. The 1st KO was a 'standard' headbutt that connected with the upperjaw/nose of the aggressor (I'm 6ft 1in, he was 6ft 4in). Though I got the desired result, I did have a nasty cut from his broken front teeth.

The 2nd KO was using the top of my head. I took a 'haymaker' causing my legs to buckle. From a low, crouching position I drove forward and upwards, driving the top of my head upwards, under his chin. It lifted him off the floor and he was KO'd before he hit the ground. I sustaind no injury from the headbutt.

In the chaos of a fight it's very difficult to always connect with the right target, using the ideal striking part of the head. It also depends on the height of the agressor compared to yours, that's why the headbutt is better used as a pre-emptive attack.

And remember, it's always advisable in any physical confrontation to use the following; Nearest tool, nearest target!

The ideal target on the opponent is the eyebrows as it is extremely painful for the receiver, causes brain-shake and usually results in a cut. The nose is an ok target, but I've seen too many headbutts to the nose having little effect, with the receiver still standing and able to continue the fight.

DCMS.

[UseoForce]

I've always been taught just as long as it's above the eye line, it's good. (Just as you never punch someone with a closed fist above the eye line).

[battousai16]

erm, i couldn't imagine striking someone with the top of my head. there are a lot of cracks up there where skull fragments come together... can't remember what they're called... is it foramen? mental foramen... sounds about right, even if my spelling's off... at anyrate, i'd really hate to split one of those open. in bare knuckle boxing an old tactic was to bend your head slightly to take a punch on that bit that makes up the top of your forhead, hoping to break the punchers hand. it's a tried and true method, so i'd go with that one.

that is to say, if you really had to head butt. it wouldn't be my first thought of attack, that's for sure.

[Chaz]

Where the forehead ends and the hair begins.

[JusticeZero]

the problem with striking with the crown isn't the strength of the skull, it's that your spine is bent. When you follow through with your hips it puts strain on your neck and spine. The top of your head however is in line so better for many purposes, much the same as the importance of a straight wrist when punching. Striking with the crown is like punching with the hands bent in order to strike with the peak of the knuckles. nice in theory but try punching a bag with a bent wrist for power....

[MMAFan]

Head butts hurt no matter how ya do it, thats all I know. LOL

[patusai]

Yep they hurt. The important thing from what I remember is make sure the part of you head that hits your opponent is harder that the part of your opponents head.

[Charlie]

I don't know if you've seen this Daido Juku compilation circulating currently on MA forums, but one of the clips appears to show a KO from a head butt:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=RMjGQk-k2ZA

[JusticeZero]

Oh, I don't use head butts against the head, for the same basic reason it's not wise to punch to the face barehanded. It's too well protected relative to the striking tool. Use it against the abdomen, under the jaw, nose, stuff like that. Crown to crown you're both taking the same hit.