Punch or Palm?

[cross]

I would use a conbat slap in the first stage of a selfdefense situation, it can be quite a shock to the system plus has great knock out power. One thing to consider is that if the fist hits the mouth and breaks your skin you are going to get a nasty infection where your fist will swell up. Below is a link the slap. The target is the ear and for knockout, the fleshy part of the palm to the jaw.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PR97yKSiUSg

The slap is certainly a good option to strike the head with. My only concern is its slightly more telegraphed than a straight line palm strike. The beauty of the palm is that it comes from below your attackers field of vision making it near impossible for them to see or react to it until its already hit.

[cross]

I was just watching part of a online video series called "hak.5". Its a diy style show about computers/electronics/technology etc. And interestingly, the 2 hosts were joking around punching each other in the arm and one tried to punch the other really hard but missed and finished up hitting part of the set, which is a sheetmetal wall, and he finished up with a cut and tendon damage that required surgery.

If you want to watch its a fairly long video put the incident occurs at about 18:18 so check it out:

[boyo1991]

thank you for sharing those vids!!!

[marie curie]

One of my instructors had a very good rule on this-

Soft weapons for hard targets (eg the face)

Hard weapons for soft targets (eg the solar plexus)

[marie curie]

One of my instructors had a very good rule on this-

Soft weapons for hard targets (eg the face)

Hard weapons for soft targets (eg the solar plexus)

[boyo1991]

hey, but if you use soft wepons for hard targets, it wont hurt as much(that sounds mean, i know, but just think of what the sport started out as... as a wepon, not a sport...)

[cross]

hey, but if you use soft wepons for hard targets, it wont hurt as much

The aim of "soft" strikes, like palm strikes is not necessarily to cause acute pain in the area you strike. Take for example:

Palm strike(soft weapon) to the chin/face(hard target). Your aim isnt really to hurt their jaw or face(although any pain they experience is a bonus for you), but rather your trying to jolt the head back putting alot of pressure on the neck and shaking the brain around in the skull.

[bushido_man96]

hey, but if you use soft wepons for hard targets, it wont hurt as much

The aim of "soft" strikes, like palm strikes is not necessarily to cause acute pain in the area you strike. Take for example:

Palm strike(soft weapon) to the chin/face(hard target). Your aim isnt really to hurt their jaw or face(although any pain they experience is a bonus for you), but rather your trying to jolt the head back putting alot of pressure on the neck and shaking the brain around in the skull.

Another aspect is striking a hard surface with a hard surface, which can break your knuckles. This happens more that you might realize. Also, striking the palm straight up into the chin can cause severe pain, plus, it allows you an opportunity to be in control of the head with one hand after completion of the strike.

[marie curie]

Yeh, in my experience it causes enough pain:)

Another aspect is striking a hard surface with a hard surface, which can break your knuckles.

Very true, most of my friends have been doing MA for quite a while, and have seen this at least one or two times. Also, if you fist punch to anywhere on the face the hard vs hard causes your knuckles to be cut open and often the opponent bleeds, and on the street I don't really want my attackers sharing their germs.

[bushido_man96]

Good points, Marie curie.

I know that Ken Shamrock broke his hands a time or two in MMA competitions, before they all started wearing the gloves. There is a reason why they wear those gloves.