Hand Strikes: Open or Closed?
When talking about martial arts and martial arts self defense, there is a rather longstanding debate about the hand strike. Is it better to strike with an open hand or a closed fist? Over the years, as more martial arts styles have become main stream, the training in regards to the hand strike has changed. Some say that the true art of martial arts self defense has been watered down through the years by instructors who have no practical experience.
All I can say about that is that I prefer to receive training from someone who really knows if their method works in a crunch. I have found that those people who are really engaged in martial arts self defense, combat self defense or hand to hand combat know what works and what doesn’t because they have tested their methods farther than mere sport.
That being said, back to the question at hand: is an open handed strike better than a closed fist strike?
People who are hot for open hand techniques point out that one runs a higher risk of breaking his hand by striking an opponent with a closed fist. Ok. I get that. But when you strike with an open hand, there is the risk that fingers can be hyper-extended, causing injury. Also, fingers can get caught in clothing and get broken. Does that mean that an open handed strike is a no-no? No.
It has been found that most men will resort to a closed fist strike, even those who have been trained in martial arts self defense and usually use an open hand strike. When the adrenaline starts pumping, the body just does what it does. Women, on the other hand, are fonder of the open hand strike.
This can be very effective, the open hand. By using the technique correctly, you can force your attacker back and give yourself room to perform the next strike, which is usually a knee to the groin.
On the flip side are those who say that a closed fist is the way to go. While it can be said that a closed fist gives you more “stopping power”; there is indeed a risk that you will hurt or break your knuckles or wrist or some other bone in the hand. One way to look at this is that you can go get patched up if you break your hand; but if you can’t stop a bad guy he may take your life.
In the end, there is really only one point to be made. Whether you strike with open hand or closed fist doesn’t really matter. When used correctly, either strike can be effective. Both carry their own amount of risk of injury. The real goal is to stop a fight quickly so that it doesn’t escalate. So you can employ a fist or an open palm; but you need to follow that strike up with something else that will compound your stopping power.
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