The Courtyard

[Kishi]

uh, i'm so very confused about all this grappling and stuff, but sounds good - you know, alternating and all - and i will definitely give it all a go!! I'll white belt the bejeepers outta everything.

 

I actually have a question (and i've asked it in the equipment forum thingy too).  I have huge hands for a lady (18cm from fingertip to palm base and 16cm from thumb tip to palm side).  Also i'd like to start sparring at some point, but for now I suspect i'll mostly be doing bag work. What weight should my boxing gloves be?

 

No worries! I'll post up videos explaining things. If you can, do. If you can't, it's okay too.

 

Anyway, regarding your question, Expert Boxing recommends sizes based not on hand-size but on the weight of the fighter. Honestly, SirEarl would be a better one to ask on this.

[The Mouse]

OMG, late to the party.

 

SFG - I'm lookin' forward to that challenge thread! Mine is so not nerdy - I had most of it built pre-rule changes, so I'm not able to make too many major adjustments. I also haven't been playing as many MMORPGs recently, so I'm kinda out of that lingo, too. ;3;

 

Kishi - Re: Striking/Grappling moveset challenges. Both sounds amazing! I'm not at all a grappler, but it would be really fun to throw those in every now and again to try out. I'll have to see if I can get my dad/boy to practice with me. Would there be video tutorials? 'Cause I suck at reading directions, ha ha! I'm super-visual!

[Kishi]

Kishi - Re: Striking/Grappling moveset challenges. Both sounds amazing! I'm not at all a grappler, but it would be really fun to throw those in every now and again to try out. I'll have to see if I can get my dad/boy to practice with me. Would there be video tutorials? 'Cause I suck at reading directions, ha ha! I'm super-visual!

 

Oh yes, video tutorials are a must.

[The Mouse]

Oh yes, video tutorials are a must.

Oh, thank god.

Otherwise, I'd be so screwed, ha ha! Or I'd have to post ridiculous pictures of me attempting a grappling move with absolutely no idea of what it would look like, ha ha!

[SevenFootGeek]

I guarantee that you will not look any more ridiculous than anyone else.

Stills of grapplers just look absurd.  My sister-in-law is a BJJ ref, and the pics she posts just make everyone look silly.  There's always a weird face or just the wrong kind of body position to make you question what they're doing.

[The Mouse]

Ha ha, I'm glad to know I won't be the only one, then. I'm just so super-awkward with it. Anytime we do anything close to grappling at my club, I'm always so strange with it.

 

Well, it doesn't help that the guys I'm trying to grapple have arms about as tall as my whole body is... Makes it hard to try to get a hold on them without legitimately trying to break them in two. XD

[OptimusPrimarch]

I guarantee that you will not look any more ridiculous than anyone else.

Stills of grapplers just look absurd.  My sister-in-law is a BJJ ref, and the pics she posts just make everyone look silly.  There's always a weird face or just the wrong kind of body position to make you question what they're doing.

 

Aggressive hugging.

[Thrillho]

[Kishi]

Accurate.

[Nusuth]

One more day b4 challenge kick-off, let's get ready! :

 

[Chrissa]

Sounds like a lot of fun, I am lucky to have a little grappling experience because we've had a few Judo black belts train with us at Hapkido. Challenge starts tomorrow and I am ready for it!

[Kishi]

So stoked, guys. So stoked.

[Thrillho]

Advice, please!

 

I've used every tool and trick and training at my disposal, and I just can't seem to get any of my kids to learn proper fist-wrist-forearm positioning for punching.  They LOVE the punching bag, but they're hurting themselves CONSTANTLY.  I've never had to teach anyone how to hold their fist before... the while belts back when I was Sempei already had that basically handled. 

 

How would you teach a COMPLETE novice how to hit a heavybag without hurting themselves?

[Kishi]

Try an isometric drill: you have them put their fist against the wall and push into it, like they were going to punch it. If they don't structure themselves properly, the arm collapses and they slam into the wall. Naturally, the student self-corrects fairly quickly. After they've done that for a while, you tell them that when they hit the heavy bag, they should feel like that.

 

Also, knuckle push ups.

[Thrillho]

That is exactly what I showed them! It worked for a few minutes, then they'll all go back to punching the bag wrong and hurting themselves, because they don't understand what "Do this every day and eventually you'll get good at it!" means. 

 

Thanks, anyways, though! I Will just make them do that over and over

[Kishi]

Yeah, it's just a matter of persistently practicing. Your kids have the drive to do this, which is great. You've got to get them where they're doing it right.

[Thrillho]

IF I CAN'T DO IT NOW, I'LL NEVER DO IT

 

I'm working on that behaviour They may dream big and have awesome drive, but they are still kids.  Can't win them all right away! 

 

Thanks, dude.

[littlewings]

Not sure if this will help, but the way my instructor drilled the fist position in my head is that she said hold it like you're pouring a drink, so palm and forearm become parallel to the floor. Somehow I remembered it more often after that.

[Nusuth]

tnx for the tips.  I have a heavy bag installed, but don't really use it, as I had no technique been taught.  Rather not injure myself hitting that bag without good form.

[Blaidd]

Try an isometric drill: you have them put their fist against the wall and push into it, like they were going to punch it. If they don't structure themselves properly, the arm collapses and they slam into the wall. Naturally, the student self-corrects fairly quickly. After they've done that for a while, you tell them that when they hit the heavy bag, they should feel like that.

 

Also, knuckle push ups.

urrgh, knuckle pushups!  I guess i should eventually move onto a more intense pushup at some point, why not do it now. 

 

Not sure if this will help, but the way my instructor drilled the fist position in my head is that she said hold it like you're pouring a drink, so palm and forearm become parallel to the floor. Somehow I remembered it more often after that.

GREAT!!  I will most definitely remember this one.  It's so easy to remember. 

[SevenFootGeek]

I have a lot of wrist problems, so I actually find knuckle pushups to often be easier than regular pushups.  If you spend a lot of time at a computer, they're a good alternative if you have any proto-carpal tunnel pain.

[Blaidd]

I have a lot of wrist problems, so I actually find knuckle pushups to often be easier than regular pushups.  If you spend a lot of time at a computer, they're a good alternative if you have any proto-carpal tunnel pain.

Oh wow!  thanks for the tip.

[SirEarl]

uh, i'm so very confused about all this grappling and stuff, but sounds good - you know, alternating and all - and i will definitely give it all a go!! I'll white belt the bejeepers outta everything.

 

I actually have a question (and i've asked it in the equipment forum thingy too).  I have huge hands for a lady (18cm from fingertip to palm base and 16cm from thumb tip to palm side).  Also i'd like to start sparring at some point, but for now I suspect i'll mostly be doing bag work. What weight should my boxing gloves be?

It all depends, really.  If you use the heavy bag as a tool for building strength or whatever(which I am against), then go 16-20oz.  However, I prefer going lower.  If you're using a single pair for bag/mitt/sparring, it would be silly to put the emphasis on something that is a very weak simulation.  [kind of like choosing to work with machines instead of free weights].  What you really want to look into, is the actual glove.  Does it snugly fit over a hand that you've wrapped up?  Does it provide decent wrist support?  Is the padding stiff[bag] or soft[sparring]?  Is it a training[velcro] or competition[laces] glove?  I have a 14oz pair that I use for everything, but I also have 16oz bag gloves and thumbless gloves for grappling.  Seems kind of ridiculous, but good technique and a sharp head will really bring out the differences between them all as you progress.

 

Advice, please!

 

I've used every tool and trick and training at my disposal, and I just can't seem to get any of my kids to learn proper fist-wrist-forearm positioning for punching.  They LOVE the punching bag, but they're hurting themselves CONSTANTLY.  I've never had to teach anyone how to hold their fist before... the while belts back when I was Sempei already had that basically handled. 

 

How would you teach a COMPLETE novice how to hit a heavybag without hurting themselves?

A vertical fist when punching is typically easier to get correctly because the line that the movement takes is almost perfectly straight.  If you try a vertical punch slowly, you'll notice that the elbow just extends/contracts.  However, introduce the rotation for the horizontal fist, and all of a sudden the elbow moves left/right as opposed to back/forwards.  Typically, it all comes unglued when something gets out of balance.  Punching lines get distorted, etc etc...but most of all...punching distances gets distorted.

 

This image from Jack Dempsey's power punching book illustrates "proper" wrist alignment.  In the book, he tells people to use a 3 knuckle punch instead of the 2.  However, if you look at this, he's punching upwards.  If that wall were a few more inches away and not perfectly straight, it would be a 2 knuckle punch.  The heavy bag will do this sort of thing to you because the heavy bag tends to make the user want to push instead snap, which usually leads to improper technique.  Part of the reason the snap works better than the push is that the muscles work faster when they are relaxed, which includes subconscious last minute changes.  The best example of this would actually be in golf.  Typically, when a new golfer tries to hit it farther, they'll focus on club head/swing speed...so they throw extra hard swings.  However, that usually ends up in a nasty slice or a hook from turning the wrists too early/late.  ...Until it hits right on the sweet spot.  And that's when you learn that good golfers don't just bomb the ball until it's on the green.  You take accurate, pinpoint shots.

 

Same goes for punching.  It's all about contact.  What do most people want when they punch a heavy bag?  To see how "strong" a strike is.  But that's like going to the driving range to see how far you can hit a ball, instead of see how straight and consistent you can hit one.  Super fun, but if you take that to the course with you...you're going to have a bad day.

 

Start from the ground up.  Punching air slowly, punching air quickly, making contact with something of light resistance, contact w/ medium resistance, contact w/ heavy resistance.  If it's still a problem after that, then maybe you might want to have them wrap their hands just to see what the correct alignment feels like.

[Blaidd]

It all depends, really.  If you use the heavy bag as a tool for building strength or whatever(which I am against), then go 16-20oz.  However, I prefer going lower.  If you're using a single pair for bag/mitt/sparring, it would be silly to put the emphasis on something that is a very weak simulation.  [kind of like choosing to work with machines instead of free weights].  What you really want to look into, is the actual glove.  Does it snugly fit over a hand that you've wrapped up?  Does it provide decent wrist support?  Is the padding stiff[bag] or soft[sparring]?  Is it a training[velcro] or competition[laces] glove?  I have a 14oz pair that I use for everything, but I also have 16oz bag gloves and thumbless gloves for grappling.  Seems kind of ridiculous, but good technique and a sharp head will really bring out the differences between them all as you progress.

 

oh my!  thanks for all this info! I will speak to my trainer on my first day and ask his recommendation on the gloves and try on a few of the ones they sell at the gym. I'm starting with the bag apparently, and he will see how i progress before i am allowed to spar, but i'd really like to go in that direction so your advice has been invaluable.  The gym is owned by a former heavyweight boxer and his son (who competes in MMA) so i should probably get good stuff from them.

[ladylydia]

subbing