Amateur boxers’ number one mistake is that they don’t learn to make the punching fist properly. If not done correctly, your fingers and knuckles will get badly injured and affect your punching bag workout or even fighting your opponent.
Making a fist for punching is easy, and you will get it with practice. In this article, we have come up with two methods to make a boxing fist. Continue reading to learn about them.
Method 1:
Step 1: Stretch your hand and your fingers
The first step is to stretch your hand out straight and extend your four fingers. Now press these four fingers to close together and leave the thumb loose.
Note: Ensure the fingers don’t feel stiff or hurt you. Also, there must be no gaps or spaces between them.
Step 2: Curl your fingers
Once you have stretched your fingers, bend your four fingers into your palm until the fingertip touches its base, where your nails should be visible. Your thumb must be left loose at the side.
Step 3: Curl your bent fingers inward
Now continue to curl your fingers in the same direction so that your bottom knuckles are brought out and the finger joints are tucked in.
Your nails will disappear into your palm. Till this step, your thumb must be left loose.
Step 4: Fold your thumb finger
Now it’s time to bend your thumb down. If your thumb folds and rests between the middle and index finger, you have folded correctly.
Though the exact placement of the thumb isn’t crucial, it is important to ensure the thumb is never left loose once the fingers are folded appropriately.
So by following the four steps correctly, you can make a proper fist for boxing.
Note: Even if you use a boxing glove to secure your fingers, your hand position inside a boxing glove must be the same.
Method 2:
Old school method of making a proper fist form for punching
Step 1:
Open your hand straight and extend four fingers.
Step 2:
You must curl the last three fingers like it’s usually done but leave the index finger pointing upwards.
Step 3:
Now, you must fold the index finger(don’t bend it). The index finger must be straight and must point toward the wrist.
Step 4:
Finally, fold the thumb. Your thumb must touch your index and middle finger.
Note: This is a traditional punching fist, and it’s quite difficult to keep this fist structure. However, with practice, you will get it.
How Do You Know If The Fist Is Made Correctly?
To ensure that you have correctly made the fist, you can test it using the following steps:
If you have made a fist, on one hand, you can use the other hand’s thumb to press it into the gap created by the inner bend of the second knuckles.
This test can determine how tight your fist is made.
If the thumb easily breaks the fist gap, the fist is loose.
If the thumb pressing the fist cause pain, the fist is too tight.
Note: This test must be done using your thumb and not your thumbnail.
Conclusion
Once you learn to make a proper fist, you will get better at punching in boxing. However, it takes some time to learn the correct way. With time, you will proper form and make your fist stronger.
You can do exercises like barbell or dumbbell wrist curls to make a powerful wrist. Also, chin-ups and push-ups, and bodyweight exercises can help build a strong grip.
That’s all about How to make a fist to punch. We hope this article was helpful. Thanks for reading.