Heavy Hands

[Fire of Youth]

I have heard for years about who does and doesn't have "heavy hands". I have always thought of it as another way of saying they hit hard or they have powerful punches. However, the other night I was training with a big guy whose punches were surprisingly sharp and fast. For the first time in my life, I understood what "heavy hands" meant. He actually felt like he was hitting the pads with something heavy, like a mace or warhammer. It amused me that I thought I understood the terminology for so long and it wasn't until I actually felt his "heavy hands" that I understood. I wonder what else I think I understand but don't??

Have you guys thought you understood something and then found out that you didn't? How did you find out? I am just curious at what stories you guys have about your continued development.

 

[Bekim]

I have heard for years about who does and doesn't have "heavy hands". I have always though of it as another way of saying they hit hard or they have powerful punches. However, the other night I was training with a big guy whose punches were surprisingly sharp and fast. For the first time in my life, I understood what "heavy hands" meant. He actually felt like he was hitting the pads with something heavy, like a mace or warhammer. It amused me that I thought I understood the terminology for so long and it wasn't until I actually felt his "heavy hands" that I understood. I wonder what else I think I understand but don't??

Have you guys thought you understood something and then found out that you didn't? How did you find out? I am just curious at what stories you guys have about your continued development.

ROFL

You need to start writing gay romance novels, you would be good at it.

 

[Borass]

I think that what you call " heavy hands " is provided by a good understanding of "ballistic" technique. Boxers who have got very relaxed arms, good fist form at the impact, and who take their power from their lower body give this impression. "The arm is a rope and the fist is a wrecking ball". I think that many gyms lack in pedagogy about this. Sometimes, i also "armpunch" and it s difficult to get rid off this habit, especially when tired.

 

[ctrlaltdelete]

Sometimes the person you're sparring with doesn't have heavier hands - they just have rougher / lighter / thinner padded gloves. Mexican gloves like Cleto Reyes or more thinly padded or harder shelled and or slimmer gloves tend to feel a lot heavier when getting hit.

 

[curlyface]

I think that what you call " heavy hands " is provided by a good understanding of "ballistic" technique. Boxers who have got very relaxed arms, good fist form at the impact, and who take their power from their lower body give this impression. "The arm is a rope and the fist is a wrecking ball". I think that many gyms lack in pedagogy about this. Sometimes, i also "armpunch" and it s difficult to get rid off this habit, especially when tired.

love that "the arm is a rope and the fist is a wrecking ball"

 

[j123]

ROFL

You need to start writing gay romance novels, you would be good at it.

Ain't got nothing on Stitcharoo

 

[Paradigm]

Sometimes the person you're sparring with doesn't have heavier hands - they just have rougher / lighter / thinner padded gloves. Mexican gloves like Cleto Reyes or more thinly padded or harder shelled and or slimmer gloves tend to feel a lot heavier when getting hit.

Yeah...especially those fuckers with the shitty, worn out Everlast gloves that want to spar you with that shit. Bruh, I can feel your knuckles through the glove...I ain't sparring you with that shit.

But I think TS was talking about holding pads for someone.

 

[luckyshot]

love that "the arm is a rope and the fist is a wrecking ball"

But I have frail fists= light, shitty wrecking balls

That's Ok. Pointy elbows ftw

 

[Sinister]

Heavy hands is heavy hands. It's not a philosophy. It's a physical characteristic. A sharp crisp puncher is not heavy-handed. They're sharp and crisp. Heavy-handed guys, if you physically look at their hands they're usually big. Most guys I've ever classed as heavy-handed after feeling or noticing the force of their punch have hands where they can palm their entire face and a bit more. Or they have those tight compact but very thick fists. They're also typically not very fast.

Merqui Sosa was always known as a puncher. When I met him and he balled his fist, his fist appeared to be nearly half the size of his head. Same with Ernie Shavers when I met him.

 

[Borass]

I didn't know hand size was a component of punching efficiency. On the opposite, a smaller hand should be "quicker" ? Also, doesn't a smaller impact zone provides more force ( physics... ) ?

 

[biscuitsbrah]

Bigger hands is a huge asset in boxing

 

[Sinister]

I didn't know hand size was a component of punching efficiency. On the opposite, a smaller hand should be "quicker" ? Also, doesn't a smaller impact zone provides more force ( physics... ) ?

I didn't say "efficiency." That is a very vague term that could mean any number of desirable characteristics in combination.

But again, "heavy" hands are heavy hands. That's a very specific terminology that, IMO, people attempt to spread thin so that everyone they think punches well, by default, must be "heavy-handed." By my experience, that's not the case.

 

[Universal Kombat]

Heavy hands is heavy hands. It's not a philosophy. It's a physical characteristic. A sharp crisp puncher is not heavy-handed. They're sharp and crisp. Heavy-handed guys, if you physically look at their hands they're usually big. Most guys I've ever classed as heavy-handed after feeling or noticing the force of their punch have hands where they can palm their entire face and a bit more. Or they have those tight compact but very thick fists. They're also typically not very fast.

Merqui Sosa was always known as a puncher. When I met him and he balled his fist, his fist appeared to be nearly half the size of his head. Same with Ernie Shavers when I met him.

I don't believe that half an ounce of more musculo skeletal tissue in someone's hands will make a difference. I'm more concerned about the weight behind the fist.

 

[Sinister]

I don't believe that half an ounce of more musculo skeletal tissue in someone's hands will make a difference. I'm more concerned about the weight behind the fist.

Fortunately, you don't need to believe it. A bigger heavier hand will feel heavier, that's not a matter of belief. However, there are also other contributing factors. The stronger ones' hands the more abandon they can throw with. Thicker bones, better musculature, more grip strength, thicker wrists, more stability = a hand much less likely to break. When a fighter is aware of this, they'll swing with no concern.

Paul Malignaggi and Floyd Mayweather, while very accurate, don't have any of those characteristics and in real fights with smaller gloves, have been known to pull their punches due to being plagued by hand breaks.

But like I said, spend any significant time in the Gym and you'll notice commonalities between people. That "heavy-handed" people have bigger, stronger, thicker hands should seem perfectly sound and logical. I'm not sure why this subject seems so confounding.

 

[Paradigm]

I don't believe that half an ounce of more musculo skeletal tissue in someone's hands will make a difference. I'm more concerned about the weight behind the fist.

These dudes had some large bone structures in their hands...not sure if it contributed to their punching power or not.

 

[Fire of Youth]

ROFL

You need to start writing gay romance novels, you would be good at it.

Hahaha. Thanks mate.

As Paradigm deduced, I was talking about holding the pads for this guy. Though, I am sure that I would not want to feel his punches in sparring let alone a full fight.

 

[Pwent]

its not only their hand but their whole forearm, which you are often using like a battering ram

i have been told that my right hand is unusually heavy, but i havent been told the same about the left. dont know how that works in terms of "actually being heavier due to bone structure"

 

[Bekim]

Hahaha. Thanks mate.

As Paradigm deduced, I was talking about holding the pads for this guy. Though, I am sure that I would not want to feel his punches in sparring let alone a full fight.

I only say because I know you can take it.......

 

[Universal Kombat]

Fortunately, you don't need to believe it. A bigger heavier hand will feel heavier, that's not a matter of belief. However, there are also other contributing factors. The stronger ones' hands the more abandon they can throw with. Thicker bones, better musculature, more grip strength, thicker wrists, more stability = a hand much less likely to break. When a fighter is aware of this, they'll swing with no concern.

Paul Malignaggi and Floyd Mayweather, while very accurate, don't have any of those characteristics and in real fights with smaller gloves, have been known to pull their punches due to being plagued by hand breaks.

But like I said, spend any significant time in the Gym and you'll notice commonalities between people. That "heavy-handed" people have bigger, stronger, thicker hands should seem perfectly sound and logical. I'm not sure why this subject seems so confounding.

I agree that the difference will be there, obviously, bigger is bigger no matter what. But is it noticeable to the point that you say it is? I don't think it is. Unless we're talking about Brock Lesnar size XXXXL Gloves vs guy in my AV gloves, but in the context of competition, that's probably never going to happen. Look at Dos Santos, small wrists and hands, and the guy throws with no shyness whatsoever, hitting opponents with his wrist, forearms, thumb area, etc. And he seems to hit harder than almost anyone in the division. Definitely has shown to be a more "heavy handed" guy than Brock Lesnar.

As I said, it's bro science until someone really looks into it. I'll agree there is a difference, but HOW MUCH of a difference? Not a noticeable one, or at the very least, not an important one in the grand context of combat. And I say this as a guy with thick heavy hands.

 

[Universal Kombat]

These dudes had some large bone structures in their hands...not sure if it contributed to their punching power or not.

How does that explain guys like Dos Santos? Or some Boxers like GGG? with small hands and wrists? If Igor Vovchanchyn was a more laid back striker who didn't throw over hands, he'd probably have a whole lot less knockouts. Same goes for Fedor, a grappler Sambo/Judoka first, who learned some boxing and would resort to over hands to clinch distance. Not to mention, they're both heavyweights. Which I think has a whole lot more to do with their power than their hands and wrists. I thought it was generally accepted that punching power came from good technique, explosiveness, and the amount of weight behind the punch?