How to prevent skinned knuckles on the heavy bag?

[mjfan12]

Whenever I hit the bag for the first time after a layoff, I tend to rip the skin off my knuckles. Shit burns and takes a while to heal.

This last time, I wrapped them and used mma gloves, but one knuckle was exposed and the skin got ripped again.

Should I let it heal before trying again? otherwise the skin will tear again?

and does the skin ever get toughened up until this does not happen? I tend to try and then quit so I don't know whether my skin is just thin or something.

Because how come those oldschool karateka punch trees, rocks, and makiwara boards to toughen the hands without ripping their hands, and thai boxers who do bare knuckles?

I'd imagine the skin would toughen up at some point, will it?

 

[Marc936]

hand wraps & bag gloves stops your skim from rashing up, i wouldnt hit any bag without them, especially the huge risk of causing injury to your knuckles and wrists

also you live in chicago?what area?

 

[Paedde]

Pushups on your knuckles on hard ground will help for sure

If you start slow with conditioning you won't rip your skin off and it will get tougher over time.

 

[Jaxx]

Always use boxing gloves for heavy bag work.

 

[Paedde]

Always use boxing gloves for heavy bag work.

Yeah if you train power, but you can also do some fist conditioning without using full power.

 

[vu]

Oh boy...we're not gonna head down this road again are we.........?

 

[Kosh]

Hey, you won't develop scales in your hands, if that's what you're thinking...

 

[MMAFan87]

Use heavy gloves for heavy bag work. This seems to always be the mistake for MMA fans first starting to explore the world of striking. Get some 16oz gloves and wrap up .Using the small gloves will do as you say mess up your knuckles and really hurt your wrist

 

[Rinksterk**]

Those old school karate guys have what's called arthritis in their hands. ALWAYS use wraps and 16oz gloves.

 

[mayhem203]

Try Gloves

 

[Paedde]

Those old school karate guys have what's called arthritis in their hands. ALWAYS use wraps and 16oz gloves.

Why do you lie? ...
I know not one with arthritis, but a lot of people who never did anything with their hands in their lives...

 

[Guards]

Gloves, gloves, gloves. I hope you're getting it by this point, since every smart person has been telling you the same thing.

If you want to be a bit different and train with minimal gloves outside of your gym, buy leather work gloves from a hardware store. The skin on your hands will never really callous enough to take the abrasion of 50 full power hooks on a vinyl heavy bag. If it did, you would experience some significant side effects.

The guys that punch rocks and trees are funny. But they punch in a practiced movement against an object that won't give or sway nearly as much as the bag on a chain.

 

[mschatz]

Be like Jack Dempsey and soak your hands in brine and bull urine.

 

[atemijutsu]

ur hittin the bag without gloves? u in jail or wat?

 

[strangerhhh]

16oz gloves and wraps for teh win! The only time Ive hit a bag without those was on the beach in mexico (See Strippers beer and Heavy Bag Post).

 

[mjfan12]

Im not a noob to striking, I just sometimes get in the game for a while, and have issues come up where I have a layoff. so I havent trained for over a year.

plus I do things half assed and never took training seriously. I want to try to change that though.

I did wrap my hands and used gameness mma gloves which are also good for bag work, but my lower index finger knuckle was exposed so I only ripped the skin from there.

I have ripped more in the past without gloves or without wraps.

I do have 16oz boxing gloves but they are too bulky, but I will use those if I have to.

I was just wondering if the skin ever toughens or not, but it seems like it wont.


anyways 16oz is too heavy outside of bag work, what weight do competitors use? boxers/kickboxers/k1/muay thai?

PS: I am currently not enrolled in a gym since I get super lazy in the cold winter and don't feel like driving to the gym (I know Im a weakling). I'm waiting until the spring to join again.

I'm using the heavy bag at my university gym to get back into the swing of things and build up my power and cardio.

 

[mjfan12]

Also protecting the hands while training is great, but what happens if you need to defend yourself in the street?

now don't get me wrong, I'm not a thug or a street fighter by any means and I avoid it at all costs, but sometimes it can happen.

and isn't this one of the reasons why we train in the first place? whats the point if you damage your hand with one punch to the skull, is there no way to toguhen the hands without severe repurcussions down the road?

 

[Marc936]

Im not a noob to striking, I just sometimes get in the game for a while, and have issues come up where I have a layoff. so I havent trained for over a year.

plus I do things half assed and never took training seriously. I want to try to change that though.

I did wrap my hands and used gameness mma gloves which are also good for bag work, but my lower index finger knuckle was exposed so I only ripped the skin from there.

I have ripped more in the past without gloves or without wraps.

I do have 16oz boxing gloves but they are too bulky, but I will use those if I have to.

I was just wondering if the skin ever toughens or not, but it seems like it wont.


anyways 16oz is too heavy outside of bag work, what weight do competitors use? boxers/kickboxers/k1/muay thai?

PS: I am currently not enrolled in a gym since I get super lazy in the cold winter and don't feel like driving to the gym (I know Im a weakling). I'm waiting until the spring to join again.

I'm using the heavy bag at my university gym to get back into the swing of things and build up my power and cardio.

boxers amateurs uses 10-12 oz gloves depending on weight class

also 16 oz gloves depending what gloves you have shouldnt be too bulky, i would shop for new gloves if they are massive, i once had top contenders they were so big i gave them away

also 16 oz gloves even if they do seem heavy at first, once you get used to it you'll praise it, it will make your hands faster, it will make you hit harder, and it will make it a lot easier for you to keep your hands up when your tired and using lightweight gloves


i also highly suggest not to use mma gloves for striking any bags, the bags give in on such an awkward way that it will just ruin your hands



and lastly, ignore the bashing comments from a lot of posters here, a lot of them are immature and dont even train seriously either




btw where in chicagoland area do you live in?

 

[Marc936]

Also protecting the hands while training is great, but what happens if you need to defend yourself in the street?

now don't get me wrong, I'm not a thug or a street fighter by any means and I avoid it at all costs, but sometimes it can happen.

and isn't this one of the reasons why we train in the first place? whats the point if you damage your hand with one punch to the skull, is there no way to toguhen the hands without severe repurcussions down the road?

most people train for the sport, not to kick someones ass outside in the street, in real life so many injuries can occur if your training or not, one punch to someones jaw may knock them out, but also break your hand as well

best way to not ruin your hands in a real fight is to keep them healthy, once your hand is injured it will remain injury prone for the rest of your life, you keep them nice and strong without hurting them, they longer they will last

 

[Shawn Hawk]

Also protecting the hands while training is great, but what happens if you need to defend yourself in the street?

You pull out your gun.