When getting into a street fight, what are the chances you will damage your hands?

[Straightcross]

And what sort of punches should you avoid throwing?

I know it is advised to use elbows and open palm strikes but I'm not comfortable throwing those since I never do so in sparring either. I would probably go with a feint combined with an overhand left but I can see it easily breaking my hand if It lands wrong.

I've never gotten into a fight since I left high school nor do I plan to but I was just wondering because the story of Tyson breaking his hand while fighting Mitch Greene on the streets always kind of stuck with me

 

[fluffball]

It's less the breaking of the hand and more the cutting of the hand. You can potentially lose you entire arm in a couple hours due to bacterial infections from someone's mouth, because of the complicated blood vessels in your hand that slow the flow of fresh blood. That's obviously a worst case scenario, but it's common enough that it's a "thing" that happens along the lines of a "boxer's fracture" actually having a colloquial name. I recommend not doing an image search for it. If you cut your hand on someone's mouth, go to the ER post haste.

And ya, you have a decent chance of breaking your hand on someone's skull.

Most common pathogens found in clenched fist injuries are exactly the same ones that are found in the human mouth: Viridians streptococci, S. aureus, Bacteroides sp. Fusobacterium sp., peptostreptoccoci. Eikenella corrodens. Teeth tend to inject the organisms into joint capsules and bone. Once they are in, they are very hard to get at to kill or contain with antibiotics. If the entire bone becomes infected, the treatment can be unpleasant indeed, including removal of part or all of the appendage. The good news is you aren't going to die. The bad news is you might not have two hands anymore. And unfortunately, wounds of the hand and foot are more likely to become infected due to many tendon sheaths, fascial planes and compartments that promote persistence and spread of the microorganisms which can come not only from your victim's mouth, but from the surface of your own skin as well.

 

[Oldguy]

Aim for the throat.

 

[j123]

Sweep the leg

 

[n.diazismylife1999]

That depends entirely on your hands, your technique, where the punch lands, luck, etc. No one can say anything but "there's a chance." How big a chance? Depends on the aforementioned factors. Might be very small, might be very big.

That "losing your hand because of bacteria" stuff, though, I'd disregard. Fear-mongering. Yeah, it can happen. So can a lot of other things. I've never known anyone, or known anyone who knows anyone, who's had a problem even nearly that bad, and I know people who've had teeth stuck in their fists.

 

[Oldguy]

If you can, hit soft things with a closed fist and hard things with a palm heel. Most of all, don't think real fighting is like boxing or MMA. You want to be targeting their eyes, throat, and groin. These areas are the same regardless of size. Don't fight size.

 

[fluffball]

That "losing your hand because of bacteria" stuff, though, I'd disregard. Fear-mongering. Yeah, it can happen. So can a lot of other things. I've never known anyone, or known anyone who knows anyone, who's had a problem even nearly that bad, and I know people who've had teeth stuck in their fists.

I have, that's why I know about it. Also you're just fucking retarded if you're ok with cutting your hand on someone else's mouth. Even if you don't believe in bacteria, hepatitis and what not exist.

Edit: I fucking hate f11 sometimes. You write out something totally obvious and factual and someone comes in and claims you wrote the post purely for... the attention? Why would I bother writing that out, I could have just gone on with my day.

 

[JohnnyTowers]

Aim for the neck and chest.

 

[n.diazismylife1999]

I have, that's why I know about it. Also you're just fucking retarded if you're ok with cutting your hand on someone else's mouth. Even if you don't believe in bacteria, hepatitis and what not exist.

Edit: I fucking hate f11 sometimes. You write out something totally obvious and factual and someone comes in and claims you wrote the post purely for... the attention? Why would I bother writing that out, I could have just gone on with my day.

So what if you have? By definition, someone has even the rarest and unlikeliest diseases there have ever existed. That doesn't make those things something to be super worried about for other people. Not going to dignify your straw man with an answer.

If you can, hit soft things with a closed fist and hard things with a palm heel. Most of all, don't think real fighting is like boxing or MMA. You want to be targeting their eyes, throat, and groin. These areas are the same regardless of size. Don't fight size.

Yes, it's important to understand that boxing/MMA/MT/KB etc are games, cockfights. The targets are different in a real fight or a self defense situation.

 

[Fire of Youth]

When two tigers fight, one gets hurt and the other dies.

 

[fluffball]

So what if you have? By definition, someone has even the rarest and unlikeliest diseases there have ever existed. That doesn't make those things something to be super worried about for other people. Not going to dignify your straw man with an answer.

Look, I don't give a shit if you want to lose your arm or get hepatitis or whatever it is you do, but stop posting asinine comments just to annoy posters answering questions. You're contributing nothing other than being a no-it-all that doesn't actually no what he's talking about. You're being annoying and childish.

 

[Prez ebrmc]

You don't feel it till latter, so it only matters depending on your profession

 

[n.diazismylife1999]

Look, I don't give a shit if you want to lose your arm or get hepatitis or whatever it is you do, but stop posting asinine comments just to annoy posters answering questions. You're contributing nothing other than being a no-it-all that doesn't actually no what he's talking about. You're being annoying and childish.

You sound very upset. Take a deep breath. I "contributed" just as much as you did. As for calling me annoying and childish for disagreeing with you, well, let's just say that's pretty ironic.

 

[pookiyama]

In a street fight, overall, I'd say its unlikely. Most people don't know how to fight at all. The fight is likely to be over before anyone breaks their hand.

 

[Buff]

Punching the ground happens a lot in street fights once it hits the ground, which it normally does.

Asphalt is very unkind to a closed fist.

 

[aries]

A fist to a soft target like a nose isn't a bad choice but I'd avoid punches like overhands just because of the risk of smashing your hands up on the top and front of the skull. Punching someone in the mouth should be avoided unless you want to end up with bits of teeth stuck in your hand. There is a possibility of infection but getting cut is more of a concern.

Solid punching to the jaw is ok but it will still take it toll on your fists, I'd prefer palm heel strikes to the jaw personally. Saying that when ever I've punched someone it's been with a fist and it hurt but no lasting damage was done, however if it bust up my hand I'd switch to palm heels. Elbows would be a great choice too.

 

[aerius]

The only time I ever threw an overhand right in a street fight was back in high school, and even though I didn't break anything I was icing my hand for days. That was the last time I ever tried to punch anyone in the head without hand wraps & gloves. It's been many years since I've had a fight outside the gym, but if it happened I don't think I'd throw any punches to the head other than a jab.

 

[ahheadlock]

The broken metacarpal in my right hand says the chances are good.

A street fight is rarely clean like in the gym / ring. Shoving, things in the way, people flailing at you. I broke mine when it landed on the hard upper part of the other guys head. Smoosh. Didn't heal correctly either. Dont fight in the street (or in my case, the pub) kids.

also FWIW - i know a guy who got a bad blood infection because he punched someone in the mouth and got a tooth in his hand.

 

[Oldguy]

I broke my hand in Shotokan sparring. My opponent was coming in and I reverse punched. I messed up the distance and hit him square in the jaw. Unfortunately, I connected with my ring finger knuckle. My hand collapsed instantly.

Real fighting is not a sport. Aim for the throat in real life. Punch the body. Kick the groin. The toughest biggest guy in the MMA will go down if you poke him in the eye. Basically, do everything that is illegal in MMA and boxing.

The reason boxers can throw the punches they do is because their hands are taped and they have huge padded gloves. Fighting with bare fists is different.

 

[learn2strike16]

Serious question. Has anyone ever seen someone successfully use palm strikes in a real fight?