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Arguments For and Against Vertical and Horizontal Punches

Weak Wrist

Some vertical punchers say that when an opponent moves in as you are punching, a twisting horizontal punch may buckle and the wrist may be more damaged than the target. However, in reality, the opponent is always moving in one direction or another. Opponents do not stand stationary and get hit. Twist punchers train to punch from any variety of ranges and movements. In 30 years of marital arts experience, I have never seen anyone injure a wrist because of twisting a punch. I have seen wrists injured because they were not locked, but that would also be a problem when vertical punching.

Thumb Position

Some vertical punchers say their punch is stronger because the thumb is placed on top of the fist instead of folding under the fingers, thus making the wrist stronger. If this were true, then any gain in wrist strength is offset by a loss in fist stability. Try it yourself, make a fist with the thumb on top and then squeeze the fist as tight and solid as you can. Then try the same thing with the thumb folded underneath in a natural position. Which fist feels more solid? If the thumb on top would prevent injuries to professional fighters, they would use it.

Boxers fold their thumbs underneath, for fist stability and because they worry about thumbing (the thumb poking into an opponent's eye) and the thumb being snagged and sprained by being pulled backward. When free-sparring, a slack thumb on top of a fist may lead to an accidental thumbing of the opponent or the thumb being snagged on the opponent's sleeve or grabbed.

In reality, wrist strength is not affected significantly by either of the thumb positions. As long as the wrist is held straight and locked, it will not be injured in a punch. The wrist is strengthened by punching, so years of punching with either method will strengthen it to perform the desired punching method.

Speed

Some vertical punchers say their punch is faster because there is no twist. If we assume this is true, how much faster is it? Sparring is not drag racing or down hill ski racing, it not judged by thousandths of a second. A few hundredths of a second in speed will not make any difference in whether a punch is blocked or not blocked so the the hand is quicker than the eye. Once you see a fist move, its too late to block or avoid it. To block or avoid a punch, you must detect the punch before it moves by reading the opponent's body language. So a punch that strikes harder will be more effective than one that is a millisecond faster.

Resistance to Blocking

The twist on a punch resists attempts to deflect the punch. When a punch does not twist, all the forces in the punching arm at directed straight at the target. When a punch twists, the twisting forces are moving perpendicular to straight line to the target as the they corkscrew down the arm to the target. It is relatively easy to deflect a punch that does not resist, other than with the inertia of its movement toward the target, so the non twisting punch may be easily deflected. The twisting motion of the twisting punch resists any attempt to deflect the primary movement of the arm toward the target, which means a twisting punch is much more difficult to deflect than a non twisting punch.

Compare a punch to the travel of bullet. When a bullet is fired down a smooth bore, it does not spin and is easily deflected by external forces, such as the wind or a twig. When a bullet if fired down a rifled bore, the groves in the bore cause the bullet to twist along its axis toward the target. The spin helps the bullet resist any forces that may deflect it from its course to the target. Also compare a punch to a thrown football. With out a spiral (spin) motion, the ball is unstable and easily deflected. With a spiral, the ball flies straighter, longer, and is not easily deflected.

Resistance to Grabbing

Stand with in your fighting guard position. Have someone grab the wrist if your lead arm. Now, try to vertical punch at the person. Your arm is locked in the grip and difficult to move. Now, perform the same punch using a twisting, horizontal punch. The punching arm spins within the grip is able to punch; weakly, but it is able to punch.

Twist Adds Power

The twist on a punch adds power. Try a very short one-inch vertical punch and then try it with a twist punch. Which one generates more striking force?

Very little force is generated by the twisting motion itself, the added power comes from the transfer of body mass down down the arm as the mass is snapped into the punch using the hips and sometimes a dropping of the body mass into the punch. The twisting of the arm makes the arm an integral part of a striking force that extends from the fist to the ground through the body and supporting feet. It has been said the the striking force of a bullet is equivalent to that of a speeding locomotive because of its speed and the small striking area. Scientifically this may be true, but which strike would you stand a better change of surviving?

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