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Vertical punchers say that the elbow bows outward in horizontal punching

When one stands in a standard fighting stance and extends the lead arm forward in a horizontal punch, there is a slight outward bend in the elbow because of the way the arm is constructed. When the fist is rotated to a vertical position, the natural bend is still there, except it is now pointed downward. There is no more body mass behind a vertical punch than there is behind a horizontal punch, since both have the same alignment with their common point, the shoulder. When punching with a horizontal punch, one could choose to bend the elbow more, but one could also choose to do the same thing when using a vertical punch; excessive elbow bend is not desired in either punch. The elbow’s natural bend is not affected by whether the fist is held in a horizontal or vertical position.

Vertical punchers say that, with the elbow angled outward, it is more susceptible to injury than it would be if it was angled downward. They say the outward elbow also adducts the shoulder leaving it vulnerable to anterior dislocation. This may be true, but it only matters when you are punching in slow motion, as is done during a demonstration. At full-speed, it would be unlikely that the elbow would ever be hit in such a way to cause damage.

Vertical punchers say that angling the elbow outward exposes the floating ribs and the pressure point in the pit of the arm. When you arm is extended in a punch, the difference in coverage offered by a downward elbow and an outward elbow is negligible.

Vertical punches say the vertical punch is more natural

When you irritate a small child, he or she will ball his or her fist and punch, not with a vertical fist, but with a horizontal fist. It is the way humans are constructed. If you walk up to a random number of people on the street and ask them to extend their arms to the front, how would most of them extend their arms? I have not done this on the street but I have done it with groups of new students. When extending their arms, they all extend their arms with their palms downward, thumbs pointing inward (hands horizontal). This is a natural movement; the arm is relaxed, except for the tension required to hold the arm up. To rotate the hands until the thumbs are pointed upward (hands vertical) requires a conscious effort and requires conscious effort and muscle tension to keep them vertical. If the muscle tension is released, the hands return to a horizontal position.

Holding hand in full pronation (palm downward) or full supination (palm upward) position requires the use of some intrinsic muscles of the forearm known respectively as the pronators and supinators. In the uppercut punch hand position (palm upward), the hand is in full supination, while in the horizontal punch position (palm downward) the hand is in full pronation. Vertical punchers believe that, when the hand is held so the palm is inward, that  the two sets of muscles are in a balanced position and thus make a punch more powerful. One example they give to prove that the vertical position of the hand is more natural is that this is the way the hand is positioned when reaching out to shake hands with another person. However, in this example they confusing cause and effect. They think that the hand position in the handshake (effect) is caused by the way we naturally extend our hand. However, the way we extend our hand for a handshake (effect) is actually caused by the way we must position our hand to shake hands.

Try this:

• Stand with your arms hanging naturedly at the sides.

• Keeping your hands and wrist motionless and using only your shoulder muscles, raise your arms in front of your body to shoulder height.

• Now close the hands into fists.

What is the position of the fists? They are horizontal. Now rotate them into a vertical position. Notice how this takes a lot of motion and effort.

Now try this:

• Stand with your arms hanging naturedly at the sides.

• Using your shoulder muscles, raise your arms in front of your body to shoulder height while rotating the the hands so the palms face inward.

• Notice the extra effort this rotation takes and the muscle tension down the entire arm.

• Now close the hands into fists.

• Notice how you must use muscle tension to maintain the vertical fist position. Now release the tension and notice how the fist naturally rotates into the horizontal position.

Think about this while your arms are outstretched. If you had to hold your arms arms outstretched for as long as possible to beat other contestants for a million dollars, which palm position would you chose, palms facing inward or palms facing downward ?

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