Types of Fists

Clenched Fist

How to make a clinched fist:

• Hold arm straight out in front of the body with hand held flat (palm down) with fingers straight and together with thumb sticking out.
• Starting with the little finger, tightly roll all the fingers inward until they are tightly curled.
• Fold thumb firmly down over first and second fingers and tighten the entire fist by squeezing all fingers and thumb inward, into the curl and by squeezing the thumb/index finger and little finger horizontally toward each other.
• Keep fist in a straight line with the forearm with wrist locked.
• Tighten fist, wrist, and forearm until they become an integral unit.
• Individual fingers and wrist cannot withstand much force, but, as a part of a solid integral unit, they can withstand tremendous forces without injury.
• Keep thumb tightly curled so it does not snag on something while punching and does not give the opponent something to grab.
• Four-Knuckle Fist

The four-knuckle fist concentrates the striking force on the knuckles of the first phalanges, or finger bones. While weaker than the clinched fist, it may slip past blocks, penetrate deeper, and separate bones, such as ribs. It is mostly used to attack softer, deeper, targets such as the throat, organs, and pressure points.