vertical or horizontal jab?

[georgie]

im curious to see if you guys prefer the vertical fisted jab to the horizontal and why? is there more power in a vertical jab or a better 3 knuckle landing? i find the horizontal actually harder on the wrist for some reason.

[georgie]

why the f#$% do i bother?

[Tom Yum]

'Cause you know you love it here.

[Tameo]

I find the vertical jab can produce more speed if you start at the sternum and shoot your arm vertically out and retract really fast hitting with the bottom three knuckles there can be a lot of power. There won’t be much power if you do that punch with a glove on because it’s so short range, but without a glove it can be very effective. I also think that its a more natural way to punch, because if you just stand up and rest your hands at your sides, that is the natural way your arm is turned. If you simply bring your arm up it will be in a vertical position, the tendons and muscles will be relaxed and aligned. If you twist your hand into a horizontal punch your tendons and muscles twist making your arm stiffer and slower when punching.

[twtguy]

hmmm...when i stand up, my arms arent turned either way at my sides. theyre right in between. i must be a freak.

[Tom Yum]

I find the vertical jab can produce more speed if you start at the sternum and shoot your arm vertically out and retract really fast hitting with the bottom three knuckles there can be a lot of power. There won’t be much power if you do that punch with a glove on because it’s so short range, but without a glove it can be very effective.

I'm not going to lie and say that wingchun straight punching is slow, because the experts can demonstrate otherwise. Doesn't the wc vertical fist get its economy of motion because of the wing chun fighting stance? Your hands are up in center line, so the vertical fist makes sense.

If you think boxers throw slow punches or lack power, you are talking through a pie hole....jj, Tameo.

[IBOPM]

I'm not going to lie and say that wingchun straight punching is slow, because the experts can demonstrate otherwise. Doesn't the wc vertical fist get its economy of motion because of the wing chun fighting stance? Your hands are up in center line, so the vertical fist makes sense.

If you think boxers throw slow punches or lack power, you are talking through a pie hole....jj, Tameo.

I agree with the WC punch being more natural. However it is as you say taht the WC punch comes from a combination of many things, some of which are the vertical fist and the stance plus various other stuff. I don't doubt that boxers throw slow punches that lack power however. A lot of boxers have a relatively more vertical fist. While the same can be said about the horizontal fist, it is a lot more associated with their personal preference. You can totally box with a vertical fist and be good at it.

[twtguy]

have you ever known any boxers to use a vertical fist? im not saying there arent any. im just asking if youve known any. where i come from, the only person i have ever seen try to use a vertical fist and make it more effective was a noob and wasnt very good.

[georgie]

i look at it this way, vertically i can really get a good snap at the end of my punch...but....horizontally there is more power for sure......mimic a power movement say like a bench press.....ever try to push more weight with a vertical grip as opposed to a horizontal?....theres more power obviously with a horizontal....and ive never heard of a boxer use a vertical fist just wc and jeet kune do

[Blue Wave Gym]

whatever you like

just make it fast and make it sting I lke the torqing force of the regular jab though.

[AlexJitsu]

I have no scientific evidence to back this up but I think the horizontal fist is more powerful for the following reason:

When you do a squat, you're not supposed to point your toes out far. Why? Because it takes the hips out of the exercise.

Now, if you put your hand on your shoulder, and make a horizontal fist, then a vertical fist, you can feel your shoulder rotating, right? Well, I think that it's the equivalent of point your toes out on a squat, meaning, you're not using your shoulders as much as you could with a horizontal fist.

It's just like doing pushups with your palms horizontal. Weird, right?