Push ups on knuckles vs hands

[shouldbworking]

Ok then, here's a question raised by constant berating from my karate instructor.

Each class is preceeded by a variety of exercises - narrow arm push ups, wide arm push ups, narrow squats, wide squats, leg raises, crunches, sit ups etc.

He requests that the class performs them on their knuckles like for example



versus doing them on your palms



Now myself, I find that doing them on your knuckles for one thing is decidely uncomfortable, but also feels to me like it overlaps with the areas youd hit with a wide push up



note, yes I'd rather use pics of hot women where possible.

So, my question - can anyone tell me if its purely in my head and I won't miss any areas by doing them on my knuckles versus on my palms?

[flyingjase]

My boxing coach gets me to do press ups on my knuckles rather than palms, so maybe it's a 'fighting' thing that toughens the fists up?? I'll ask him tomorrow.

[grumbledoak]

It is to toughen up your wrist, in particular, as training for punching. The forearm/hand alignment should be as for a punch, and you should be on first two knuckles.

ETA- Your first photo looks to be doing it wrong.

Edited by grumbledoak on Monday 2nd August 22:27

[ShadownINja]

It's to toughen up the knuckles, obviously. Of course, it hurts... if you're a girl.

Try knuckle clap push ups on concrete. If anyone asks, I invented it. If you injure yourself and plan to sue, it was him not me.

[freecar]

grumbledoak said:

It is to toughen up your wrist, in particular, as training for punching. The forearm/hand alignment should be as for a punch, and you should be on first two knuckles.

ETA- Your first photo looks to be doing it wrong.

Edited by grumbledoak on Monday 2nd August 22:27

It's this, a friend of mine trained heavily in very technical martial arts, the knuckles thing is all about gaining strength in the wrists and training good form for correct punching technique (avoiding the rolling of the wrist on impact)

So I'm told, I hate martial arts and violence 'n' st!

[jas xjr]

when i was doing karate 5 tmes a week. we did push ups on one hand , knuckles. and we would all look around as to who could not do them. everybody could do them. as well as chin ups on one hand

[CHIEF]

When i did my first two grades in Tae-Kwondo we had to do this as part of the grading on a rock hard floor - quite painful as i recall especially as i was 17 stone at the time.

It was only actually done on my first two knuckles on each hand and my instructor was a stickler for this, do it wrong and we had to start again.

The first time i did 20 on my knuckles i winced but in the end i managed it, whether it genuinely toughened up my knuckles i dont know or i just got used to it but afterwards it felt like i could punch through anything (i couldn't though lol)

[goldblum]

It won't make any difference to your wrist whether you're on your hands or your knuckles,once you're in press-up position.

Press ups done on the knuckles are to strenghen your fist,especially the first two knuckles.

Old Style Kung Fu such as Lau Gar or Wing Chun and traditional Karate - Shotokan etc are particularly keen on these.

[grumbledoak]

goldblum said:

It won't make any difference to your wrist whether you're on your hands or your knuckles,once you're in press-up position.

Yes it does. If your hands are flat you aren't using your forearm muscles to hold the wrist straight.

Edited by grumbledoak on Tuesday 3rd August 00:35

[ShadownINja]

Just thinking aloud... so forearm muscles determines rigidity of wrist? Surely, it makes more sense to work on these muscles?

[goldblum]

grumbledoak said:

goldblum said:

It won't make any difference to your wrist whether you're on your hands or your knuckles,once you're in press-up position.

Yes it does. If your hands are flat you aren't using your forearm muscles to hold the wrist straight.

Edited by grumbledoak on Tuesday 3rd August 00:35

Don't be silly.The weight on your wrists is the same.

You mean you aren't using your forearm muscles to hold your HAND straight.

[tank slapper]

When I used to do kung-fu training we used to do push ups on knuckles, and it was part of conditioning to make them tougher. They were the relatively easy ones though - the finger tip ones were a lot more uncomfortable. Also, the ones were you start one hand in front of the other flat, with fingers pointing inwards, as you get halfway through you roll your hands over forwards so the weight is on the back of your wrists as you push back up were also pretty unpleasant.

[goldblum]

Yep spent many happy hours doing those variations!

[shouldbworking]

Looks like I have to start doing them that way then! I thought that it used different muscle groups.

Not that I have a problem with keeping my wrist solid whilst striking - we do plenty enough pad work to ensure that people's wrists are adequately developed.

as for one handed on your knuckles or fingertips... I can only assume that either only very few people could do them in the class, or that you only did a handful.

[kelk]

Push-ups on your knuckles are there to develop strength within the knuckle for impact for punching. The reason being is that over time small / tiny fissures are created within the knuckle which heal very quickly and scar. Scar tissue is stronger and helps develop the knuckles for impact.

Finger tip push-ups help with grip.

[ShadownINja]

shouldbworking said:

I thought that it used different muscle groups.

The simplest way is to do a few and see what muscles ache. TBH I don't notice my forearms doing any real work compared to, say, hanging from the fingertips off a doorframe.

[Halb]

I remember a chap who did push ups on his wrists, I tried them...they weren't very comfortable

[goldblum]

Halb said:

I remember a chap who did push ups on his wrists, I tried them...they weren't very comfortable

One push up on palms,fast,and as you accelerate up turn your hands so you land on the back of them.Then push up like that.Alternate.

Truthfully the best exercise for knuckles,as punching involves impact,is to put some bag gloves on and

do rounds on a heavy bag.Less chance of injury than hitting a board/Muk Yang Jong.