Any other styles?

Question

Are there any other styles that punch with the thumb on top of the fist, vs. being held on the side? I have never seen one and as far as I know Isshin-Ryu is unique in this respect.

Answer 1

On top of the fist, that sounds canny dangerous to me (thumb breaking territory) lol.

:-)

EDIT: I'll give it a go mate :-)

Answer 2

Katana, I have seen this fist many times. I would agree that it protects the thumb from being jambed as easily as in the normal position. The picture you provided is slightly mis-shaped  

Compared to my fist. The picture does look like the thumb would be easily injured.   I was told many years ago that the hard styles developed this fist because if grabbed it is easier to slip out of the grab than if the thumb is in the normal position. Not sure I believe it but I'll pass it on to you.

Answer 3

Although that punching style isn't specific to Shito-Ryu, which is what I study, I like to punch in that way. I feel it allows me to use my thumb as a weapon as well as tightens my fist.

Answer 4

Just with hammer fists, spinning or otherwise. Not with straight punches.

Answer 5

Off the top of my head I use this fist with the thumb up for hitting pressure points with the thumb knuckle.  However, pressure point strikes such as this are, I believe an added "ditty" the teacher likes to share.  In defense combinations, the fist can appear from nowhere to make the strike.  This fist may also be used as a back knuckle punch, with the index and middle finger knuckles as the impact point.

As a jab,..or hook,..or general "rule of thumb",..I am not familiar with that.

Yes,.Tao J!   Jeet kun Do is practiced by some I know and I have seen them use it as a jab.

( It confused the heck out of me!)  Wow, as a jab it feels like you throw your shoulder into it and lock everything on impact, it's a quick snap and return).

Lol,..still awkward for me.

I do American Kenpo

Answer 6

I'm assuming you mean "thumb on top of fist" as in the alignment of the fist when throwing a punch, rather than making a fist.  

Many Chinese martial arts including Wing Chun and Jeet Kun Do use the "chung choi / chung chuie" or "vertical fist" technique when throwing many punches.  The concept is that with a vertical fist the punch is quicker and more powerful than a rotating fist.

Also there are many western boxing schools that prefer a vertical fist when throwing a jab or a hook (the hook in particular).

Answer 7

Hi there

Yes there are. There are even styles that actually strike with the tip of the thumb. This may seem a rather strange concept to some. Its not boxing but it still has its place within striking techniques.

Best wishes

idai

Answer 8

Wing Chun

Hsing I

Wu Mei (but often as Phoenix Eye fist (single knuckle fist)

Pak Mei and Hung Gar use the thumb to hook in inside to outside block fashion.  Then use sideknuckles to strike temple in inside striking or raking motion--very painful and distracting.  

Ippon ken is usually used to describe index or middle finger strikes.  Never heard of it used to describe thumb strikes.  Also, don't do it, I have arthritis from one thumb strike which missed opponent and hit wall 35 years ago.  Or was it the time my seiken made it through the wall but my thumb didn't?  Ouch, ouch!  (We fought full contact back then and never pulled punches.)  

Don't have any problems with seiken, and I've goofed many more times with that.

Also, thumb strikes, very bad, the thumb joint is a very shallow ball and half socket.  One student hit another in the throat with the thumb and immediately dislocated his thumb.  He had just seen that in "Five Fingers of Death" or something!  I chewed his head off.  The movie was actually titled differently in the original Chinese language, "Four Fatal Fingers and Dumb Thumb."  :)

Chung Chui means charging punch,  Jeen Chui means battle punch, both refer to combinations of punches in quick succession.  The vertical fist alignment is "Yat Jee Kuen" or sun character fist, but none of these three address placement of the thumb.  They facilitate keeping the elbow down, which increases connection.  I think this and the two elbow break techniques commonly used at that time were the main reasons why the punch was switched to elbows down, vertical fist.  

Other styles of Karate if they perform the punch correctly, also keep the elbow down, even in the twisting punch, but it's harder to do.

Answer 9

Thumb on top of the fist instead instead if being held to the side? Do you mean like vertical punches? Well we have our thumbs facing upward in Wing Chun due to our vertical punches if that answers your question.

So that's what you mean. The thing about the vertical punch opposed to the cross is that the vertical gives bone alignment. Which then adds more power and less chance of being hurt. If you relax, it also gives that speed you need. It is used mainly in Wing Chun.

Answer 10

some styles use both depending on what technique you are using, especially freestyle karates.

Answer 11

Yes it's the "ippon ken" or one point fist of karate because the contact surface is the thumb knuckle to soft targets side of neck groin ribs etc thrown much like a ridge hand.By pushing the middle knuckle of the index finger forward and holding it in place and braced with the thumb in this manner for striking forward you have ryuto ken or dragons eye fist which the chinese sometimes call pheonix eye fist.

ISSHIN RYU is the only okinawan style to use it for punching and it is not the thumb breaker it appears to be in fact if your opponent is evading by moving his head side to side you are less likely to hurt your thumb if you miss.

I wouldn't use it for the standard flat fist punch however but only vertically. as in wing chun

Answer 12

There is one I know where you  strike with the thumb that is on top of the fist. It is called boshikin.