Does hand size matter?

Question

Will the size of my hands matter as a boxer? Im fairly well built, and fairly tall for my age, but my hands... are not very big. They are quite small in comparison to other people my size , or even some people shorter than me.

Will this in anyway effect my punching? Would there be any benefit to large hands vs small hands?

PS. this is a serious questiong

Answer 1

Why don't you ask your boxing trainer? He could easily answer this question professionally.

And I don't box, but I think hand size matters just a bit. This is not for sure, though. Just what I personally think.

Answer 2

I have small hands for my size, also. Anyway, your hand size shouldn't effect your power, if that's what you are concerned about. your power basically comes from the proper technique in which you use to throw your punches.

Answer 3

Some say it does, some say it doesn't.  I think it might matter to a small degree, based on the fact that you got more surface when you throw a punch.  But as far as power, in my opinion the hardest hitting heavyweight was Rocky Marciano, and he's know for how small of hands he has.  

It's more important what comes behind the punches.

Answer 4

Brandon,

Hand size definitely matters as does the size of your wrists. I think you're built like me where you're big and strong but have small/weak hands. (maybe forearms too?)  It's easy to hurt your hands which is called having brittle hands. One of the other answers correctly said that having big hands (heavy handed) helps because even an indirect hit hurts, think how much more a direct hit would hurt. Some people answered semi-correctly that your power isn't affected by the size of your hands (in physics power is the amount of word done divided by time) because speed is the key component in power. But the force ( mass x acceleration, in boxing deceleration) generated by a more massive object will  definitely be greater. I said earlier that people answered semi correctly re: hand size and power  because there is a concept called mechanical power which is force x displacement (how much an object moves) Obviously a bigger force (due to bigger mass) will "move" you more. Think, what would do more damage a Hummer hitting your car at 50 mph or a Scion! You probably have a small jaw/chin too. (I do, not good for taking a punch) Some boxers prefer "Winning" brand gloves because they have more padding specially compared to "Reyes" brand gloves (puncher's gloves).

Answer 5

its not an issue really, power comes from the legs and hips, so you have nothing to worry about, small hands are no more suceptible to injury, big handed fighters have what is called "heavy-handedness", as in even a grazing blow will do alot of damage to you, but small-handed fighters are much quicker and can place shots better on there opponents, look at some interviews with mike tyson, his hands are smaller than most other heavyweights, and he retired with an 88% knockout rate

Answer 6

no it shouldnt affect anything, you would be weraing gloves anyway. My dad used to teach boxing and he doesnt have very big hands.

Answer 7

I don't think there has ever been a study on this but my personal take is this. The guys with the bigger profound knuckles especially the index & middle knuckles "which should be the only knuckles you are hitting with" have punches that I have felt more. What I mean is that with 8 oz gloves you can really feel those knuckles on your head. However the guys with the bigger knuckles also tend to have more hand problems, a flatter type hand/knuckles  has less hand trouble. I have experienced this with my fighters as well.

I have worked with many fighters with every type of hand & I have never really noticed that any of these guys were bigger punchers because of there hand size. I was able to notice that the guys with the bigger knuckles had more sting to there punches, I was always able to feel a little more sting when working the pads.

Either you have a punch or you don't, your hand size isn't going to make you a bigger puncher because of it & even if I am wrong I seriously doubt it would be a huge difference, just work hard at this beautiful science called Boxing.

Good Luck..