Taking a punch

[Booze Zombie]

Quotey stuff

Well, I'm not a fighter, I just like to know this stuff so if my ineptness gets me into such a situation, I can deal with it better than if I didn't know anything.

-snip-

Your skull would be a good idea as it is made to survive a knock or two and there is a high chance the attacker would break his knuckles from the impact. until boxing gloves came in there were hardly any punches to the head due to the risk of injury to your hand.

Should I carry around hand-wraps in the unlikely chance I ever get into a fight, then?

 

[Kungfu_Teddybear]

Why don't you punch yourself in the forehead and find out?

 

[CarpathianMuffin]

Just find a good way to brace yourself for the hit without causing possible brain damage. The forehead strategy would work, just not in the long run.

 

[Shock and Awe]

I would say the best way is to try to move with the punch. If you try not to move back it hurts worse. If you let it push you it hurts less.

 

[Fwee]

Like anyone has the time to consider where they should let someone punch them while the fist is already on it's way. I'd say the hairline/top forehead area is pretty good since it's thick and rounded the fist will probably just skim off with minimal damage. Just don't stick your chin out, keep your hands up and WEAVE!

 

[VivaciousDeimos]

I'm sure you've heard the expression "Roll with the punches."
It comes from boxing. You never want to take a hit full on, instead you want to try and absorb some of the impact by rolling with it... ie. Punch coming from the left side, roll right.

It reminds me of what they teach in Systema, where if you're in a grab or if someone's trying to forcefully steer you in a certain direction, you go the way the attacker is pushing to help get out of it.

Its a wonderful show that answers such age-old questions as: How many pounds of boobage are required to crush a beer can, and, how much alcohol must you insert into your rectum to get inebriated?

I've seen the show, or at least the beginning; it's a little too fanservicey for me to keep watching. If I want to know about the intriguing physics of breasts I'll just experiment with my own.

Though I will say I love 1000 Ways To Die which usually airs around the same time. Less fan serve, more Darwin hilarity.

 

[barbzilla]

If you really want to take a punch start developing iron shirt. This is a technique using your muscles to absorb the impact of a strike. The basic idea is to flex your muscles at the moment of impact and release the tension as the blow pushes through (this is a major over generalization and you should actually study and practice before using this technique), however as far as I know this is the best way to take a punch.

The better option by far though is to not be there.... As for the original post your forehead can take a very strong blow, but it can also create a concussive force and cause brain damage.

 

[Superhyperactiveman]

If you absolutely have to get hit in the face during a fight, you can do a lot worse than the forehead. Granted, it's right where your brain is, but thanks to the wonders of evolution, that's okay. Your skull is designed to be able to take really tough impact on the forehead. Yeah, it'll hurt like a mother-fucker, but unlike the jaw, cheeks, nose, or back of the head, it's highly unlikely that you'll actually sustain any serious damage. Plus, there's a good chance your opponent will hurt his hand. That said, the skin on your forehead is easier to cut than most of your face, so there's always the danger of blood getting into your eyes. But your forehead is more likely to be cut by something grazing across it like a sidewards elbow or an arcing kick. A straight punch is really bad for opening up a cut unless it grazes the side of your head or something.

 

[TilMorrow]

Quotey stuff

Well, I'm not a fighter, I just like to know this stuff so if my ineptness gets me into such a situation, I can deal with it better than if I didn't know anything.

You can always try Falcon Punching them. Seriously, its super effective.

 

[Irony's Acolyte]

Well I know that your forehead is pretty hard, so it would better be able to take the hit. And you might get the added bonus of the other guy screwing up his hand by hitting you there as finger are a bit more delicate. Although I imagine that with enough force the blow would still knock you out.

This is mainly speculation from me as I'm not that knowledgable on such matters.

 

[The Heik]

Out of curiosity, I was looking up how to take a punch and a common theme seems to be that out of all the places to be hit, your forehead is one of the best as it's designed for rough impacts.

Watching a video, a martial artist claims that if you can't block and have to take a punch, what he likes to do is move his forehead into the guy's fist and whilst the other guy is occupied with that, double-punch him in the chest.
A tonne of comments claim that this is bullshit and that "in a real fight, a punch to your head is a K/O".

As I'm uneducated in these matters, it'd be nice if some of The Escapists more physically educated members could set the matter straight for me here.
Anyone?

I think I know where the martial artist is coming from. Most head shots are aimed to make your head snap back and forth, causing damage to the brain by effectively ping-ponging it against the insides of your skull. But when your curl your head forwards, your body suddenly becomes inline with the strike, making the shock wave from the punch to travel through your whole body rather than just your skull. This allows your body, which is designed for hard hits vertically, to act like a spring and absorb the worst of the blow, keeping your brain from bouncing.

It's also be less painful, as the top of your skull is one of the thickest part of bone on your body, and contains some of the smallest concentrations of nerves, so you'd feel less damage in addition to being dealt less.

 

[Platinum117]

The forehead would be good to take a hit on, the skull is very hard and a bad punch could mean your attacked breaks his knuckles. A strong punch led with the 2 outside knuckles can cuase a boxers break. believe me ive done it. Knuckle is still not where it used to be

 

[barbzilla]

I would still rather utilize iron shirt as well as avoidance. I have seen first hand how effective an over head hammer fist strike to the forehead can be at causing enough concussive force to knock someone out. When you think of a punch don't think about being able to take it, don't think about stopping it, instead think about deflecting it. It only takes a small amount of energy to change the trajectory of a punch.

 

[Booze Zombie]

I think I know where the martial artist is coming from. Most head shots are aimed to make your head snap back and forth, causing damage to the brain by effectively ping-ponging it against the insides of your skull. But when your curl your head forwards, your body suddenly becomes inline with the strike, making the shock wave from the punch to travel through your whole body rather than just your skull. This allows your body, which is designed for hard hits vertically, to act like a spring and absorb the worst of the blow, keeping your brain from bouncing.

It's also be less painful, as the top of your skull is one of the thickest part of bone on your body, and contains some of the smallest concentrations of nerves, so you'd feel less damage in addition to being dealt less.

It's still the last resort, even with the great defensive power it offers. I guess that's why it's the last resort.

 

[Lionsfan]

The best place to take a punch? I'm gonna say the ass, all fat there, no bones to break nothing. But since timing out a punch to spin around and moon them is rather difficult I'd say the forehead. Like others have said it's the densest part of bone on your body

 

[The Heik]

self snip

It's still the last resort, even with the great defensive power it offers. I guess that's why it's the last resort.

Hey, I didn't say that it was a great plan, but if you're in that circumstance it's the best option. Personally, I prefer to deflect with my forearms before they can complete the attack because it takes less energy to do and allows for quick counter-attacking, of which I am a fan.