I have 16oz gloves with a fair amount of padding. They're Triumph United Heat-seekers. I generally like them, good quality, but I find it's easy after a period of inactivity for my conscious perception of my hand to get lost in the mass of the glove, and I end up punching on my fingers instead of my gloves. Not full-on slapping, but not as direct on the knuckle as I'd like. Is it easier to get accustomed to really turning punches over on gloves with less padding on the knuckles? Any other tips you guys know for strengthening the hardness and/or stiffness with which one lands with?
I found that this issue is about your hand strength and not as much the glove. When do you find yourself doing this? At the beginning of your workout or as you get deeper? It probably gets worse as your grip fatigues. As your grip goes, you start using "the glove" and not your fist. One thing I will say is that it is "easier" to develop knuckle/wrist/elbow/shoulder problems in too hard a glove on too hard a bag. :shock: I have done a couple of things: -- LIGHT bag work using workman's gloves with the entire emphasis on keeping a TIGHT fist, rigid wrist, and knuckle contact. The point is the fist/wrist NOT digging the bag!!!! -- MEDIUM bag work using a less padded "punchers" glove with an emphasis on the same as above. -- Let your gloves break in. :yep I am not a volume puncher so this alone was enough for me, but you may be different. You may also want the following exercises in 2-3 minute intervals however many times you need: -- Farmer carries (hold a heavy dumbell for a round trying to squeeze though the bar. -- Bar hangs (palm facing away from you) -- Pullups (palm facing away) -- Wrist roll-ups (palm to the floor and ceiling) you need special equipment for this This content is protected Your punch strength will come from just improving incorporating more of your body into a punch. Arm punching can whip a ton of guys. When a guy can transfer and concentrate the entire force and momentum of his body on the end of a fist? Look out!
You're right, it is as I get deeper into my workout. My fingers start to hurt, though I can't always tell if its from landing wrong or just from squeezing the glove closed consistently. Those exercises seem like they'd be a big help, thank you! I stay away from arm punching, I try to be as technically disciplined as possible. All of those things should help but I'm still curious as to whether or not a glove thinner around the knuckles might improve accuracy. I've heard a few things about toughening the knuckles with rice and whatnot helping you land hard on your punches.