Knucle push ups.

Just wondering. Does anyone here do knuckle push ups?
Do you push up on the back of the fingers or the actual knuckles?
If knuckles; which one's. Top two or bottom three or all four?

2 striking knuckles otherwise what is the point?

2 striking knuckles otherwise what is the point?

When you wear gloves, if you do, you can't exactly hit with knuckles.
I guess for that you should do push ups on the whole fist.

some people do them for variation. Some do them cause wrist can't handle regular push ups. Some people think it's cool.

I have mixed fillings about knuckle push ups.
Some say that they make fist stronger. Some say that they deform the joints on the back of the hands.
I guess if you do them, you must really know what you are doing. Linements and all that stuff.

[Mike165f]

Well, I do knuckles pushups exclusively. The reason being I'm one of those people who "can't handle regular push ups". I'm hoping I will eventually develop enough stability in my wrists to do normal pushups without pain. One thing to remember is to do them on your first two knuckles. This is something I've actually forgotten to do. As a result, I'm having some discomfort in my left hand. oh well, I'll be more careful in the future.

Well, I do knuckles pushups exclusively. The reason being I'm one of those people who "can't handle regular push ups". I'm hoping I will eventually develop enough stability in my wrists to do normal pushups without pain. One thing to remember is to do them on your first two knuckles. This is something I've actually forgotten to do. As a result, I'm having some discomfort in my left hand. oh well, I'll be more careful in the future.

I can't do them on my hands either.
My wrist is messed up. Been like that for over ten years.
I do them on my knuckles. I strike with a vertical fist and not horizontal.
I strike with bottom three knuckles, not top two.
So I do my push ups on the knuckles, but on the bottom three, not top two.

Well, I do knuckles pushups exclusively. The reason being I'm one of those people who "can't handle regular push ups". I'm hoping I will eventually develop enough stability in my wrists to do normal pushups without pain. One thing to remember is to do them on your first two knuckles. This is something I've actually forgotten to do. As a result, I'm having some discomfort in my left hand. oh well, I'll be more careful in the future.

I can't do them on my hands either.
My wrist is messed up. Been like that for over ten years.
I do them on my knuckles. I strike with a vertical fist and not horizontal.
I strike with bottom three knuckles, not top two.
So I do my push ups on the knuckles, but on the bottom three, not top two.

That makes sense.

Just keep in mind that a punch and a push are two very different techniques.

[speedy]

Just wondering. Does anyone here do knuckle push ups?
Do you push up on the back of the fingers or the actual knuckles?
If knuckles; which one's. Top two or bottom three or all four?

The key to knuckle pushups is treat it like a punch. When you punch a wall, person, board, brick, whatever, you don't use the whole hand. The key to a powerful punch is punch with the first two knuckles (plus the hip, and other things...), which is why you do pushups only on those two.

[speedy]

2 striking knuckles otherwise what is the point?

When you wear gloves, if you do, you can't exactly hit with knuckles.
I guess for that you should do push ups on the whole fist.

Gloves are not a factor here. Plus, when using gloves, the condition of your knuckles is irrelevant.

[speedy]

I have mixed fillings about knuckle push ups.
Some say that they make fist stronger. Some say that they deform the joints on the back of the hands.
I guess if you do them, you must really know what you are doing. Linements and all that stuff.

Personally I think you will cause more damage doing pushups with your flat hands bend like that, versus knuckle pushups having the top of the hand flush with the rest of the arm.

I have mixed fillings about knuckle push ups.
Some say that they make fist stronger. Some say that they deform the joints on the back of the hands.
I guess if you do them, you must really know what you are doing. Linements and all that stuff.

Personally I think you will cause more damage doing pushups with your flat hands bend like that, versus knuckle pushups having the top of the hand flush with the rest of the arm.

Top of the hand flush with the rest of the arm?
What's flush?

[speedy]

I had a hunch that term would not be clear. Okay, when you throw punch, the proper way to do it is first having a fist so the first two knuckles are further out from the rest. Now the bend of the wrist should have it so the top of the hand is flush with the rest of the arm, meaning no slope. So if you had a punch out, and slid your other hand from the top of the hand to where your arm bends, that should be a flat surface, no bends. Is that clearer?

Sorry Speedy,
still don't get it.

[speedy]

In short, don't bend your wrist/fist up or down when doing a punch, keep it flat so it evens out with the rest of your arm. Can anyone else clarify on this???

In short, don't bend your wrist/fist up or down when doing a punch, keep it flat so it evens out with the rest of your arm. Can anyone else clarify on this???
Ok basically you take your arm and put it out. Straight arm right in front of you. The fist is the level of the shoulder. Your fist is horizontal. All knuckles are on the side of each other, not one on the top of each other.
Now take a flat board or a book and put it so that it's on the top of the forearm and the back of the fist. The whole books should be in contact with the skin. This will make your arm straight.

Is this something similar to what you meant, Speedy?

[speedy]

Pretty much. I can explain it better if I were face to face with the person.

Pretty much. I can explain it better if I were face to face with the person.

:wink:
Assuming that they throw a horizontal fist punch.

[TO]

I hold my fists as if doing a vertical punch. My arms are tight to the body, and in the down push up position they would be where the hikite would be. It takes a lot of hand and forearms strength to do many knuckle push-ups because of the need to stabilize the wrist. Hand grippers or a squeeze ball can can help you build up this strength.

If you're planning on doing any bare-handed punching, it's best to use the two big knuckles. Therefore, it makes sense to do knuckle push-ups on those knuckles. If your hands are normally wrapped and packaged in gloves when you punch, I would still do the push-ups on the two big knuckles.

To work the biceps, I hold my fists with the palms up and do the knuckle push-ups that way.

I hold my fists as if doing a vertical punch. My arms are tight to the body, and in the down push up position they would be where the hikite would be. It takes a lot of hand and forearms strength to do many knuckle push-ups because of the need to stabilize the wrist. Hand grippers or a squeeze ball can can help you build up this strength.

If you're planning on doing any bare-handed punching, it's best to use the two big knuckles. Therefore, it makes sense to do knuckle push-ups on those knuckles. If your hands are normally wrapped and packaged in gloves when you punch, I would still do the push-ups on the two big knuckles.

To work the biceps, I hold my fists with the palms up and do the knuckle push-ups that way.


How did you come up with biceps? I think you mean triceps.
Cause biceps have nothing to do with pushing moves.

[TO]

How did you come up with biceps? I think you mean triceps.
Cause biceps have nothing to do with pushing moves.

Biceps. Warm up by doing say 10 push ups this way, with palms up and knuckles to your toes. Then, hold the yourself in the down postion, elbows bent, chest off the floor, for as long as you can. I think you'll find that in addition to your triceps, your biceps will have gotten a serious work-out.

[Appleman]

I guess if you spread your arms wide and hold the push up postion down, you will hit the biceps. It's better than nothing if you have only the floor and no other way to work the biceps.
If you have something to pull yourself to, than there are more effective ways to work the biceps.

[koltz]

Theres no possible pushing motion that hits the biceps , except rows only thing that does would probably be dragon flags isometrically(more like a tendon strech in the BI's feeling)

[TO]

Have you ever done a static curl? Take a barbell or 45 lbs plate, and hold it in front of you, elbows bent at a right angle, and hold it for a couple minutes. If you're not using a French curl grip, you'll notice that your palms are facing up and your knuckles are towards your toes. What muscles are you working as you hold this position? Now, get on the floor, palms up, knuckles towards toes. In order to hit the biceps, you'll need an angle greater than 90 degrees.

I never said this was the optimal exercise for working the biceps. But if you're doing knuckle push-ups, this is a variation you can consider, especially if you don't have a pull-up bar. If my description doesn't convince, just try it. It costs you nothing-that's the beauty of bodyweight exercises.

Have you ever done a static curl? Take a barbell or 45 lbs plate, and hold it in front of you, elbows bent at a right angle, and hold it for a couple minutes. If you're not using a French curl grip, you'll notice that your palms are facing up and your knuckles are towards your toes. What muscles are you working as you hold this position? Now, get on the floor, palms up, knuckles towards toes. In order to hit the biceps, you'll need an angle greater than 90 degrees.

I never said this was the optimal exercise for working the biceps. But if you're doing knuckle push-ups, this is a variation you can consider, especially if you don't have a pull-up bar. If my description doesn't convince, just try it. It costs you nothing-that's the bodyweight exercises.

You are right, if it's more than 90 degrees it will be felt in the biceps.
The closer the angle to 180, the more it will be felt. Not as great as moving exercise, but if statics is the only choice, than it's better than nothing.

[Steel91]

I do knuckle pushups ocasionally, I do them on either the index knuckle or the index and middle knuckle. I don't really have a set opinion on them but I like doing 'em.

[TO]

Not as great as moving exercise, but if statics is the only choice, than it's better than nothing.
I'm not so convinced that static (and also isometric) are totally inferior to dynamic exercises. Gymnasts and rock climbers, among a select group of athletes, do mostly static exercises: iron cross, V/L sits, planche, bent arm hangs, etc. While these types of exercises don't build much hypertrophy, they do build incredible, ape-like strength.

I think the future of bodyweight exercising is in the direction that these athletes are going. Forget about doing many reps of bodyweight, and focus on very long contractions (minutes). Some people think that this will lead to a reduced dynamic range of motion because because the joints and limbs are stuck in one position. I don't think this is the case, considering gymnasts don't seem to suffer in the floor exercises and rock climbers continue to be able to pull themselves up from any fingerhold.

[jnpnshr411]

knukle push-ups are made to strenghten your two main knucles used for striking.

Here is a food for thought.
What do you really do when you push up with knuckles? - You push with two bones. Now when you punch you don't push, you hit. So hitting with knucles is a better preparation for a punch than pushing with knuckles.
I won't argue that you need puch ups first before punching, but punching can't be complitely forgotten as a training tool.

[jnpnshr411]

that is true. But push ups with your knuckles strenghten them while just swinging your fist at hard objects can just end you up at the doctor's office.

[TO]

Here is a food for thought.
What do you really do when you push up with knuckles? - You push with two bones. Now when you punch you don't push, you hit. So hitting with knucles is a better preparation for a punch than pushing with knuckles.
I won't argue that you need puch ups first before punching, but punching can't be complitely forgotten as a training tool.
Push-ups on your knuckles builds strength which stabilizes your wrist and fist. You are less likely to have your wrist collapse when you hit the heavy bag (or your opponent) if your training included knuckle push ups.

I was looking for a video of K.push ups. Did not find one done correctly. Most people do fist push up and call it knuckle push up.

[speedy]

Well since when you do a "fist" pushup you are on your knuckles, I would always call them knucklepushups.

It's much easier to cheat and do them on the fist. So most people do them that way. Plus allot of people don't want "big knuckles". Also I have seen martial artists breaking some hard core stuff and their knuckles did not look super conditioned.

[koltz]

not everyone CAN do them on the knuckles right away, I'm no fighter but I can do a perefect one arm pushup for like 3-5 reps (55kg resistance at the bottom 45-8 KG at the top tested with a scale + balancing = 60+ kg at the middle on one arm...)
BUT I can't do full range finger pushups yet.

and big knuckles are sexy , for guys at least there like a six pack pecs stuff liek that, only people who want to look like a feminine anime boy or something wouldn't want to be "too big"

[Appleman]

I don't know about that Koltz.
I had women ask me "What is the matter with your knuckles?"
When they are big it one thing, when they have calloses on them, that's different I guess.

[koltz]

Caloses aren't exactly size...

but you know musculine stuff attract women in general , semi shaved face muscles six pack knuckels wide sholders comfidance stuff like that , only confused 13 year old teenage girls really like the feminine emo boi stuff or thoose whos idea about guys comes from watching a lot of thoose anime shows form the net :)

Plenty of women like femanine men. Other wise they would have died out. "Survival of the fittest"
P.S. I ain't femanine. :roll:

[koltz]

nah , everyone can be feminine , just stop eating play computer games all day get expansive punk clothes wear makeup style your hair cry out about everything , be a pussy and eat soy oil to grow a pair of boobs when your 20, or somewhere in the middle of that

oh and excersise?
yeah you gotta trim down thoose muscles! you don;t want to look too bulky a set pink dumbell flyes on the swiss ball and walking for 2 km a day should do it for you , (and yes I have seen guys like that)

nah , everyone can be feminine , just stop eating play computer games all day get expansive punk clothes wear makeup style your hair cry out about everything , be a pussy and eat soy oil to grow a pair of boobs when your 20, or somewhere in the middle of that

oh and excersise?
yeah you gotta trim down thoose muscles! you don;t want to look too bulky a set pink dumbell flyes on the swiss ball and walking for 2 km a day should do it for you , (and yes I have seen guys like that)

That's a very think line there. Are you sure those guys were not man's men?

[MainFrameSoldier]

Just wondering. Does anyone here do knuckle push ups?
Do you push up on the back of the fingers or the actual knuckles?
If knuckles; which one's. Top two or bottom three or all four?

The key to knuckle pushups is treat it like a punch. When you punch a wall, person, board, brick, whatever, you don't use the whole hand. The key to a powerful punch is punch with the first two knuckles (plus the hip, and other things...), which is why you do pushups only on those two.

:?

[koltz]

Also it seems your hand skin will only develop caluses part of an adaptive process , then it only gets thicker but it will be as smooth and look the same as normal...

[bonnie]

hi...
just to share a small exposure....in boxing when u throw a punch, though u wear those heavy padded gloves, but u always intend to land ur last 3 knuckles...

whereas in martial arts, u use the first 2....

both of them are right on their perspective...
when u use the 2 knuckles, imagine the effect of a pin (concentrated)...
with the 3, its just like a hammar.

Knuckle pushups on the last 3 are done to flatten ur knuckles, so that when u hit, they feel been hit by a hammer....

I was a boxer some times back...(10 yrs...lol)

regds.

[koltz]

Yep , actually one of my old friends was participating kung fu when we were in elementary school , so he always boasted about his powerfull fist technique where he basicly as strengthening his middle ifnger joints ,bringing it up in a fist and using it to do "sharper punches"
damm we used to fight and thoose hurt even as a joke , but when I tried to do them they were painfull

[Moonduck]

hi...
just to share a small exposure....in boxing when u throw a punch, though u wear those heavy padded gloves, but u always intend to land ur last 3 knuckles...

whereas in martial arts, u use the first 2....

Depends on the art in question, and the punch you're doing. I've been taught to use different knuckles on different punches, and never once was taught to use the first two.

It's not good to over-generalise.

[dhuff1500]

You're right in saying it depends on the art. Although I have never had a boxing lesson, I'm pretty sure your feeling of landing the last three knuckles is a result of the glove.

My karate instructor has always told us to punch with your first two knuckles, which is the reason we do knuckle push ups only on our index and middle finger knuckles (keep in mind to have your fists directly below your shoulders and parallel to your body-your knuckles and fingers should be perpendicular) He also makes us do them on a hard surface( he prefers concrete) which helps develop the callouses.

Now, I never do palm push ups because they are simply too easy and it takes hundreds to get a good work out. Knuckle push ups, however, seem to strengthen my wrists more and plus they develop harder callouses so when breaking boards or just randomly punching hard surfaces, I hardly feel it.