How do you take a punch?

Question

I don't understand how some people get hit in the face and take it, I know if i took a punch to the head, i'd probably just fall down or be Knocked out.

Answer 1

Well, there are a few ways that you can "take" a punch. First off, if you're talking about a straight up, un-blocked, solid shot to the face, it all depends on where you get hit. If you get a good shot right in the temple or chin, chances are you're going down regardless of who you are. However, getting a square shot in the nose, below the eyes, in the cheeks, really doesn't do as much damage as people think. Being a mixed martial artist (Ultimate Fighting), I have taken my fair share of punches all over. The best way to get hit, if you have no choice (meaning you can't dodge, block, or check it), is to pull away from the momentum (do not lean into it, whoever gave that advice needs a lesson in physics) and have it land on your cheek if possible.

The reason people get knocked out from getting hit in the chin is because there are arteries/nerves in your chin, that when they receive a solid shot, all connection to your brain is temporarily shut off. Kind of like turning the lights on and off real fast. Your body goes limp until your brain starts to function again. The reason people get knocked out when they are hit in the temple (very dangerous by the way) is because it's the softest part of the skull, and the closest to your brain as well. Any form of blunt trauma there will knock you nutty, so to speak.

Some people have a naturally strong chin, and can take a shot to the chin without getting knocked out. There are many of them, but I'd swear that some of those guys that I've traded hands with had a jaw of steel. The only REAL way to gain tolerance to a punch is by deadening the nerves in your chin. Consequently, the only way to do that it repeated, and consistent blunt trauma to the chin (not reccomended). So unless you want brain damage, you better start learning some good head movement, quick reaction times, and learn how to cover up! Good luck, hope this answers your question.

Answer 2

On leaning into the punch.......generally a bad idea, but I think I understand what the person meant.

Bruce Lee might has taught this or some other well known person, doesn't really matter too much. But whoever said to keep your hand loose until right before the impact of the punch, when you should tighten your fist.

With that thinking in mind, if you move your head further forward than the puncher thinks, then there is a good chance you'll end up head butting (ideally) a loose open hand.

But I don't believe most fighters are like this, and I've always liked the idea of rolling with the punch rather than trying to overcome the punch. Think Aikido, or what people call "soft" styles.

Answer 3

Some people are more susceptible to being knocked out than others. The density and thickness of their skull, how fast and well that nerve synopsis in their face communicates with their brain is also a factor in this. This is why some good fighters are not able to take a punch as well as give one and the inability to take one can hamper a good fighters career. At the same time I have also seen mediocre fighters who are very durable and can take a punch be better fighters because they are harder to hurt or knock out. They usually have shorter careers because of all the damage they take in their fights though.

Fighters who can somewhat take a punch already can increase their ability by developing their neck muscles as well as the contact of sparring over some time to a higher level. Their pain threshold increases and so does their mental approach to it so that when they do get hit it does not seem obvious that they are hurt or felt it. At the same time a good fighter will also develop his ability to slip punches with time and experience so that when he is getting hit it does not always make hard, solid contact and the impact is minimized. I have had some students/fighters that can not take even a light blow to the head or face and I thell them fighting is not for them and I won't let them spire heavy or full contact for their own safety.

I have a younger friend that took up karate and full contact with someone else and he was such a fighter. While he was very good, his natural ability to take a punch after several fights ended his carreer at the young age of 23 and he now has seizures and is on medication and will be for the rest of his life probably.

Answer 4

roll with it. meaning let the force move you. at that point you are already hit so bieng "static" will make it have more effect.

Leaning into it is the absolute worse way, this is a bad translation of stopping a blow early, which shouldn't be done with your face (unless of course you are carrot-top then you can improve your looks). "jamming" someone should be done with a hand or foot (depending on what is used against you), your hand or foot can take it, your face can't.

Some people are just more hardy than others and can take more hits. Thats why they become pro fighters and others don't. If you have whats called a "glass chin" then you will be the type that will just fall down like you said. Better learn a good defence and how to lower the impact as best you can.

Answer 5

Leaning into a punch that is already striking you, bad idea. Leaning in and stifling the punch or slipping it before it strikes you, good idea. too bad most of us aren't fast enough to pull this trick off. Best way to "take a punch" is to roll away from it, slip to the side of it, or let it glance you and then shift weight back forward.

Now, there are people like myself who've taken their share of punches and kicks to various body parts, chiefly my shins, ribs and head. The pain itself doesn't mean much to me anymore, it's the nerves, as Dan stated. But along with the set of nerves in the chin, there are two more sets that can cause instant blackouts: running along the jaw joint and running along the brow ridge. Alot of traditional arts use these two points in "pressure point" training, but boxers and kickboxers know them because we "box the ears" and "cross the eyes", so to speak. Solid hits in either of these places will also shut the brain down, but outside of these three points, your head can take alot of hits, as long as you don't whiplash your brain around everytime. A solid neck will take some of the force and distribute it, but if you whiplash, you can get a concussion really easy.

Answer 6

Your head should go the same direction as the incoming stike like Roberto Duran. You should learn blocks, and checks from a martial art school. The martial art schools will teach you how to self defend a facial punch....remember alway go with the flow. Do not go towards the opponent aggrassive motion. Check out www.youtube and search aikido, see the Steven Segal Exibition, he is for real.

Answer 7

People take a punch too show off(if they dont faint) so if they look like they dont have any pain in a crown then theyd probably look tought. usually i take the pain then i squish the skin or crush or hold to numb it and make the pain disapear till i let go but itd be gone by then :)

Answer 8

One person said Conditioning, and that is correct. Some styles train conditioning (Kote Kitae, Shime, Makiwara) and some don't. Some that once did have dropped it, and therefore only teach a shadow of karate. Here is a video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pant_xwqHMc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-o6fJtRVlw

Answer 9

Belive it or not the best way to take a punch is to lean into it, and take all there momentum away, and since you already leaning in you might as well hit um with an upercut. trust me it works:)

mike

Answer 10

To take a punch is dumb it just means you arn't good enough to block. So don't worry bout takin punches worry bout keepin your hands up.