Seeking advice on how to deal with bloody knuckles

hangulmalmotayo

hangulmalmotayo

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This is probably a stupid question, but how do you guys deal with bloody knuckles? I've just sort of trained through them, but I'm wondering if anyone else had a strategy for dealing with them. Obviously, cuts and scabs re-open pretty easily once they form, but it seems too much to simply avoid bag work until it heals. Is that the only option? I don't want to get a staph infection...

Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!
 
You're using a heavy bag with bare knuckles? Put some wraps and gloves on.
 
Hmm, I've never had that happen other than from hitting the bag wrong. Are you sure you're wrapping and punching correctly? Is your skin dry, maybe lotion would help?

If nothing else you could always do some TMA exercises to develop callouses. Knuckle pushups, gently hitting rice or boards, whatever.
 
fluffball said:
Hmm, I've never had that happen other than from hitting the bag wrong. Are you sure you're wrapping and punching correctly? Is your skin dry, maybe lotion would help?

If nothing else you could always do some TMA exercises to develop callouses. Knuckle pushups, gently hitting rice or boards, whatever.
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That's helpful. Thanks!
 
I am assuming that you are bloodying your knuckles by punching the bag. In which case, refine your technique. Instead of throwing your hardest punches and feeling like a demon, try stabbing with your middle knuckle and feel like an assassin. You will have more force transferring into your target, your hand will retract to your guard faster and you will need less energy/effort to get the same effect.

However, if my assumption is wrong and you have bloodied your knuckles in another activity and you just want to keep training, then don't hit anything until they are healed. Work your legs, footwork, shadow or conditioning, etc.
 
I would not recommend punching with the middle knuckle, I think you'll go from skinned knuckles to a broken hand.

There are a lot of ways to punch though; go with your coach's technique.
 
Fire of Youth said:
I am assuming that you are bloodying your knuckles by punching the bag. In which case, refine your technique. Instead of throwing your hardest punches and feeling like a demon, try stabbing with your middle knuckle and feel like an assassin. You will have more force transferring into your target, your hand will retract to your guard faster and you will need less energy/effort to get the same effect.

However, if my assumption is wrong and you have bloodied your knuckles in another activity and you just want to keep training, then don't hit anything until they are healed. Work your legs, footwork, shadow or conditioning, etc.
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Thanks, man.

It's not so much that my knuckles are constantly getting new cuts; it's just that when a knuckle starts to bleed, the same scab will continually open in the same place each time I'm on the bag. So I was wondering whether there was another option than waiting a few days for it to heal before doing anything on the bag. But now that I phrase the question in just this manner, it seems like the question is dumb and the answer relatively obvious.
 
fluffball said:
I would not recommend punching with the middle knuckle, I think you'll go from skinned knuckles to a broken hand.

There are a lot of ways to punch though; go with your coach's technique.
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Yeah, I don't think my technique is unsound. I punch with the last three knuckles.
 
hangulmalmotayo said:
This is probably a stupid question, but how do you guys deal with bloody knuckles? I've just sort of trained through them, but I'm wondering if anyone else had a strategy for dealing with them. Obviously, cuts and scabs re-open pretty easily once they form, but it seems too much to simply avoid bag work until it heals. Is that the only option? I don't want to get a staph infection...

Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!
Click to expand...


What kind of gloves are you using? Are you using speed bag gloves or something?
 
wtf? Either you are the hardest puncher ever or you have weak knuckles or you have some flimsy gloves or a combination of everything. How do you get bloody knuckles from wearing wraps and gloves?

Are you wrapping your knuckles properly and are you using 16oz gloves? Maybe use 2 or 3 wraps or those pufffy gel wraps on your knuckles and switch to a 20 oz gloves or higher. holy cow is this a troll thread?

Can you upload a vid of you doing bag work? Are your bags made out of spikes or something? Just how?
 
freaky said:
wtf? Either you are the hardest puncher ever or you have weak knuckles or you have some flimsy gloves or a combination of everything. How do you get bloody knuckles from wearing wraps and gloves?

Are you wrapping your knuckles properly and are you using 16oz gloves? Maybe use 2 or 3 wraps or those pufffy gel wraps on your knuckles and switch to a 20 oz gloves or higher. holy cow is this a troll thread?

Can you upload a vid of you doing bag work? Are your bags made out of spikes or something? Just how?
Click to expand...

I get cuts on my first 2 knuckles from doing long heavy bag sessions and I use wraps and 16oz fairtex gloves. My punching technique isnt hideous and I'm wrapping my hands correctly, I didn't think it was too out of the ordinary if you're training several times a week. When it gets bad, I just take a week off boxing and do other exercise for a week to let my hands heal. I've only been training a few years so I imagine my hands will get tougher eventually.
 
Prime Yossarian said:
I get cuts on my first 2 knuckles from doing long heavy bag sessions and I use wraps and 16oz fairtex gloves. My punching technique isnt hideous and I'm wrapping my hands correctly, I didn't think it was too out of the ordinary if you're training several times a week. When it gets bad, I just take a week off boxing and do other exercise for a week to let my hands heal. I've only been training a few years so I imagine my hands will get tougher eventually.
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Jeez you guys are making me feel like I'm doing something wrong. I'm not even using the boxing wrap around the knuckles a billion time technique and I'm just using the cheap everlast glove and I barely get red knuckles.
 
use lotion maybe guys? I can't fathom how you're getting cuts unless your shit is just all dry
 
freaky said:
wtf? Either you are the hardest puncher ever or you have weak knuckles or you have some flimsy gloves or a combination of everything. How do you get bloody knuckles from wearing wraps and gloves?

Are you wrapping your knuckles properly and are you using 16oz gloves? Maybe use 2 or 3 wraps or those pufffy gel wraps on your knuckles and switch to a 20 oz gloves or higher. holy cow is this a troll thread?

Can you upload a vid of you doing bag work? Are your bags made out of spikes or something? Just how?
Click to expand...
I'm wrapping my hands properly. I've tried different wraps and different ways of wrapping my hands. For the last six months or so I've been using Le Roys (two on each hand) and 16oz. gloves.

Really, though, I'm not a complete imbecile. I'm not just banging away at the heavy bag. I work on keeping my guard up and planting decent shots; I'm not just bum rushing the bag or swinging wildly. I have seen such people at the gym, and I aim not to be one of them. My punches generally land straight—they pop. I'm not dragging my hand up and down the bag like it's sandpaper. Whether it's on the bag or sparring or doing mitts, I've been told that my technique and form are sound by different coaches. So I'm fairly certain that's not the problem.

Also, I should emphasize that this doesn't happen all the time. It'll happen once in a while that I get a cut, but once I get one, it takes forever to heal unless I lay off the bag for a few days.
 
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