Hit&Run
03-12-2010, 11:37 PM
After Thursday's feature on hand injuries in MMA, we heard from Bas Rutten, who expounded on the topic and suggested that fighters might want to hit bags bare-handed and learn proper technique rather than wrapping up and thinking their hands are indestructible:
"Make sure that the bone in the hand that's gonna receive the impact is STRAIGHT on the forearm bone. A straight line doesn't break. If there's a curve in that line, THEN it breaks."
Also good, Bas says: Do push-ups on the two major knuckles.
Bas says hands can break using Pancrase-style open-hand strikes. But he thinks today's fighters should consider using them more often:
"I love palm strikes because you have a longer reach. Normally when you give a left hook and then a right straight, you are TOO close for the right straight, why? Because the hook is shorter. When you give him instead of a left hook a left palm strike, NOW your right arm (that follows) can really extend, thus has way more impact."
Meanwhile, MMAJunkie.com correspondent/doctor Johnny Benjamin is astounded by the backlash against Brian Bowles for choosing not to fight on with a broken hand.
"As an orthopedic surgeon, I realize how painful and tricky a hand fracture can be. I also realize the career-ending risks that are involved with continuing to fight another two to three rounds with such an injury. I cannot even begin to tell you the number of fighters who have seen their very promising and lucrative careers impacted or ended due to recurring hand issues related to a fracture. ...
"Brian, stay healthy, listen to your doctors treating this injury, and come back stronger than ever. You did the right thing!"
"Make sure that the bone in the hand that's gonna receive the impact is STRAIGHT on the forearm bone. A straight line doesn't break. If there's a curve in that line, THEN it breaks."
Also good, Bas says: Do push-ups on the two major knuckles.
Bas says hands can break using Pancrase-style open-hand strikes. But he thinks today's fighters should consider using them more often:
"I love palm strikes because you have a longer reach. Normally when you give a left hook and then a right straight, you are TOO close for the right straight, why? Because the hook is shorter. When you give him instead of a left hook a left palm strike, NOW your right arm (that follows) can really extend, thus has way more impact."
Meanwhile, MMAJunkie.com correspondent/doctor Johnny Benjamin is astounded by the backlash against Brian Bowles for choosing not to fight on with a broken hand.
"As an orthopedic surgeon, I realize how painful and tricky a hand fracture can be. I also realize the career-ending risks that are involved with continuing to fight another two to three rounds with such an injury. I cannot even begin to tell you the number of fighters who have seen their very promising and lucrative careers impacted or ended due to recurring hand issues related to a fracture. ...
"Brian, stay healthy, listen to your doctors treating this injury, and come back stronger than ever. You did the right thing!"