How to Be Good at Fist Fighting

Download Article
METHODS
1Taking the Offensive
2Defending Yourself
OTHER SECTIONS
Expert Q&A
Tips and Warnings
Related Articles
References
Article Summary
Co-authored by Adrian Tandez
Last Updated: April 22, 2021 References Approved

While it�s usually best to avoid fighting someone else, there may be times where
you don�t have any other options except throwing a few punches. If you get into a
fist fight and you�re not able to get out of it, there are techniques that you can
use to improve your chances of winning. Practice throwing different punches so you
can get better offensively, and keep your arms up so you�re ready to block your
opponent. With a bit of knowledge and practice, you�ll be able to hold your own in
most fights.

Method
1
Taking the Offensive
Image titled Be Good at Fist Fighting Step 1
1
Get into an active stance so you can move around easily. Keep most of your weight
on the balls of your feet and bend your knees slightly so you�re able to move
around quickly. Turn your body to the side so your dominant side is furthest from
your opponent. Keep your hands level with your cheeks so you�re able to throw
punches quickly while also being able to defend yourself.[1]
You can choose to keep your hands in open palms or make fists in your neutral
stance.
Avoid tensing your body up since you won�t be able to maneuver as effectively.
You may also stand with your dominant side closest to your opponent, but you may
not be able to throw a punch as well.
Image titled Be Good at Fist Fighting Step 2
2
Make tight fists that are in line with your elbows when you punch. Curl your
fingers so the tips dig into the center of your palm. Try to make the front of your
fist as flat as you�re able so you don�t hurt yourself when you throw a punch. Wrap
your thumb around the bottom of your fist and apply pressure to make your fist
tighter. Keep the back of your hand in a straight line with your forearm to keep
the wrist locked.
Don�t wrap your fingers around your thumb since you may end up hurting yourself
when you throw a punch.
Avoid bending your wrist when you make a fist or else your punch won�t be as
powerful when it lands and you could get a sprain.
Image titled Be Good at Fist Fighting Step 3
3
Aim for vulnerable areas to hurt your opponent more. The most vulnerable places on
the face include the eyes, ears, and nose. If you want the fight to end quickly,
direct your punches toward these areas to hurt your opponent and make them less
able to fight back effectively. If you have trouble hitting your opponent in the
face, try going for their neck or throat to stun them.[2]
You should always respect your opponent - don't use any dishonorable tricks, don't
fight dirty and never attack them from behind. Make sure it's a fair fight.
Try kicking your opponent in the crotch or their knees to help take them down
faster so you�re able to get away.
Image titled Be Good at Fist Fighting Step 4
4
Throw a jab with the arm that�s furthest from your opponent. Start by holding your
fists up so they�re level with your cheeks. When you throw the punch, quickly
extend your dominant arm and twist your palm so it faces down. As your arm goes
forward, rotate your dominant shoulder forward to get more power from your punch.
Aim for your opponent�s nose, eyes, or jaw to stun them.[3]
Alternate which hand you jab with to get off multiple, rapid hits.
Keep your other hand in front of your face so you can block your opponent if they
try to hit you.
Tip: Exhale quickly as you throw you punch to help increase the speed and keep you
feeling loose.

Image titled Be Good at Fist Fighting Step 5

5
Practice throwing hooks so your opponent doesn�t see the punch. Hooks are powerful
punches that you throw from the side to catch your opponent off guard. Aim for your
opponent�s cheek or jaw when you throw the punch. Make sure to lock your wrist so
the back of your hand stays in line with your elbow to get the most power.[4]
Put your hands up with open palms to make it look like you don�t want to fight
anymore before throwing a hook with the arm you have out in front. This can be a
great way to surprise your opponent and stun them.
Image titled Be Good at Fist Fighting Step 6
6
Try a headbutt to stun your opponent. If you�re close enough to your opponent, you
may be able to land a headbutt in order to daze them. Quickly tilt your neck back
before slamming it forward into your opponent�s nose or the space between their
eyes. Use the top of your forehead since it�s the strongest spot and will hurt you
the least.[5]
Headbutts are illegal in most official fights, such as mixed martial arts.
Headbutting someone could also knock them unconscious.

Method
2
Defending Yourself
Image titled Be Good at Fist Fighting Step 7
1
Watch your opponent so you can anticipate their movements. Always keep your eyes on
your opponent, specifically watching their eyes and their arms. Pay attention to
their movements so you can guess where they plan on punching you. If you need to
look somewhere else, quickly glance away before returning your gaze back to your
opponent.[6]
While it�s important to always watch your opponent, be aware of your surroundings
so you don�t get backed into a corner or trip on something.
Image titled Be Good at Fist Fighting Step 8
2
Stand with your body turned to the side so you�re harder to hit. Stand so the non-
dominant side of your body faces your opponent with your shoulder out in front.
Keep your chest and hips facing toward the side since that gives your opponent
fewer opportunities to punch you. Shift your weight onto the balls of your feet so
you can easily move around and dodge hits if you need to.[7]
Avoid standing with your body square to your opponent since they will easily be
able to punch your chest or stomach.
Crouch down slightly to make it more difficult for your opponent to hit you.
However, keep in mind that when you�re crouched, your opponent may be able to kick
or knee you in the face easier.
Image titled Be Good at Fist Fighting Step 9
3
Guard your face with your hands and arms so you can block punches. Keep your hands
up near your cheeks so you can react quickly when they throw a punch. When you see
a punch coming toward your head, raise your forearms in front of your face to block
their fist easier. Tense up your arms to brace yourself better and prevent them
from making solid contact.[8]
Make sure you�re still able to see your opponent while you�re blocking or else they
could get a punch off that you aren�t expecting.
Tuck your head down when you�re expecting a punch to help protect sensitive areas,
like your eyes and nose.
Image titled Be Good at Fist Fighting Step 10
4
Push your opponent away to get more distance between you. When your opponent is in
between punches or after you land a punch, open your fists and push your opponent
away as hard as you can. This can help you get back into an optimal stance and
prepare for the next punch while your opponent tries to recover.[9]
Aim to push your opponent by their shoulders or chest so you can throw them off
balance.
Take the opportunity while your opponent�s trying to recover to land another punch
so you can get a leg up on the fight.
Image titled Be Good at Fist Fighting Step 11
5
Roll your body away from a punch to help deflect it. You won�t be able to block
every hit, so you will have to take a few punches. When you get hit, twist your
body in the direction your opponent�s punching so you don�t get hit as hard and
their fist rolls off your body. Always turn your body away from the hit rather than
into it, or else you�ll get hurt more often during the fight.[10]
If you�re unable to turn away completely, you may try ducking from side to side to
make it harder for your opponent to hit you.
Tip: If your opponent aims for your head and you can�t move it out of the way,
bring your chin closer to your chest so your opponent punches the hard part of your
forehead. It will still hurt, but it won�t hurt as much as getting hit in the face.

Image titled Be Good at Fist Fighting Step 12

6
Never run away like a coward. Instead, talk your opponent out of fighting and
convince them to change their life - they may even become your friend in the
future, so be respectful.[11]
It�s okay to yell out or call for help if you need it. Contact police or law
enforcement if you�re worried about your safety after the fight.
Expert Q&A
Question
Should you hit first in a fight?
Adrian Tandez
Adrian Tandez
Jeet Kune Do Instructor
Expert Answer
First of all, do your best to get out of the situation and avoid the fight. Run,
escape, just don't be there. But if this is not possible and you are forced to
fight, then before they get too close to hurt you, you have to intercept them by
striking first.
Not Helpful 17Helpful 35
Ask a Question
What is your question?
Submit

Tips
Avoid running or moving around too quickly since you can run out of breath and be
less effective in a fight.
Do you best to stay upright while you�re fighting. If you get knocked down, protect
your head as much as possible to avoid getting hurt more.

Warnings
Don�t start a fight unless you absolutely need to. Fist fights can get you in
trouble with law enforcement if they�re done for reasons outside of self-defense.
Always try to call for help or get away if you�re able.
Related wikiHows
Fight
How to
Fight
Knock Someone Out
How to
Knock Someone Out
Win a Street Fight
How to
Win a Street Fight
Do a Sleeper Choke Hold
How to
Do a Sleeper Choke Hold
Hide from a Murderer
How to
Hide from a Murderer
Defend Yourself
How to
Defend Yourself
Defend Yourself from an Attacker
How to
Defend Yourself from an Attacker
Beat a Taller and Bigger Opponent in a Street Fight
How to
Beat a Taller and Bigger Opponent in a Street Fight
Defend Against a Knife Attack
How to
Defend Against a Knife Attack
Become Good at Knife Fighting
How to
Become Good at Knife Fighting
Beat a "Tough" Person in a Fight
How to
Beat a "Tough" Person in a Fight
Beat a Stronger Person in a Fight
How to
Beat a Stronger Person in a Fight
Disarm a Criminal with a Handgun
How to
Disarm a Criminal with a Handgun
Take Someone Down
How to
Take Someone Down
References
?https://youtu.be/whPb-hFL-MQ?t=56
?https://www.askmen.com/money/how_to_150/180_how_to.html
?https://youtu.be/sGWuNVede2U?t=90
?https://youtu.be/sGWuNVede2U?t=60
?https://youtu.be/sGWuNVede2U?t=121
?https://youtu.be/bigHZQrNTOM?t=20
?https://youtu.be/WAVDhEbi4VI?t=34
?https://youtu.be/XhFbtJVGviM?t=48
?https://youtu.be/sGWuNVede2U?t=74
More References (2)
About This Article
Adrian Tandez
Co-authored by:
Adrian Tandez
Jeet Kune Do Instructor
This article was co-authored by Adrian Tandez. Adrian Tandez is the founder and
head instructor of the Tandez Academy, a world-renowned self-defense training
center in Mountain View, California. Trained under the martial artist Dan Inosanto,
Adrian is a certified instructor in Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do, Filipino Martial
Arts, and Silat. Adrian has over 25 years of self defense training experience. This
article has been viewed 1,179,036 times.
362 votes - 80%
Co-authors: 62
Updated: April 22, 2021
Views: 1,179,036
Categories: Self Defense
In other languages
Espa�ol:ser bueno peleando con los pu�os
Italiano:Diventare Bravo a Fare a Pugni
???????:?????? ???????
Fran�ais:s'am�liorer pour les combats aux poings
Portugu�s:Ser Bom ao Lutar com os Punhos
Ce�tina:Jak uspet v pestn�m souboji
Nederlands:Je vuisten gebruiken
Bahasa Indonesia:Jago Bertinju
???????:????? ?????? ???????
Deutsch:Gut im Faustkampf werden
??????:????? ?????????? ????
???:??????????
???:???? ??? ??
T�rk�e:Yumrukla D�v�ste Nasil Iyi Olunur
Ti?ng Vi?t:Gi?i d?m nhau
Print Send fan mail to authors
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 1,179,036 times.
Did this article help you?
Yes No
Adrian Tandez
Co-authored by:
Adrian Tandez
Jeet Kune Do Instructor
Co-authors:
62
Updated:
April 22, 2021
Views:
1,179,036
80% of readers found this article helpful.
362 votes - 80%
Click a star to add your vote
David Tisdale
David Tisdale

Feb 19

"In a self defense situation, learning fist fighting is great since the distance
from your opponent is more of a..." more
Share yours!
More success stories

Related Articles
Fight
How to
Fight
Knock Someone Out
How to
Knock Someone Out
Win a Street Fight
How to
Win a Street Fight
Do a Sleeper Choke Hold
How to
Do a Sleeper Choke Hold