I happened to be looking at the back of my wrist today and noticed that the radius and ulna are quite thin bones, much thinner than the clavicle, and began to think, if you were in a scrap and somehow the circumstances allowed you to attack the back of the assailant's wrist, could it work?
Is a chop to the back of the wrist a viable defense?
- Thread starter Marnetmar
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Well, what are you trying to accomplish by doing that? And in what circumstances?
I think, if you've got their wrist pinned against a hard surface, you could break it by striking it - but if you've got them pinned, you could also strike targets that would incapacitate them more, like their kneecap or head.
Generally speaking, I think a wrist lock is a better way to go if you're trying to attack the wrist, rather than a strike.
I think, if you've got their wrist pinned against a hard surface, you could break it by striking it - but if you've got them pinned, you could also strike targets that would incapacitate them more, like their kneecap or head.
Generally speaking, I think a wrist lock is a better way to go if you're trying to attack the wrist, rather than a strike.
A strike to the back of the wrist will certainly move it. If that's your goal, it should work.
Breaking it with a strike? Much more difficult.
I disagree with what Watergal said. Striking the wrist while it's against a hard surface is not the way to break it. You break things by striking BETWEEN fixed points. Locking the wrist and striking the elbow is far more likely to break bone or tear connective tissues.
Strikes to the wrist can deflect. Disarm even. But breaking? Not seeing it.
Sent from an old fashioned 300 baud acoustic modem by whistling into the handset. Really.
Breaking it with a strike? Much more difficult.
I disagree with what Watergal said. Striking the wrist while it's against a hard surface is not the way to break it. You break things by striking BETWEEN fixed points. Locking the wrist and striking the elbow is far more likely to break bone or tear connective tissues.
Strikes to the wrist can deflect. Disarm even. But breaking? Not seeing it.
Sent from an old fashioned 300 baud acoustic modem by whistling into the handset. Really.
Are you likely to break the bones with a strike? No; arms move, and they're much more likely to move away than break unless you're incredibly fast. It can happen... but it's not likely. But the arm is likely to move, so it all depends on your goal and purpose.
I'd say it depends upon what you are attacking with. If you are wielding a Bart Cham Dao, it might work quite well!
But seriously, Marnetmar, as a Wing Chun man I'd think that you especially would appreciate the logic of going for targets on the centerline and not "chasing hands" ...even with the Bart Cham Dao. That is unless the wrist happens to be directly in the path of your centerline attack.
drop bear
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Which if you were having a chain punch off would have to happen a bit.
- Thread Starter
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I know, and I've never had any intentions of chasing hands or really deviating from the centerline. It was more of a "hmm, I wonder what this would do in this hypothetical situation" question than anything else.
RTKDCMB
Senior Master
The main reason to attack the back of the wrist with a strike is to make you opponent drop a weapon they are holding. You could probably damage the wrist with a strike if that hand is grabbing you.
skribs
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We use our arms to block blows. Makes me think a blow to the arm isn't going to be much use, personally.
Although the chop to the wrist or chop to the shoulder is the primo disarming/disabling tool in one of my favorite comedy spy shows (Get Smart). I'm not dating myself; my parents got me the DVDs.
Although the chop to the wrist or chop to the shoulder is the primo disarming/disabling tool in one of my favorite comedy spy shows (Get Smart). I'm not dating myself; my parents got me the DVDs.
Chris Parker
Grandmaster
Yes… the bones aren't the actual target… for the record.
You're definitely right about the lock being the better way to go as far as breaking the wrist goes!
I was trying to come up with some scenario where the OP's idea might work, but even then, yeah, you're probably right about that not being a good way to break it - especially with a hand strike. A stomp, maybe, if they're on the ground, but even then... unless, like RTKCMB mentioned, they're holding a weapon, there are much better targets.
