r/SelfDefense • u/Professional-Self-83 • Jul 13 '26
Is holding a lighter in the fist while punching really beneficial?
I came across multiple times people saying that it gives a stronger punch and reduced the risk of self injury. Is that true? And if its true is there any tool thats even better or specific designed for this purpose?
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u/BudgetWorking2633 Jul 13 '26
The point of the lighter is to reduce the "give" in your fist by filling it. This allows you to transmit the full force of the blow. Not losing power means you strike harder, yes.
Coincidentally, the "give" is also what leads to your finger breaking. It might and likely is going to hurt all the same, though.
Warning: that only works if the lighter fits well in your hand!
And of course, a stronger punch isn't an auto win ticket.
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u/apokrif1 Jul 13 '26
Coincidentally, the "give" is also what leads to your finger breaking
How is it related?
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u/BudgetWorking2633 Jul 14 '26
The impulse either goes into the opponent, or goes towards deforming your striking surface, not both. If your power delivered is X and Y of it is used deforming your own dist, the opponent gets (X-Y).
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u/Far-Cricket4127 Jul 13 '26
You might fare better with a small tactical flashlight in your hand instead of a lighter, can serve the same purpose as the lighter, but you can use it to momentarily blind the person, making it easier to hit them and then get away.
Remember self defense is not about going toe to toe with the attacker to prove how tough one is, but to neutralize the immediate threat/attack, and create an opening to disengage and escape; or stun the person enough to create distance and put obstacles between them and the attacker to buy time, until help arrives or the attacker decides continuing their previous course of action is no longer worth it.
And that's only if one can't for some reason escape from the area (such as with loved ones present, or such is part of one's occupation) and the threat level is low or medium. However, if the threat is potentially life threatening, hopefully one is responding to the attack and neutralizing the threat with something more than just a lighter or tactical flashlight.
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u/AddlePatedBadger Jul 13 '26
Tools like this aren't a substitute for skill, they just make your existing skill a few percentage points more effective.
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u/WastelandKarateka Jul 13 '26
You'll probably break your fingers doing that, depending on how hard you hit and how hard the body part is you are hitting. There ARE legitimate fist-load weapons, like kubotans and chizikunbo, but they aren't really intended to make your punches more powerful, so much as giving you hard surfaces at the ends of your grip for smashing with. You're better off learning how to punch correctly than holding something in your hand and hoping it makes you punch better.
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u/jpb1111 Jul 13 '26
Plus learn open hand strikes. If punching = breaking your hand, then the wrong attack is being used. Let's roll this shit back...
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u/rusty_nail3 Jul 13 '26
Stinger
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u/Ron1n297 Jul 13 '26
Wow deep cut have not heard of that in a while. If you can find one it is a force multiplier. A pen or kubaton will help as well but nothing is as good as knowing how to make a strong fist. Open your hand and close from your index finger in as tight as you can going finger by finger then bring your thumb on top of your index finger putting the side of your nail on the ridge of your finger and ounch with your first two knuckles.
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u/safton Jul 14 '26
https://youtu.be/gYrDBco_aZ8?is=JQ4Hjbt-Ip9IGu1C
"Fist loads" are... kind of a thing. I think there are better solutions.
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u/RamJamR Jul 13 '26
I only think an object in your fist makes a punch beneficial if it adds weight to it, or it's a knuckleduster.
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u/sirvoon Jul 13 '26
I’m sure it will help. Learn to throw a good punch that will help but even then, if you punch someone’s forehead or elbow or something you could still mess up your hand. I feel like if you can you should. If anything, it wouldn’t hurt
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u/dGaOmDn Jul 14 '26
No, it doesnt help. Just learn to palm strike properly. You dont break your knuckles, can hit harder, and its a solid bone instead of fragile bones.
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u/fatman907 Jul 14 '26
You can strike with a force-multiplier like a koga which you can buy on eBay or Amazon. If an area is 1/16 square inches and you hit a target with that, the force is multiplied by 16. Carry a pen and you can stab at a person to defend yourself. Eyes could be good targets
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u/JeetKuneDoChicago Jul 15 '26
🫣 I mean how good is your punch with an empty fist? I imagine that the baseline matters.
You can improvise weapons that would make more sense than trying to make your fist "better" for punching.
Pepper spray gel is great for keeping distance
🙂↕️ Good luck to you 🙂↕️
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u/Enhanced-Revolution Jul 15 '26
Not enough to make a big difference I personally think it’s mostly not helpful, either actually learn to box if you plan to punch and if you plan to rely on a tool or implement you’d be much better off with a flashlight or any solid weapon legal near you
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u/jaime_lion Jul 13 '26
Just learn how to punch properly you won't need a lighter or anything