At the beginning wearing gloves and wraps is important to help you protect wrist and knuckles so you don't break them. But they will give you a false sense of security. And eventually you need to be comfortable to punch without gloves or wraps.

You need to develop unbreakable hands.

Now, you shouldn't begin by punching the bag without gloves, at least not with any real power. Not at first. You have to condition your wrist and your fist.

One of the best beginer ways to do this is with knuckle push-ups.

Palm down push-ups don't add anything additional to your training. But with knuckle push-ups you can at least begin to condition your wrist, fist and knuckles.

Video Breakdown

Important Knuckle Down Tips

Few adjustments you need to implement with knuckle push-ups.

Naturally, your fist will be making contact with pinky, ring and middle knuckles. You need to slightly shift so your weight falls on the first two knuckles of your fist - index and middle knuckle.

The first two knuckles is what should be making contact with your opponent.

Keep your wrist straight. Perfect alignment from the knuckles to your wrist to your arm.

If you are doing this for the first time, put a towel down for padding. Your knuckles will not be able to handle full bodyweight yet.

Your goal is to do knuckle push-ups on concrete.

Plyo Knuckle Push-Ups

Eventually you want to incorporate doing periodic plyometric knuckle pushups.

Finger Push-Ups

Also, you should incorporate 5-finger pushups to strengthen the ligaments and tendons of your hands.

So stop doing palm down push-ups and switch to doing knuckle down push-ups to condition your wrist, fist and knuckles to punch without gloves or wraps.

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