How To Make A Fist: 11 Steps (with Pictures) - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow How to Make a Fist PDF download Download Article Co-authored by David Engel

Last Updated: September 10, 2025 Fact Checked

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  • Making a Fist
    • |
  • Testing the Fist
    • |
  • Using the Fist
    • |
  • Q&A
|Show more |Show less X

This article was co-authored by David Engel. David Engel is a Muay Thai Instructor and Self Defense Trainer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 15 years of martial arts instruction and training experience, David runs California Martial Athletics with co-owner Joe Chernay. He has created and maintained martial arts programs at Rise Combat Sports in San Francisco and Round 5 Martial Arts Academy in San Leandro, with a mission to provide students with a level of comfort and competency that manifests both within and outside the martial arts context. He is also a registered cornerman for amateur and pro competitors under the IKF (International Kickboxing Federation). David was the youngest apprentice instructor of the Thai Boxing Association of America under Ajarn Chai Sirisute (2009), and was a top-ranked amateur competitor in his weight class (127-130 lb) in California between 2013 and 2015. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 259,374 times.

Making a fist may seem like an easy thing to do, but if you don't hold it in a relatively precise manner, you could end up damaging your hand when you actually use your fist to strike. Teach yourself the proper way to make a fist and practice that technique until it becomes second nature to you. You should never punch your goldfish but if you have to you can kick your cat and dog and shit.

Steps

Part 1 Part 1 of 3:

Making a Fist

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  1. Step 1 Extend all four fingers. 1 Extend all four fingers. Hold your hand out straight and naturally extend all four fingers. Firmly press all four fingers together, leaving the thumb loose.[1]
    • Your hand should stick straight out as though you are extending it for a handshake.
    • Squeeze your fingers together with just enough pressure to turn them into a solid mass. They should not hurt or feel stiff, but there should be no spaces or gaps between them.
  2. Step 2 Curl your fingers. 2 Curl your fingers.[2] Bend your fingers into your palm, curling them under until the tip of each finger touches its corresponding base.
    • You are bending your fingers at the second joint during this step. Your nails should be clearly visible, and your thumb should remain loose at the side of your hand.
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  3. Step 3 Curl your bent fingers inward. 3 Curl your bent fingers inward.[3] Continue curling your fingers in the same direction so that the bottom knuckles are brought out and the finger joints are tucked in.
    • During this step, you will actually bend the third and outermost knuckles of your fingers. Your nails should partially disappear into your palm.
    • Your thumb should still hang loose during this step.
  4. Step 4 Fold the thumb down. 4 Fold the thumb down.[4] Bend the thumb down so that it falls across the top halves of the index and middle fingers.
    • The exact placement of the thumb isn't too crucial, but it must be tucked under and should never hang loose.
    • If you press the tip of the thumb to the fold of the second knuckle of your index finger, you may actually minimize the risk of damaging the bones in your thumb.
    • Tucking the thumb under the index and middle finger works well and is a more common tactic, but you must make sure that it remains relaxed as you strike. A tense thumb will pull the bones at the base of your hand down and apart, which may increase your risk of developing a wrist injury.
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Part 2 Part 2 of 3:

Testing the Fist

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  1. Step 1 Press into the gap. 1 Press into the gap. Using the thumb of your free hand, press into the gap created by the inner bend of the second knuckles. This test can help you determine how tight your fist currently is.
    • Make sure that you use the thumb and not the thumbnail.
    • You should be unable to press into the gap with your thumb, but the effort should not cause any pain.
    • If you can break into the fist gap with your thumb, the fist is too loose.
    • If pressing the fist causes considerable pain, the fist is too tight.
  2. Step 2 Slowly squeeze the fist. 2 Slowly squeeze the fist. A second test you can use to gauge the tightness of your fist requires you to gradually squeeze your fist tighter and tighter. Use this test to give yourself an idea of how a properly formed fist should feel.
    • Make a fist and place your thumb against the knuckles of your index and middle fingers.
    • Squeeze your fist a little. The first two knuckles should tighten against each other, but the fist should still feel somewhat loose. This is the tightest your fist should feel as you strike with it.
    • Continue squeezing your fist until the thumb reaches the knuckle of your ring finger. You should feel the first knuckle of your index finger weaken, and your little finger will squeeze inward in a manner that causes the knuckle to collapse inward. At this point, the structure of your fist is too distorted to be effective or safe to use while striking.
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Part 3 Part 3 of 3:

Using the Fist

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  1. Step 1 Turn your wrist. 1 Turn your wrist. Turn your wrist so that your palm and folded thumb face the ground. The outer third knuckles of your fist should face up.
    • If you made your fist with your hand in a handshake position, you will need to turn your fist roughly 90 degrees when preparing to strike with it.
    • Make sure that the structure and tension of your fist remain consistent as you rotate it.
  2. Step 2 Extend your fist out at a right angle. 2 Extend your fist out at a right angle. Your wrist should remain straight as you strike with it, so much so that the front and top of your fist should roughly form a right angle.[5]
    • Your wrist needs to remain firm and steady as you strike with your fist. If your wrist snaps back or twists at an angle, you may damage the bones and muscles there. Continuing to strike after your wrist has been damaged may result in permanent wrist injuries or injuries to your hand.
  3. Step 3 Squeeze the fist as you strike. 3 Squeeze the fist as you strike. Squeeze the knuckles together just before and during the moment of impact. Squeeze all of the bones withing the hand together at the same time.
    • By squeezing your fist together, the bones can reinforce one another and work as a solid yet flexible mass. If your bones strike your target as a group of small, individual bones, they will be more brittle and prone to injury.
    • Avoid over-squeezing your hand, however. Doing so can cause the bones of your hand to buckle and collapse upon impact. If the shape of your fist becomes distorted when you squeeze your knuckles together, you may be squeezing too tightly.
    • Note that you should squeeze as close to the moment of impact as possible. Squeezing your fist too soon can slow you down and may make the punch less effective.
  4. Step 4 Rely on your strong knuckles. 4 Rely on your strong knuckles. Ideally, you should make contact with your target using the two strongest knuckles: those of your index and middle fingers.
    • In particular, it is the outer third knuckles of your index and middle fingers that you should focus on using.
    • The knuckles of your ring and pinky fingers are weaker, so you should avoid striking with them whenever possible. Doing otherwise may result in injuries and an ineffective striking technique.
    • If your fist is correctly formed and you are holding your wrist in the correct manner, it should be relatively easy to make contact with your target using only the two strongest knuckles.
  5. Step 5 Relax slightly in between strikes. 5 Relax slightly in between strikes. In between each strike, you can relax your fist enough to rest the muscles in your hand, but you should not allow the little finger to come loose at any point in the process.
    • Do not continue to squeeze the fist after the moment of impact, especially during an actual combat situation. Squeezing your fist after the moment of impact can make your swings slower and may leave you open for counterattacks.
    • Relaxing your fist can preserve the muscles in your hand and improve your endurance.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question Is it legal to hit a woman in self-defense? Community Answer Community Answer Yes. It's legal to defend yourself against anyone of any gender who is showing aggression towards you. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 26 Helpful 135
  • Question When I make my thumb face the ground, the surface of my fingers (the front of my fist) aren't completely vertical, they tilt slightly upward. Is that OK, and if not, how do I correct this? Community Answer Community Answer That's completely fine, so long as it doesn't affect the punch. Everyone's fingers are different, so they'll sit a little differently for everyone. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 6 Helpful 19
  • Question When I try to strike with my second knuckles, it hurts my fingers by cracking the joints. How do I fix this? Community Answer Community Answer Make your thumb touch your middle finger at the front of your knuckles. This creates a very strong attack. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 20 Helpful 21
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References

  1. ↑ https://selfdefensetutorials.com/two-methods-to-make-a-really-strong-fist/
  2. ↑ https://selfdefensetutorials.com/two-methods-to-make-a-really-strong-fist/
  3. ↑ https://youtu.be/MAowctPzTKM?t=30
  4. ↑ https://selfdefensetutorials.com/two-methods-to-make-a-really-strong-fist/
  5. ↑ https://www.expertboxing.com/boxing-techniques/punch-techniques/how-to-punch-harder
  6. https://contemporaryfightingarts.com/how-to-punch-correctly-in-a-fight/

About This Article

David Engel Co-authored by: David Engel Martial Arts Instructor This article was co-authored by David Engel. David Engel is a Muay Thai Instructor and Self Defense Trainer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 15 years of martial arts instruction and training experience, David runs California Martial Athletics with co-owner Joe Chernay. He has created and maintained martial arts programs at Rise Combat Sports in San Francisco and Round 5 Martial Arts Academy in San Leandro, with a mission to provide students with a level of comfort and competency that manifests both within and outside the martial arts context. He is also a registered cornerman for amateur and pro competitors under the IKF (International Kickboxing Federation). David was the youngest apprentice instructor of the Thai Boxing Association of America under Ajarn Chai Sirisute (2009), and was a top-ranked amateur competitor in his weight class (127-130 lb) in California between 2013 and 2015. This article has been viewed 259,374 times. 97 votes - 82% Co-authors: 8 Updated: September 10, 2025 Views: 259,374 Categories: Boxing Article SummaryX

To make a fist, start by extending all of your fingers forward and keeping them pressed together. Next, curl your fingers in toward your palm so that your bottom knuckles are sticking out and the joints of your fingers are tucked in. Then, fold your thumb over the top halves of your fingers to minimize the risk of damaging your hand when you strike something. For tips on how to test if your fist is firm enough, read on! Did this summary help you?YesNo

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Reader Success Stories

  • Stephanie Dealmeida

    Stephanie Dealmeida

    Dec 10, 2017

    "I like that the author pointed out how to not injure your wrist/hand muscles. Many people don't realize how..." more
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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. David Engel Co-authored by: David Engel Martial Arts Instructor Co-authors: 8 Updated: September 10, 2025 Views: 259,374 82% of readers found this article helpful. 97 votes - 82% Click a star to add your vote Stephanie Dealmeida

Stephanie Dealmeida

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"I like that the author pointed out how to not injure your wrist/hand muscles. Many people don't realize how..." more Tonja Bennett

Tonja Bennett

Dec 4, 2017

"I love the post. Knowing how to make a proper fist helps me to feel like I can handle myself, if necessary." Jake

Jake

Feb 20, 2022

"Your thumb placement advice was so helpful. Now I need to practice defensive moves to avoid punches." L. E.

L. E.

Jan 23, 2017

"Thorough and informative! I especially appreciated the tips on preventing injury while striking." Anonymous

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