Hand Anatomy & Martial Arts Training

The anatomy of a hand in martial arts is important in the following ways:

• Bones can be injured during training. For example, breaking a knuckle during sparring.
• Bones are potential targets in self-defense scenarios. For example, breaking a finger in order to escape a rapist's grasp.
• Many doctors think that bones can be made stronger via vigorous exercise and conditioning. More controversial, some martial arts (such as Karate) think that you can strengthen bones via training with objects such as a Makiwara.

For more martial arts anatomy information, please visit the main Anatomy section.

List of Major Bones in the Hand

• Carpals - Wrist bones
• Metacarpals - Bones in the palm of the hand
• Metacarpal-Phalangeal Joint - Knuckle
• Phalanges - Finger bones

Reference Sources

1. Image provided by Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/, Added - 04/08/15