Hand size, does it matter?

[mspin]

Jones doesn't have the longest reach in mma ever. Semmy Schilt, Hong-man Choi and probably others have bigger reach.

I stand corrected on these two (why I said "afaik"). Anyone else you can think of?

Somebody else mentioned Struve, but I recall one of Jones’ coaches or trainers adamantly claiming his reach was actually closer to 85 than it is to 84 (it’s listed everywhere at 84.5 like Struve). Manut Bol might have the longest reach recorded in pro sports at 102. Nuts.

 

[Viper2]

No, olympic weightlifting is the purest form of strength sport... strongman is more like a show with more endurance based events.

Also, if strongmen are stronger, it's simply because they take a lot more enhancing drugs than olympic weightlifters.

If you want to learn more about type muscles :

The fastest fibers are the strongest ones and by far... you need strong muscles to be strong...

And if you're strong, you should be fast at the same time, assuming you're not unreasonably heavy.

Once again, it's basically like cars : at equal weight, the fastest one is the strongest one, as simple as that...

Olympic Weightlifters DO NOT have as much brute strength as Powerlifters and Strongman Competitors. However, Olympic Weightlifters have more power for their three specific lifts (but not necessarily in all aspects of physicality). Overall, Powerlifters and Strongman Competitors have more overall body strength than Olympic Weightlifters. However, Olympic Weightlifters can usually jump higher and run faster in a sprint.

 

[Whitestallion]

Fedor was 6’0, 235 with a 76” reach and small hands.

Jones’ walking around weight was close to 240 (according to him) when he was at LHW and afaik has the longest reach than anyone in MMA, ever, at 84”+.

The best thing that happened to Fedor was Mir destroying Nog.

 

[froggyluv]

Dan Henderson seemed to have small hands but he hit very hard and was durable

Thats funny cause i was noticing Gegard not only has tiny fists but he really is almost the opposite of general fighter traits like a strong set jaw, chin forward low and heavy brow -yet the man can fight! All those genetic factors definitely are an advantage in my experience and a tell that a guys got a strong skeletal system but that aint the end all be all

 

[TJ Dillashank]

The UFC had to make Brock Lesnar custom gloves because his hands were too big. Don’t think hand size correlates to punching power though.

compare brocks to carwins and then you realize how big that man's hands were aswell

 

[clutchCAT420]

No what made shane carwin so effective was his ability to cut height.

 

[UFCIsNOTRigged]

Fedor was 6’0, 235 with a 76” reach and small hands.

Jones’ walking around weight was close to 240 (according to him) when he was at LHW and afaik has the longest reach than anyone in MMA, ever, at 84”+.

Jakori Savage (HW who debuted in LFA a few weeks ago): 86"

Renan Ferreira (UFC caliber HW signed to PFL): 85"

There are others but Jones certainly is one of the best at utilizing that reach.

 

[Yellowcrab]

Somebody else mentioned Struve, but I recall one of Jones’ coaches or trainers adamantly claiming his reach was actually closer to 85 than it is to 84 (it’s listed everywhere at 84.5 like Struve). Manut Bol might have the longest reach recorded in pro sports at 102. Nuts.

He was over 102 inches actually. Overall, basketball players have the most impressive reach among any pro athlete : https://howtheyplay.com/team-sports/The-21-Most-Incredible-Ape-Indices-in-NBA-History

This chart is not even reliable, for instance they don't mention Tacko Fall who has a reach over 95 inches.

 

[Grandwizard666]

Shane carwin goat hands champ

 

[Lee_]

I think this was another Rogan thread at first..

 

[Lax617]

I'm pretty sure Carwin was also supposedly given custom gloves. I could swear I remember them saying Carwin had the biggest gloves in the UFC

I remember this to. I could be mistaken, but I recall Carwin's gloves were 4 ot 5XL.

 

[Yellowcrab]

Olympic Weightlifters DO NOT have as much brute strength as Powerlifters and Strongman Competitors. However, Olympic Weightlifters have more power for their three specific lifts (but not necessarily in all aspects of physicality). Overall, Powerlifters and Strongman Competitors have more overall body strength than Olympic Weightlifters. However, Olympic Weightlifters can usually jump higher and run faster in a sprint.

I didn't say they were stronger. I even said the opposite : i believe strongmen are stronger because they use even more enhancing drugs (that's why some of them are so heavy).

Beyond that, they tend to do a lot more things, while olympic weightlifters are restricted to very specific things.

So indeed, their overall body must be stronger.

 

[mjfan23]

Fedor broke his hands a lot because he had bad punching technique. His silly fans fawned over the way he hit with the outside of his knuckles instead of the center, meanwhile it ruined his hands.

This!

his hands are absolutely ruined.

Lol nice try. Even with his chin, cardio and age related decline his hands are actually the best thing he has and he just KOd number two ranked guy in his division with it.

 

[Kertol]

I noticed Khabib has smallish hands.

 

[Sweater of AV]

Of course.

 

[arcadeperfect]

The Olympic hook (palm down hook) and the casting punch (palm out overhand) are not bad for your hands.

In response to OP: yes hand size and bone density will help your hands to sustain greater impact. Some guys with hand problems off the top of my head: Calzaghe, Mayweather, and Faber have a lot of hand problems. Bobby Knuckles and Rich Franklin have broken their hands at least once in a fight, but I'm not sure if it's a continual problem for them.

That BW fighter Michael Mcdonald also comes to mind. He had a lot of power, too much for his body to handle and he kept breaking his hands.

 

[arcadeperfect]

Bigger hands mean you have a bigger frame. If you're bigger you tend to hit a bit harder.

 

[Jeff Goldblum69]

Don't think Tyson had particularly large hands and he was one of the heaviest hitters ever

 

[Gensoking]

I remember this to. I could be mistaken, but I recall Carwin's gloves were 4 ot 5XL.

Found this but I swear I remember him wearing 5X. Maybe he changed at some point?

 

[campbecc]

I'm pretty sure Carwin was also supposedly given custom gloves. I could swear I remember them saying Carwin had the biggest gloves in the UFC

I also remember reading something similar in an article before their fight.