Is it Safe to Punch Trees?
Yes! It is safe to punch trees as long as you don’t do it in a way that you injure yourself. You can punch trees to condition your hands, but be careful not to punch hard and not to punch without adequate protection. You can use boxing gloves for punching. If you are punching with bare fists, use boxing hand wraps or athletic tape to protect your knuckles.
It is true that punching hard objects like trees will help you condition your fists. Your knuckles become stronger and tougher, and the nerves in your knuckles deaden so as to not feel pain. But keep in mind that there is a risk involved in this type of training.
The risk is that you can easily break your hands by punching something hard or if you use too much force. People take knuckle-strengthening training to be able to punch people barehanded. But remember that barehanded punching or punching trees the wrong way can break your bones or knuckles and potentially end your boxing career forever.
Continuously punching hard objects can thicken the bones in your wrists and make the tendons stronger. Strong wrists will help transmit force more efficiently. However, you will need to be careful. It can cause long-term issues with wrist mobility.
So, What is the best way to condition my knuckles?
The best and risk-free way to condition your knuckles is to punch heavy bags made of leather, hay bales or something similar. But you still have to use boxing hand wraps or athletic tape to protect your hands from injury.
Another more natural way to strengthen your hands is to work out at a construction site. Work hard with concrete, Douglas Fir lumber and heavy metal tools to make your hands as tough as ever.
Another good alternative to condition your hands is to punch a bag of wet sand. Punching trees can cause lumps of calcium to form in your knuckles, as the bruised section of your knuckles will be small. But punching wet sand will bruise your knuckles more evenly and help to trigger the healing process better.
Can I punch trees with boxing gloves or boxing hand wraps?
The short answer is that you can. However, as I mentioned earlier, make sure that you do not box too hard to cause yourself injury.
In addition, you must find a tree that you are not likely to damage with your punches. Choose a stout, young and healthy tree to punch. An old tree, or a tree that is too thin or weak, will not be able to withstand your punches.
Wear boxing gloves when you are punching a tree. Boxing gloves will help you to hit harder and generate more force behind each punch. Wearing gloves will also help you to box without tearing your skin and risking cuts and scrapes from the tree.
Is it safe to punch trees for practice?
Yes, can practice boxing on trees, but it’s not your best option. A tree will provide enough resistance for you to practice boxing by yourself without an opponent, but it comes with risks. You are likely to injure your hands or damage the trees.
If you want to practice punching trees, then wearing gloves will minimize damage to your hands. Some tree types may damage your gloves, too.
Is it safe for trees to punch them?
Previously, I spoke about how you can punch a tree as long as you wear gloves and don’t punch hard enough to injure yourself.
But did this question ever occur to you? Is it safe for trees to be punched?
What do you have against trees anyway?
I did say that you could punch trees. And there are many who have practiced this way and found many beneficial results. But personally, I am opposed to the idea of punching trees at all.
Because who says trees cannot feel pain? I have to admit that my opinions have been heavily influenced by an amazing short story by Roald Dahl. Please go ahead and read this story. Perhaps it will stop you from punching trees again.
My personal sentiments aside, punching a tree is not advisable because you could potentially cause it serious damage. If the roots get damaged, the tree may not grow the same way again.
And if you keep hitting a medium-sized tree long enough with enough force, you might be able to topple the tree over. Aren’t we suffering from enough environmental damage already? Must we disrupt it further by uprooting trees and destroying habitats?
So, if you want to take up boxing or Mixed Martial Arts seriously, then please invest in a heavy or medium-sized leather bag. This would be safer for you and the environment, too.
What are the advantages of punching a tree with boxing gloves?
Punching anything hard, including trees, will help strengthen your knuckles and thicken the bones of your wrists. The nerves at the end of your knuckles deaden and will eventually cause you no pain with punches.
Punching trees will help you improve your balance, leverage and stamina. It is also a good option for you to practice boxing and new techniques when you don’t have an opponent available.
It will also help strengthen your upper body and arms. You can also practice punching trees to improve your endurance and stamina, lose weight and enhance agility.
Boxing, in general, also helps improve cardiovascular health and promotes overall fitness of the body and mind.
Is it safe to punch trees? A conclusion
It may be safe to punch trees as long you don’t do it too hard to injure yourself or damage the tree. Boxing trees can be a good way to practice if you don’t have anyone to practice with. But it is not your best option. It is best that you invest in a heavy bag or even make your own heavy bag using sand to practice boxing. Trees should be respected and revered, not hit and damaged.
Also read: Is wrestling a martial art? Exploring the world of self-defense in 2023
*All pics are courtesy of Unsplash.com
