A Scientific Look at Self-Defence with Everyday Items
Ever heard of using a roll of quarters or a lighter as self-defence weapons? That sounds pretty odd, right? But it’s a concept that’s been circulating for years. It’s commonly referred to as a “fist load” – holding something in your hand, like a roll of quarters or a lighter, to increase the force and impact of your punch. So, do these makeshift weapons really work? To find this out, Icy Mike from the YouTube channel, Hard2Hurt, decided to test these ideas, and we got some quite interesting results. Starting with the popular concept of using a roll of quarters, Icy Mike and his sparring partner exchanged a series of punches, both bare-fisted and with the quarters. Surprisingly, they found that punches did indeed seem more forceful when a roll of quarters was involved. “How about the lighter?”, you might ask. The result was pretty much the same. Icy Mike and his partner took turns throwing punches with a lighter in hand, and they concurred that the blows landed harder. But here’s the real kicker – both Icy Mike and his partner noticed that their hands started hurting after throwing a series of punches with the quarters and lighter, and their punches weren’t as accurate. But let’s think for a minute – why does this technique even work? It’s a matter of Physics. Holding an object like a roll of quarters or a lighter adds additional mass to your fist, which in turn, according to Newton’s 2nd Law of Motion, increases the force of your punch. But the crux lies there. Increasing the force of your punch is not the be-all and end-all of self-defence. There’s much more to it. So can we call these ‘fist loads’ legit self-defence tools? Yes and no. Yes, because they can increase the impact of your punch. But no, not really, because earnest use of them can lead to self-injury, inaccurate punches and they compromise your fist’s natural structure. Plus, in a real-world situation, who has the time to pull out a roll of quarters or a lighter before throwing a punch?Summing Up:
Icy Mike’s video provides a good reality check on the so-called wisdom of makeshift self-defence tools. He proves you can indeed hit harder with a roll of quarters or a lighter in your hand. However, the test also exposed the potential drawbacks – possible self-injury, less accuracy, and a compromised fist grip. In the end, it reiterates what every real expert will tell you – there is no shortcut or gimmick to effective self-defence. The best defence is always learning, practicing and mastering a legitimate martial art according to your physical capabilities and personal preference. So, whilst it’s interesting to know about these punch-enhancing tactics, a well-executed technique beats a fistful of quarters any day. In the realm of self-defence, knowledge and proper training still reign supreme.Blablabla
Hard2Hurt is a YouTube channel owned by Icy Mike, a self-defense expert and martial artist. His content is an amalgamation of practical fitness advice, self-defense techniques, and gear reviews. Mike’s raw honesty, humor, and thorough explanations make him a favorite among enthusiasts and beginners alike.
Self-Defence Block
Question for Viewers: Do you know of any CONFIRMED cases of these things being used? I can't emphasize that CONFIRMED part enough.
Hammerfist…
So it's confirmed you're just a liberal soy boy that likes to make fun of red necks. Got it . Thanks beta boy.
I think it acts as a fist stabilizer: a roll of coins, a thick kubotan, a dowel.
Force = Mass* acceleration. Newtons first law. If you add mass to your fist and throw with the same speed you will have more force at impact. Science, go figure. Of course adding the mass opens you up to injury because your fist is also experiencing more force.
My dad who was a metalhead, not a redneck, swore by BIC lighters or a roll of nickles. However he also understood different hands means different loads for fists.
More kinetic potential with more mass but your fingers are between that increase in kinetic potential and whatever you're punching.
You could wear a weighted wrist strap/cuff and it would have the same (practical) effect as holding a roll of coins; it is all about the weight being driven into the target.
its supposed to reinforce your hand so that you dont hurt your hand. not so much that you hit harder. More like hillbilly hand wraps
What would happen if you had hella rubber bands on your knuckles, because it isn't sharp but I imagine the friction would slice you open
The advantage of the lighter is the plastic and compressed gas in the object. They withstand a ton of force but can also bend a lot on a micro level like a baseball when it briefly bends on the bat. Almost a perfect device for hitting harder and safer.
Spark plug socket would be a fine alternative
Where do I buy that plastic head?
I want it
F=ma you guys r throwing punches the same speed and adding mass, so yea u will feel more force with the quarters. U need to throw FULL power on each, which would increase the velocity of the empty fist to make a fair comparison.
@7:55 "an element of randomosity to this" : is that a portmanteau for Random Animosity or were you just trying to say "random"? 😆
Make more videos with just you guys in it!!🔥
You dont know knuckles all the way down you hold them on the first row of knuckles monkey style fist
You need to throw a roundhouse punch or a haymaker to get the best out of it. The roll of quarters improves the reward of a high risk high reward sucker punch. My boxing coach (who possibly was an enforcer for a local drug gang) taught me this to deal with issues arising from a neighbor selling crack. Two things happen 1st in puts more weight in your punch and when you land the roundhouse punch the roll breaks and the quarters provide shock absorption as they shift sideways and spill out of your hand ( you will lose at least 5 dollars worth).
When I worked doors I'd been attacked by 3 guys at once, and I learnt very quickly that "reasonable" goes out the window sharpish when the odds are against you. I had rolls of £1 coins inside two bank coin bags "to pay for the car park". I also wore sap gloves, brass knuckles in my back pocket (sprayed black so CCTV doesnt catch them) and kept a dry powder fire extinguisher by my position – you lose the will to fight very quickly when you're choking on powder fumes. That might sound excessive but fighting fair is off the table with most gangs of drunken idiots.
I might use this technique with my EDC Olight if I lose my 9mm, my HDR50 or Bryna less lethal, my OC spray, my tazer/stun gun, my impact weapon (baton,bat, ect), my fixed blade and my pocket knife. Lol
In the end force equals mass times acceleration
Would like to see a reboot of this using an olight warrior mini torch
This is the broiest of bro science videos I have ever seen.😂 it's just about mass, really. If you know about guns and bullet grain, you can apply the same principle. Lead is preferable for fist loads because you want something small enough to not affect your grip but heavy enough to create the boost in energy transfer. You're going to hurt yourself if you think you can just put a piece of metal in your hand and hit shit though🤣
when we had walkman's (men's's?) we were told to carry extra batteries for this very same reason — in case you need to use them in a fight. That should have been double-A's Duracell's ☺ Ever used them personally: no. Ever carried them: heck yeah. RedNeck: nah – NYC Subway/Streets