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Other/Mixed People are looking softer

Other strength modalities (e.g., Clubs), mixed strength modalities (e.g., combined kettlebell and barbell), other goals (flexibility)
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I'm surprised the other knuckles grow, mine would break if I punch with them

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I too have had thickening of the bones around my knuckles. Punching as more of a Western boxer than Eastern MA, I hit with the bottom three knuckles as often as not. My pinkie knuckle is nearly the size of my index finger knuckle. I also remember the deep ache in my forearms when I first started hitting the heavy bag - not in the wrists but just above and halfway to my elbow.
 
Ive heard that wrist ankle measurement are more revealing of bone thickness and structure since less fat and muscle are at these points. Perhaps thick wristed people have frames that lend themselves to getting stronger easier, rather than strength contributing to thick wrists.
 
Ive heard that wrist ankle measurement are more revealing of bone thickness and structure since less fat and muscle are at these points. Perhaps thick wristed people have frames that lend themselves to getting stronger easier, rather than strength contributing to thick wrists.

I've trained with some people whose bones are like stone, and yes, some are born with thicker joints and they tend to be naturally strong, I used to work with a guy who could pick up a 90 lb jackhammer and work overhead with it all day. He also picked up a car, engine end, to help with changing a tire.. incredible, scary power and he never lifted weights
 
A little more balanced, never did get around to makiwara board but spent a bit too much time on lightly wrapped telephone poles. Bottom three line up pretty good, my ring finger knuckle probably the smallest, but its lashed pretty tight to the pinkie.Used to bruise between the knuckles but stopped after a few. Not a lot of sensation anywhere on the backs of either hand.
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A little more balanced, never did get around to makiwara board but spent a bit too much time on lightly wrapped telephone poles. Bottom three line up pretty good, my ring finger knuckle probably the smallest, but its lashed pretty tight to the pinkie.Used to bruise between the knuckles but stopped after a few. Not a lot of sensation anywhere on the backs of either hand.
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Nice even development, I broke my small knuckle hitting the head many moons ago, before I got smarter and less reckless.
As I said before I would not knuckle a punch to the head these days unless I absolutely had to, palm heel strike is pretty good as it forces the elbow in which helps with packing the shoulder, you get a 1/3 bodyweight force injection at minimum, then multiply distance x speed with the added anti-target recoil benefits of a strong and well timed focus. If I strike a 16 lb head it will move that object at a fierce clip.
All things you know of course, it's still nice to break down a striking technique and look at it.
 
@offwidth. After reviewing, it looks like I merely connected some dots. But here is the reasoning:

The possible role of fructose in cartilage degeneration stems from fructose combining with protein and forming advanced glycation end products (AGE's) through the Maillard reaction (1,2). Fructose is much more reactive than glucose in this reaction, by like 7-10 times, depending on your source (1,2). Anyways, AGE's can accumulate in our tissues, including our cartilage. This "leads to inferior mechanical properties" in cartilage (3). Also, "AGE's trigger RAGE (receptor for advanced glycation end products) on chondrocytes, leading to increased catabolic activity and therefore cartilage degeneration" (3). As far as I know, the theory that AGE's from fructose metabolism can lead to OA has not been proven, but you can see the strong possibility.

As has also been mentioned by @Snowman , systemic inflammation can lead to OA. Processed sugars, essentially concentrated fructose, causes systemic inflammation, obesity, Type II diabetes, etc (1,2).

Here are my sources. Forgive me for not being meticulous in my bibliography but I'm not being graded for it ;) :
1. Formation of Fructose-Mediated Advanced Glycation End Products and Their Roles in Metabolic and Inflammatory Diseases
2. https://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/assets/docs_p_z/view_presentation_session_3_medicine_508.pdf
*Lustig has some very good youtube presentations where he breaks down the biochemistry of fructose metabolism in the liver and how it leads to metabolic syndrome, etc.
3. Klippel, John H. Primer on the Rheumatic Diseases. 2008. Pages 229-230.
 
Ive heard that wrist ankle measurement are more revealing of bone thickness and structure since less fat and muscle are at these points. Perhaps thick wristed people have frames that lend themselves to getting stronger easier, rather than strength contributing to thick wrists.

Other than gaining a significant amount of body fat, I don't think there's anything I can do to change the thickness of my wrists. I have very slender wrists but I'm pretty sure that's just how I'm built. Kettlebell training has given me stronger hands and meatier forearms though.

I definitely feel that I was built for speed rather than strength, so I'm very much going against my body type with my strength training.
 
@offwidth. After reviewing, it looks like I merely connected some dots. But here is the reasoning:

The possible role of fructose in cartilage degeneration stems from fructose combining with protein and forming advanced glycation end products (AGE's) through the Maillard reaction (1,2). Fructose is much more reactive than glucose in this reaction, by like 7-10 times, depending on your source (1,2). Anyways, AGE's can accumulate in our tissues, including our cartilage. This "leads to inferior mechanical properties" in cartilage (3). Also, "AGE's trigger RAGE (receptor for advanced glycation end products) on chondrocytes, leading to increased catabolic activity and therefore cartilage degeneration" (3). As far as I know, the theory that AGE's from fructose metabolism can lead to OA has not been proven, but you can see the strong possibility.

As has also been mentioned by @Snowman , systemic inflammation can lead to OA. Processed sugars, essentially concentrated fructose, causes systemic inflammation, obesity, Type II diabetes, etc (1,2).

Here are my sources. Forgive me for not being meticulous in my bibliography but I'm not being graded for it ;) :
1. Formation of Fructose-Mediated Advanced Glycation End Products and Their Roles in Metabolic and Inflammatory Diseases
2. https://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/assets/docs_p_z/view_presentation_session_3_medicine_508.pdf
*Lustig has some very good youtube presentations where he breaks down the biochemistry of fructose metabolism in the liver and how it leads to metabolic syndrome, etc.
3. Klippel, John H. Primer on the Rheumatic Diseases. 2008. Pages 229-230.

Fascinating stuff!

What role does inactivity play in allowing this reaction to reach catabolic levels I wonder?
 
Other than gaining a significant amount of body fat, I don't think there's anything I can do to change the thickness of my wrists. I have very slender wrists but I'm pretty sure that's just how I'm built. Kettlebell training has given me stronger hands and meatier forearms though.

I definitely feel that I was built for speed rather than strength, so I'm very much going against my body type with my strength training.

I'm with you on this one, my father has thick joints and fingers, he's built like a bull. I'm built more like a gazelle in my natural state but have made significant strength and size gains through training. Our body types are built for speed but we can also maintain very good strength to weight ratios.
 
I know a guy who made his bones thicker. His name is Barry Bonds! ;)

Just to clarify. Increase in diameter of bone through strength training was not the point I was defending. But I found Saxons observation interesting.

From side to side my wrists are not thicker. An inch or two proximally and from front to back there is more tone (if you will) in the tendons. This gives the appearance, albeit minimal, of greater thickness.
 
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What role does inactivity play in allowing this reaction to reach catabolic levels I wonder?
Are you asking if inactivity worsens cartilage degeneration due to AGEs? Will being active therefore counteract the negative effects of AGEs? Or, if inactivity leads to cartilage degeneration generally?
 
Are you asking if inactivity worsens cartilage degeneration due to AGEs? Will being active therefore counteract the negative effects of AGEs? Or, if inactivity leads to cartilage degeneration generally?

If inactivity is the enabling factor. The other thought is just how much fructose would be required to trigger this in the first place.
 
If inactivity is the enabling factor.
I doubt it. But, I don't have the answer.

The other thought is just how much fructose would be required to trigger this in the first place.
Hard to say. But I believe the AHA recommends no more than 6-9 tsp per day of processed sugars for adults (If I remember right). That's 24-36 grams. In my mind, that's being generous. This is obviously geared towards minimizing CVD, diabetes, etc, not OA. But inflammation is inflammation. And we want to minimize routine inflammation by lifestyle if we can.
 
Many moons ago, after a particularly nasty street altercation which left me with an almost broken hand, I made a point of never use my fists again in a fight.

No matter how “conditioned” you think you knuckles are, they are frail. It’s way better to hit using the heel of your hand.

Just think about this: if you were standing up and let yourself fall forwards, what would happen if you broke the fall using a clenched fist? Ouch, ouch, right?

What would happen if you just used your entire palm, favoring the heel as a contact point with the ground? Probably nothing.
 
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