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Thread: Is the "roll of quarters" trick actually a thing?

  1. #1
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    Is the "roll of quarters" trick actually a thing?

    So, having been living the apartment life for the last year, I often find myself getting lots of quarters for laundry day. It brought to my mind the (possibly) old wives tale of turning a basic jab into the Hammer of Thor by simply grasping a roll of quarters in it. So I've been kind of curious...Is this actually a force multiplier? Granted you actually have to have enough boxing chops to land a shot on someone, but does grasping a roll of quarters (or a small flashlight) in your hand confer some benefit into your musculature/bone structure that renders your hand less likely to break or more effective to punch with?

  2. #2
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    The term I've seen for this is "fist load". A long time ago when I was still interested in fisticuffs, I experimented with rolls of different sized coins. I felt like quarters were a bit big and made my hand vulnerable to injury. Dimes fit my medium-sized hand better. But I never used 'em in an altercation. The fist load also reduces your options a bit, making it harder to grab or use an open hand strike without first jettisoning the load. When I was working in bars and such, I found that accuracy increased my effectiveness more than anything else - effectively targeting the chin and jaw generally created the desired effect. But that was long ago, in a galaxy far far away.

    Edited to add: Slightly off topic, but on the subject of accuracy - the several times that I was hit hard enough to assume a seated position, I caught the shot on the jaw. In some respects pugilism is a little like pistol craft - speed and power is great. but accuracy is extremely important.
    Last edited by Mark D; 12-30-2019 at 09:24 PM.

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by 45dotACP View Post
    does grasping a roll of quarters (or a small flashlight) in your hand confer some benefit into your musculature/bone structure that renders your hand less likely to break or more effective to punch with?
    Grasping a roll of quarters or similar will increase the risk of breaking your metacarpal bones. While making a fist, tucking the distal phalanx also increases risk of breaking your metacarpal bones. When a fist is formed correctly, the hand bones are very durable when striking hard targets.

  4. #4
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    I thought the roll of coins was something you put inside a small sack (like a heavy sock) to make a crude sap?

  5. #5
    This is right up there with wasp spray, pushing keys between your fingers and other internet bullshido.
    Last edited by Rockey; 12-31-2019 at 03:01 PM.
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  6. #6
    banana republican blues's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rockey View Post
    This is right up there with wasp spray, pushing keys between your fingers and other internet bullshido.
    Frankly, in the highly unlikely event I had a roll of quarters in my hand at an opportune moment to use it defensively, I'd much rather spare my knuckles the wear and tear they don't need and use it to enhance a hammer fist strike.
    Last edited by blues; 12-31-2019 at 04:09 PM.
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  7. #7
    Site Supporter JohnO's Avatar
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    When I was a kid I remember my dad giving me a taped over partial roll of nickles for the express purpose of knocking someones block off. This all came about when I was having some trouble getting picked on walking home from the bus stop. I do not recall ever putting the nickles to use.

  8. #8
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    Always wondered if this was true. Fairbairn described something similar with a matchbox in his "All in Fighting" Manual.



  9. #9
    Site Supporter SeriousStudent's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 36trap View Post
    Grasping a roll of quarters or similar will increase the risk of breaking your metacarpal bones. While making a fist, tucking the distal phalanx also increases risk of breaking your metacarpal bones. When a fist is formed correctly, the hand bones are very durable when striking hard targets.
    I can validate this from personal experience. I am thinking it's also why I have arthritis in both hands 40 years later.

  10. #10
    Don't do that shit.

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