Ok, this has been on my mind for the last.. oh... 30 seconds..

No really, its been a bit longer than that.

When MacGyver punches someone he shakes his hand because it hurts.

But it occurred to me that this may not be accurate?

I've punched a couple of people in my youth, I don't remember it ever hurting.

In fact, just thinking about the physics of a punch, I'm not sure punching actually allows for the puncher to feel much pain.

Consider this:

All the impact is transfered from the punchers fist to the receivers jaw. The force of that impact is absorbed and pushes the jaw away from the fist, so the actual impact force against the bones of the fist is very quick and probably fairly light. A knock out happens because the jaw (and head) is absorbing and dissipating all the energy from the swinging arm.

I know we have some martial artists amongst us, and I'm guessing some people who have been in a real fight or at least landed a real connecting punch on someone. I'd be interested to hear from people who have actually landed some punches... because I'm not sure RDA was correct in his assumption that punching people hurts.

I ain't saying I've ever been in a fist fight or anything. Ahem... but I'm thinking the with all the adrenaline that's pumping from actually being in one, if there is pain to be felt, it's not until later after the adrenaline wears off.

Well, I have to admit to throwing a few punches here and there when I was a kid (though more often just hitting rather than punching among my brothers! )
and I would say punching someone can definitely hurt your hand. Especially if the force of your moving hand is met by an unmoving force of someone's stronger stomach or head, etc.
But I don't think you need to analyze this too deeply. Just think of any "nerd" on any show you've ever seen. It's a common joke that they wind up hurting themselves more than they do anyone else when they try to hit someone. (Think Steve Urkel or any of the nerds on Saved By the Bell)
I'm not saying that I consider MacGyver a nerd, of course, but perhaps this is the kind of humor they were going for. In any case, I think it makes MacGyver more human that he admits that he's hurt his hand and isn't embarrassed to shake off the pain. And I like that.
And maybe there's even a subtle message there that punching and fighting really hurts- (both for the person doing the punching and for the guy getting beaten up)- so maybe people will learn that fighting should be avoided if at all possible. "Miyagi hate fighting."

yeah that thought has crossed my mind also.

I'm sure MacGyver would have had adrenalin pumping in many of those situation he was in... although it's possible that those situations happened so often that they became normal to him, and so no adrenaline.

Punching someone in the face can make you feel something in your hand and it's true it shows that Mac is only human but... the way he acted after he knocked that guy's lights out in Eagles was waaaaaay over the top. Probably just to entertain that kid but come on. In Silent World the same thing, it was funny to see him prepare for the hit but than asking: 'why did I do that?'

I think there's adrenaline enough in his situations because I can recall like a hundred times when it didn't seem to bother him.
The fights with Murdoc, Larson, Neilson, Squeeze Play, The Wasteland, Bitter Harvest, Blow Out, The Battle of Tommy Giordano and many more.

It can hurt. I know.

Especially when you hit them on the cheek bone.

It definitly hurts if you hit them in the teeth and get a nice cut on your hand from there teeth. I believe it would hurt in any circumstance if you hit them hard enough. If you want to see something funny put the dvd in slo mo when macygver punches someone, most of the time his face is hillarious

I am not sure. I never munched people

I am not sure. I never munched people

Never munch a clown... they taste funny.

I once read (or saw in TV?) somebody explaining someone that wanted to punch someone for the first time in his life that he needs to make a really strong fist for not hurting himself.

So maybe there is a difference between situations where you can prepare (just like the other one can make his stomach muscles hard) and times where you just have to defend yourself but don't have the time to do it properly?

Fighters and boxers toughen up their fists (and faces) for punching, but the Average Guy would not do this. Perhaps the point is to subtly remind us that Mac was not a man who turned first to violence and show also that he was willing to do what he need to stop Bad Guys, even at the cost of his own comfort.

To me, this action is one of RDA's endearing qualities, and it never fails to bring a smile to my face. Humorous relief without pushing things too far into the 'slapstick-silly' area... if you know what I'm trying to say.

That's actually not what I meant I'm just not sure how to say it right I mean putting the thumb inside the other fingers and then closing the fist very tightly. Maybe there is not always time to do this. The others surely aren't waiting for you to prepare


But yeah, I also like the humourous aspect this brings, and it never gets old seeing it. Plus Mac is the only action hero I saw doing it so it's actually refreshing.

And very, very human. Not only the shaking out of his hand but also the rolling on the floor afterwards. Have to smile every time when seeing it.

Ouch! Sounds like a good way to break your thumb!

I'm not sure about that, having never thrown a punch myself... I tend to slap people or use 'weapons of opportunity'.

i sorta remember harrison ford shaking his hand after punching someone in one of the indiana jones movies. I am pretty sure I saw other people do it before.

What?
No way!! The way he beated that big nazi in Raiders and in The Temple of Doom, didn't seem to bother him.

When I was a kid I (accidentally? ) broke my elder brother's tooth by punching him and I don't remember it hurting (me, of course; it did hurt him allright).

Having said that, I should think it is quite easy to break one of the many bones in a hand, especially if hitting someone else's cheek bone (I have broken my right arm three times in my life, so far, plus a leg and a knee) unless you are prepared.

I'd say shaking the hand is 'poetic filming licence' or just a touch of comedy/humor.

OMG! NO! never do that! If the impact doesn't break your thumb. It will tear the ligaments etc around your thumbs knuckle joint, maybe even dislocate it.

I love the fact that he shakes his hand after he punches someone. It made me think that he was human and not some super macho superhuman. No, I've never punched anyone but I would think that it would hurt.

OMG! NO! never do that! If the impact doesn't break your thumb. It will tear the ligaments etc around your thumbs knuckle joint, maybe even dislocate it.

Rocky's right. When I was taking taekwondo in college, we were taught to tuck our thumbs down on the OUTSIDE of the fist.

As for the original question, punching someone really doesn't hurt your hands that much. It can sting a little, but it hurts more to be on the receiving end.

Punching somone only hurts if you don't make a proper fist and especially so if you hit something hard. We practice on the makiwara al lot (that's the wooden pole or plank you stick in a ground) and can hurt like a son-of-a-gun if done improperly. It's not that you brake anything but you can easily bruise the cartilage. Apart the fact that it's very painful it can also result in a lot of problems when you get older (talk about arthritis pain!)

Don't forget about the so-called "Boxer's Break". It's a somewhat common break in the hand, occurring as a result of incorrectly punching a hard object. It is usually a diagonal break of one or more of the metacarpal bones (the long bones in the hand, between the bottom knuckles and the wrist). The fourth and fifth metacarpals (below the ring finger and pinky finger) are smaller, and thus are more likely to break than the second and third (below the index finger and the middle finger, respectively). This is why when one goes to punch something (or someone), one should strike with the first two (larger) knuckles of the hand.

And to reiterate what Rocky said, never NEVER NEVER tuck your thumb inside your fist before you strike!!! You will cry like a baby!