# Head-butting and foreheads **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [August 10, 2007, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/head-butting-and-foreheads/415132 "2007-08-10T14:25:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2007, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/head-butting-and-foreheads/415132/21 "2007-08-15T01:31:23Z")
[QUOTE=ftg] Headbutting forehead-to-forehead works if you are prepared and the other person isn’t. [/QUOTE] What’s the nature of this preparation? I’m guessing it’s not the kind Batman would undertake. ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2007, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/head-butting-and-foreheads/415132/22 "2007-08-15T09:22:04Z")
[QUOTE=groman] Now, forehead to forehead never occurred to me. In fact, forehead to anything sounds like asking for trouble. **My instinctive head-butt would be with the _side_ of my head** somewhere over and behind the ear to the face. So what would happen? [/QUOTE] I recall (but cannot cite) that _lateral_ impacts to the head are worse than the equivalent axial impact - so using the side of your head could well leave you more dazed than your opponent. Using your head as a weapon targeted on someone elses head is a silly idea. You risk your own concussion, restricted vision from a bleeding forehead, or your opponents teeth embedded into your skull (causing headaches for months). :smack: Si ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2007, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/head-butting-and-foreheads/415132/23 "2007-08-15T11:16:02Z")
Head butting seems to be much more popular in the UK. My understanding is one headbutts with the forehead into the softer nose and cheek tissue. I’ve never seen a headbutt but have \*heard \* one in a bar in Hong Kong. A watermellon like crushing sound followed by a body crumpling unconsious on the floor. My UK friends all tell me to be very careful if in an arguement or altercation, and the other guy wants to act all friendly, hand shaking or palsy. Good chance just getting close to grab your shirt and give you the Glasgow Kiss. Tell 'em to fuck off and get away from me. ---
**Author:** ![shambler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@shambler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shambler)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2007, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/head-butting-and-foreheads/415132/24 "2007-08-15T11:47:08Z")
is noone else just really surprised by the fact that someone would doubt the existence of headbutts? maybe its a british thing- here in england (and as many have pointed out…scotland) its quite a common thing to occur in drunken street brawls and the like. is it not so used in america? from how i understand it, nutting someone in the temple is pretty dangerous, and can lead to hearing or even brain damage. im prettty sure its most commonly employed to split someones nose in half, as when two people are mouthing off in each others face, its quite an effectively quick, powerful attack that can catch people offguard. after all, a forehead is a wide, heavy, hard expanse of bone… ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2007, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/head-butting-and-foreheads/415132/25 "2007-08-15T12:11:22Z")
[QUOTE=shambler] after all, a forehead is a wide, heavy, hard expanse of bone… [/QUOTE] Behind which is a glob of sloshy personality,memory and wiring, and some vicious occipital ridges just waiting to scrape bits of you into oblivion. Real smart move. Si ---
**Author:** ![shambler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@shambler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shambler)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2007, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/head-butting-and-foreheads/415132/26 "2007-08-15T13:19:38Z")
hehe well it should be noted that the kind of people most associated with executing this move arent really known for their brainpower… ---
**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2007, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/head-butting-and-foreheads/415132/27 "2007-08-15T13:26:31Z")
[QUOTE=andros] Ow. A handshake is one thing, lad, but a bad pun is nae necessary. . [/QUOTE] That’s why I never make _bad_ puns. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![RiverRunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/977dab/32.png) [@RiverRunner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RiverRunner)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2007, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/head-butting-and-foreheads/415132/28 "2007-08-15T13:52:46Z")
This thread reminds me of one of Terry Pratchett’s books – **Feet of Clay** , I think – where the gnome (or possibly pictsie) Wee Mad Arthur kills rats by head-butting them. At one point, he takes down a bull by the same method. And you don’t want to know how he fights humans. Never mess with a gnome. RR ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2007, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/head-butting-and-foreheads/415132/29 "2007-08-15T18:57:02Z")
Nac Mac Feegle wha hae! ---
**Author:** ![klipse88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e0b2c6/32.png) [@klipse88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/klipse88)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2007, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/head-butting-and-foreheads/415132/30 "2007-08-20T18:40:59Z")
for anyone thats doubting headbutting dont… trust me it works, it doesnt hurt you at all. im not a big guy but ive taken people out before, i use the top of my head and just throw my body as hard as i can into the other persons face. its a messy sight, people do bleed but it works… i always say to people in regard to fighting, use your head, its the most powerful weapon on your body ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/head-butting-and-foreheads/415132/31 "2007-09-18T23:08:16Z")
Off the news wires today: [Armless Man Delivers Fatal Head-Butt](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/09/18/national/a132238D29.DTL) > [@](#): > > Police say Redfern, who was born with no right arm and only a short stump for his left arm, kicked Teer and Teer hit Redfern during the fight, which was due to long-standing bad blood over a woman who once dated Teer and now dates Redfern. > > After bystanders separated them, Redfern “came back and head-butted (Teer) one time,” Whitehead said. > > Teer complained of feeling dizzy, collapsed, and died, Whitehead said. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2007, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/head-butting-and-foreheads/415132/32 "2007-09-19T11:20:10Z")
[QUOTE=gotpasswords] Off the news wires today: [Armless Man Delivers Fatal Head-Butt](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/09/18/national/a132238D29.DTL) [/QUOTE] Guess he wasn’t so 'armless, after all. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2007, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/head-butting-and-foreheads/415132/33 "2007-09-19T13:04:10Z")
[QUOTE=shambler] is noone else just really surprised by the fact that someone would doubt the existence of headbutts? maybe its a british thing- here in england (and as many have pointed out…scotland) [/QUOTE] Well, that would certainly explain why there are so many fuck-ugly Brittish and Scottish people, bashing each other about the cranium and such. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2007, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/head-butting-and-foreheads/415132/34 "2007-09-19T17:29:48Z")
Turns out the head butted guy actually died from an undiagnosed heart condition. So the butter (?) might be charged with a lesser crime if at all. [http://www.ajc.com/search/content/metro/gwinnett/stories/2007/09/18/unarmed\_0919\_web.html](http://www.ajc.com/search/content/metro/gwinnett/stories/2007/09/18/unarmed_0919_web.html) ---
**Author:** ![Monster104](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Monster104](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monster104)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2007, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/head-butting-and-foreheads/415132/35 "2007-09-20T05:48:20Z")
I’ve seen one of my friends headbutt someone during a drunken brawl. Hit the guy right between the bridge of the nose and the guy’s right eye socket and fractured both. It was a rather sickening, sobering sight. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/head-butting-and-foreheads/415132/36 "2007-09-23T14:38:32Z")
[QUOTE=sturmhauke] Some martial artists condition their head to such a degree that they can break concrete blocks with a headbutt. If they went forehead-to-forehead with a normal person they probably would be fine. [/QUOTE] As with any martial arts technique, things work better if going on the harder-impacting-softer concept. In self-defense training, I teach the head strike, but we always target the nose area. I like to explain that it is because the nose is softer and will spread out and provide some cushioning between my forehead and the bones of the attacker’s face. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/head-butting-and-foreheads/415132/37 "2007-09-24T14:39:24Z")
[QUOTE=ftg] Turns out the head butted guy actually died from an undiagnosed heart condition. So the butter (?) might be charged with a lesser crime if at all. [/QUOTE] Well, if the victim had a bad heart, you’d think he would know to stay away from the butter. Sorry, everyone else was making bad puns. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Madd\_Maxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Madd\_Maxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madd_Maxx)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/head-butting-and-foreheads/415132/38 "2007-10-17T17:58:46Z")
I wonder if there is a correlation that the counties with a reputation for head-butts also are soccer-centric, a sport where heading the ball is a skill? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/head-butting-and-foreheads/415132.md?page=1)