To create a good fist, curl your fingers into your palm, beginning with the little finger. Encircle your fingers with your thumb (typically the index and middle finger, depending on the length of your thumb). Remember to keep your thumb over and behind your fingers and not rest it there. Practice making fists with a ball of cloth or even your sock so that you become familiar with the feeling of hard flesh against soft skin. Fists are used in many martial arts for close-in fighting. They are effective because they can be used to punch, kick, headbutt, and otherwise attack an opponent without risking being punched back or kicked away yourself. In combat sports such as boxing, wrestling, and MMA, fighters use their hands and fists to inflict damage on their opponents during grappling matches or standing fights. The hands and arms are important tools in dealing out pain and injury during battles between individuals or teams in sports such as football, basketball, and baseball. In gymnastics, the fist is used to indicate a strong attack that will cause much damage to the opponent. This is usually followed by a roundhouse kick from above the waist level. In music, the bass drum is often played with the palms of the hand rather than the whole hand. This makes a softer sound but still retains the essential nature of the instrument.