I see there's a huge difference between guys with monster chins like Fedor and Nogeuira and guys like Kimbo and Tim Sylvia that can't take a punch to save their lives. That shit wins fights for sure. I've started getting into MMA training instead of just being a fan and I need to know how I can train to take a better punch.
A couple of friends have suggested just a few hard shots to the chin so I get used to it and a couple of others think I should take softer repeated punches like jabs so I can build up a tolerance. Do most of you guys train with the hard shots way or the softer way?
You either got a chin our you don't. Neck muscles should party a party, but James Thompson's chin says otherwise. 
Never can say enough about a good mouthpiece
1. Learn to tuck chin and not leave it out.
2. Clench jaw. A lose jaw will be more prone to KOs.
3. Neck strengthening. Don't overdo it and strain your neck, but there are shrugs, head-weight-rig exercises (see Thai/boxing catalogs), etc.
4. See the punch coming or don't get hit at all by blocking better and/or bobbing, weaving, dodging.
Worst thing to do is condition your chin by getting KO'd. Seems that getting KO'd only makes you more susceptible.
frederic - 1. Learn to tuck chin and not leave it out.Cool. So it seems like I'd have a much higher chance of getting KO'd with the hard shots version, so I'll do those four things plus the repeated weaker shots. My friends coming over tomorrow and he's gonna put on some of the heavy 16 oz gloves and jab me in the chin for about twenty minutes. Thanks man! Do you think three times of that a week would be enough? I'll make sure I clench my jaw.
2. Clench jaw. A lose jaw will be more prone to KOs.
3. Neck strengthening. Don't overdo it and strain your neck, but there are shrugs, head-weight-rig exercises (see Thai/boxing catalogs), etc.
4. See the punch coming or don't get hit at all by blocking better and/or bobbing, weaving, dodging.
Worst thing to do is condition your chin by getting KO'd. Seems that getting KO'd only makes you more susceptible.
Can't remember who said this first but " punches aren't vitamins I tell all my fighters - don't take any". 
Kobayashi - Can't remember who said this first but " punches aren't vitamins I tell all my fighters - don't take any".
lol, that' an awesome saying.
Definitely neck exercises and learning to move your head with punches ala Anderson Silva. Also, just don't get hit. Korean Zombie learned this mistake for all of us, even if you have a beastly chin it ends somewhere if you get too confident in it.
This is up there with the conditioning the shins myth. The way to condition the shins is to feather the kicks where they'll be blocked/checked especially shin-on-shin, and go to town on the softer targets.
I've never heard of Thai fighters kicking palm trees.
One thing that taking punches teaches you at first is to not look away. Looking away takes you out of the fight, and the punch that you don't see is the one that'll take you out. Not being afraid of being hit is key; not getting hit is more key, but that takes more skill.
Chewin' tobaccy.
having a friend punch you for 20 minutes is not going to help your chin.
spend 20 minutes improving your techniqe, or spend 20 minutes watching fighters who are good at avoiding damage. Either one is better than getting hit for no reason.
Given the research on brain injuries it's simploy not worth if for non-professional fighters to take hard shots on a regular basis (or even a semi-regular basis).
Jaw and neck exercise...
Chew hard chewing gums for Jaw exercise.
Do neck exercise by putting weights on your neck.
http://www.t-nation.com/img/photos/2008/08-108-training/image013.jpg
Musashi - I know a doctor who will alter nerve pathways in the jaw and chin to prevent flash KO's. Only a small percentage of patients experience mild permanent numbness.
forget the whole knockout thingy....
i'm likin the sound of permanent numbness...period
^ Thank you!
Shaolin iron shirt chi gung.
Thanks guys! I think its odd I got so many points to the opposite of what my coach told me. I just started training last week and he'd said to go with the repeated punch method. He's a pro fighter so I figured he'd know what he's talking about lol.
http://forthesakeofscience.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/cant-tell-if-stupid-or-trolling.jpg
My chin responds well to verbal commands, although I have had to get physical with it on a few occasions (but not proud of it).
mixedmartialfarts - My chin responds well to verbal commands, although I have had to get physical with it on a few occasions (but not proud of it). <img src="/images/phone/apple.png" alt="Phone Post" border="0" style="vertical-align:middle;"/>
imagine the shit faber goes thru...
someone knock me the f*ck out please...i'm drinkin, and need to stop posting for tonight