# Time To Brew Some Dit Da Jow



## ST1Doppelganger (Oct 14, 2014)

So are there any other people that brew their own Jow or equivalents of it on this forum?


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## Buka (Oct 15, 2014)

I never brewed any, no. I haven't seen any in a long time. Long time ago we used to buy it in Boston's Chinatown section. We were under the impression it was used for toughening of the skin and used to put it on our knuckles and feet. It might be the most foul smelling stuff I've ever encountered - which made us think it must work great. I have no idea what the heck it actually was. 

Does it work well for bruises? And does the stuff you use have a strong odor?


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## Brian R. VanCise (Oct 15, 2014)

Cool.  I am in the process of making a batch of Balur. (kind've an Indonesian dit da jow)


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## ST1Doppelganger (Oct 15, 2014)

Buka said:


> I never brewed any, no. I haven't seen any in a long time. Long time ago we used to buy it in Boston's Chinatown section. We were under the impression it was used for toughening of the skin and used to put it on our knuckles and feet. It might be the most foul smelling stuff I've ever encountered - which made us think it must work great. I have no idea what the heck it actually was.
> 
> Does it work well for bruises? And does the stuff you use have a strong odor?



I believe all of it has a strong odor some might have a bit more of a fermented odor because there's varieties that use different forms of alcohol. 

There's different formulas for different conditions and people use them for different reasons. (Conditioning and Healing Jow's would be the two main categories)

I personally have used them on injuries that ranged from muscle bruises, bruised tendons & bones along with a few chipped or fractured bones. 

I personally know while using Jow that they take surface bruises away allot quicker then not using it and also believe they help allot 
with deeper tendon and bone bruising.

I wish I knew about Jows when I was doing my MMA/Grappling training because I feel I would have been able to recover from a few injuries allot quicker hell i wish I knew about Jow's while I was a teen that was in to BMX bike jumping LOL.


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## Brian R. VanCise (Oct 15, 2014)

With the heavy conditioning I do having some kind of jow formula is almost essential.  Otherwise my forearms would be bruised all the time.  The current mixture that I use I learned from a friend passing through a couple of summer's ago. (he is from the Southern Philippines)  His is a Filipino blend similar to balur or the Indonesian Silat Balur.  Great stuff!


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## Dylan9d (Oct 15, 2014)

I used to use something similar but that was in my early days of Silat, now I don't need it anymore due to my hardened forearms. Did maybe a bit to much conditioning : )


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## Brian R. VanCise (Oct 15, 2014)

Dylan9d said:


> I used to use something similar but that was in my early days of Silat, now I don't need it anymore due to my hardened forearms. Did maybe a bit to much conditioning : )



I can't feel anything on my forearms or shins due to extensive conditioning but I still bruise.  Maybe it is my fair complexion?


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## ST1Doppelganger (Oct 15, 2014)

Brian R. VanCise said:


> I can't feel anything on my forearms or shins due to extensive conditioning but I still bruise.  Maybe it is my fair complexion?



Im about the same with my arms and shins but occasionally I will class shins or fore arms just perfect where it hits a pressure point or nerve bundle and then I'm like oh yeah there it is!!!!!


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## Kung Fu Wang (Oct 15, 2014)

ST1Doppelganger said:


> So are there any other people that brew their own Jow or equivalents of it on this forum?


Yes I do. Here is my formula in Chinese.


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## Dylan9d (Oct 16, 2014)

Brian R. VanCise said:


> I can't feel anything on my forearms or shins due to extensive conditioning but I still bruise. Maybe it is my fair complexion?



When i did Krav Maga i used to get complaints that i did it to hard, but i i didnt do it harder than anyone else i just used my momentum on the last bit wich is coming from my Silat training and i had harder forearms than my training buddys 

I do bruise if i do some conditioning but the bruises dont hurt at all can just keep going


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## ST1Doppelganger (Oct 16, 2014)

Ok you guys are upsetting me with all this silat talk since its one of the many styles I'd love to train but am unable to since there isn't an instructor near my residence.


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## Dylan9d (Oct 16, 2014)

ST1Doppelganger said:


> Ok you guys are upsetting me with all this silat talk since its one of the many styles I'd love to train but am unable to since there isn't an instructor near my residence.



We are you then? Maybe we can help you....

I don't want to derail the topic ofcourse


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## ST1Doppelganger (Oct 16, 2014)

Dylan9d said:


> We are you then? Maybe we can help you....
> 
> I don't want to derail the topic ofcourse



Good luck with that I'm out in Eastern WA state (Kennewick)  there's a legit kali instructor where I'm at but unfortunately my work schedule messed up the opportunity to train with him. I am doing aikido which is taught more reality based compared to most aikido dojos so its keeping me entertained while I still continue learning since my goal is to never stop learning. The Aikido is also complementing my prior martial arts background so im pretty happy with it.


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## Dylan9d (Oct 16, 2014)

ST1Doppelganger said:


> Good luck with that I'm out in Eastern WA state (Kennewick) there's a legit kali instructor where I'm at but unfortunately my work schedule messed up the opportunity to train with him. I am doing aikido which is taught more reality based compared to most aikido dojos so its keeping me entertained while I still continue learning since my goal is to never stop learning. The Aikido is also complementing my prior martial arts background so im pretty happy with it.



You should never stop learning, but you will keep learning in 1 style or system, even if you completed the curriculum. You will learn to refine, and learn from your own mistakes.


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## Brian R. VanCise (Oct 16, 2014)

ST1Doppelganger said:


> Good luck with that I'm out in Eastern WA state (Kennewick)  there's a legit kali instructor where I'm at but unfortunately my work schedule messed up the opportunity to train with him. I am doing aikido which is taught more reality based compared to most aikido dojos so its keeping me entertained while I still continue learning since my goal is to never stop learning. The Aikido is also complementing my prior martial arts background so im pretty happy with it.



If I were in Washington state I would train with Stevan Plinck.  Even if I could only make it there once in awhile.  PUKULAN PENTJAK SILAT SERA PLINCK | Everything "SERA"


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## elder999 (Oct 16, 2014)

I use dit da jow pretty regularly-both home made with cheap vodka, and a few store-bought varieties, over the years-those mostly from curiousity, as my recipe seems to work pretty well.....

BTW, it's not strictly "brewed," if there's no boiling done-what you have with most dit da jow is a concoction and infusion. 

just sayin'.....:lol:


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## ST1Doppelganger (Oct 16, 2014)

elder999 said:


> I use dit da jow pretty regularly-both home made with cheap vodka, and a few store-bought varieties, over the years-those mostly from curiousity, as my recipe seems to work pretty well.....
> 
> BTW, it's not strictly "brewed," if there's no boiling done-what you have with most dit da jow is a concoction and infusion.
> 
> just sayin'.....:lol:



Thanks for the clarification well I can make it entertaining and put a bunch of 80 proof vodka over an open flame and brew it I'll just make sure to film it and youtube it when I set the house ablaze.


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## ST1Doppelganger (Oct 16, 2014)

Brian R. VanCise said:


> If I were in Washington state I would train with Stevan Plinck.  Even if I could only make it there once in awhile.  PUKULAN PENTJAK SILAT SERA PLINCK | Everything "SERA"




Thanks for the suggestion and What part of the state is he located in i couldn't find it on his site but then again im at work and didn't try to hard.


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## elder999 (Oct 16, 2014)

ST1Doppelganger said:


> Thanks for the clarification well I can make it entertaining and put a bunch of 80 proof vodka over an open flame and brew it I'll just make sure to film it and youtube it when I set the house ablaze.



Some recipes might call for just that, and vodka will boil quite nicely wtihout setting the house ablaze........though not for long.:lol:


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## tshadowchaser (Oct 16, 2014)

tried making my own with the vodka one time but ended up drinking most of the vodka.

In truth had a fomular years ago for making a dit da jow for my hands but somewhere in my travels I lost it. Stuff seemed to work very well.   I do have a friend in Canada tat makes a batch  every few years, it is put in the ground( in its jar) 7 feet down and he lets it sit there for over a years.  He claims it makes a better jow that way.
I have bought some commercial stuff in the last few years for relief of some minor pain  and that worked well also


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## Brian R. VanCise (Oct 16, 2014)

Contact them on his website.  I am sure you will have to drive a ways but even if you come intermittently that would be very cool!


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## Brian R. VanCise (Oct 16, 2014)

He is in Kelso, Washington so that is a 3 hr 45 minute drive for you.  A long way but if you could do it once in awhile I am certain it would be worth it!


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## Reedone816 (Oct 16, 2014)

I tried ddj, it has similar effect with cimande oil and both quite cheap to buy. I used to rub it to my arms and legs before and after training just for prevention on muscle problem.
A good cimande oil mixed with citrus can help speedy recovery on muscle and bone problem. The more effective it is the more expensive it cost. The cheapest one only cost about 70-80 cents a small bottle, while the potent one can cost to a range of 4 digits US$ a bottle.
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## Buka (Oct 16, 2014)

Guys, have you ever heard it used for skin toughening? That was how it was introduced to us back when. I wouldn't be surprised if was just selling us a bill of goods. No matter, it was still fun.....it just stunk to high heaven.

Vodka? I only drink Grey Goose. Hmmmm, that might be interesting.


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## Dylan9d (Oct 17, 2014)

Im really not familiar with all the states and city's in de USA other than the big city's but ive looked on google for schools in washington state and found

Contact

That Kevin Schmitt, he is a fellow student of mine with Jim Ingram and i trained with Kevin a couple of times when he was in Holland, he is very good.

Not sure about how far that is from you.


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## Reedone816 (Oct 17, 2014)

Buka said:


> Guys, have you ever heard it used for skin toughening? That was how it was introduced to us back when. I wouldn't be surprised if was just selling us a bill of goods. No matter, it was still fun.....it just stunk to high heaven.
> 
> Vodka? I only drink Grey Goose. Hmmmm, that might be interesting.



back when I learn sanshou, after training, we used rub ddj on our shin and using a round glass bottle rolling it on our shin to tough it up.
i tried once without using the ddj, and it burn the skin after a while, while using ddj beforehand, the bottle didn't burn the skin.

as for silat school in wash dc, why don't ask the indonesian/malaysian embassy/consulate? from what I heard, they usually know silat schools in the country.
and I found this on the net, might be worth checking out:
www.al-azharsilat.org -->eastern java silat.
Welcome | Silat Martial Arts Academy -->cimande style.


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## ST1Doppelganger (Oct 17, 2014)

Thanks for all the suggestions and unfortunately I can't justify traveling 3.5 hours or more for training in a style I dont have a back ground in since I wouldn't want to go home and practice something for a month or two and then find out I've been doing it wrong. If I hada foundation in the art then I would be more incline to do it but unfortunately most of the schools that interest me are on the west side and not the east side of WA state. 

I can't answer the question about using dit da jow for conditioning to toughen the hands but i know theirs styles that have Jow's to condition the hands over a period of time but i believe its the actual training that is doing the conditioning and the Jow's are there just to relieve the bruising.


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## Tames D (Oct 17, 2014)

tshadowchaser said:


> tried making my own with the vodka one time but ended up drinking most of the vodka.



Actually, that's how I use it. It works from the inside out


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## punisher73 (Oct 18, 2014)

I know Dale Dugas is a member on this site and is VERY knowledgable about DDJ and sells both premade and herbal kits.  There are different jows for different things.  Some are more for general bruising, and some are made for things like makiwara training and some for iron body training for areas other than the hands.

Dale Dugas Chinese Herbs and Dit Da Jow!, The Best Herbs at the Best Prices

I have spoken with him about questions and bought premade products from him.  He has always been very helpful and sells a great product too.


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## MaxRob (Oct 19, 2014)

Whereas bruising can be normal, if it increases more than what you would expect for yourself it might be wise to check on a simple blood test that all is ok


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## JKD55 (Nov 17, 2014)

Quick tip, if you plan to boil your Dit Da Jow for preparation make sure you remove the Zhang Nao, Mo Yao, and Ru Xiang, from the boiling process until you are finished, then add those herbs into your jar. These herbs are very aromatic and/or are resin based and their potency will be lost in the boiling. I was taught this by a Master Chinese Herbalist and it has not failed me in the last 20 years of making my Jow. I order mine from eastmeetswest and I ask them to separate those herbs for me and they do it with problems compared to other places. The  picture posted by the OP shows the Zhang Nao in a small ziplock bag which is what you want if you plan on boiling.


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## PhotonGuy (Dec 4, 2014)

ST1Doppelganger said:


> So are there any other people that brew their own Jow or equivalents of it on this forum?



Never brewed any but it would be fun to try. I even heard that they make Jow that you can eat and use internally. Ordinary Jow you wouldn't want to eat as it would be poisonous and its for external use only but I have heard of the kind you can eat.


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## Chris from CT (Dec 16, 2014)

I make my own from a recipe I got in Acupuncture school.  It's been very handy over the years.


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## Brian R. VanCise (Dec 16, 2014)

Very cool.  Here is some Balur I have in the early stages.


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## DaleDugas (Dec 23, 2014)

Hey there.

Let me know if I can ever be of service.


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## Brian R. VanCise (Dec 23, 2014)

Always good to have you on here Dale!  Your words of wisdom in this area is appreciated by everyone!


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## ST1Doppelganger (Aug 18, 2015)

I've been brewing the batch for quite some time and went with 100 proof vodka. My only issue was I wasn't able to find a two gallon jar so I'll have to poor this in to the next 1 gallon jug and poor fresh vodka in to the jug that has the herbs and brew it again then mix the two jugs when I go to bottle it. 

Since I've had this issue finding 2 gallon jars or jugs I'm curious to see where you guys get yours from I'm about ready to go to a brew shop in hopes that they have a big 2 gallon jug. 

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## ST1Doppelganger (Aug 18, 2015)

Brian R. VanCise said:


> Very cool.  Here is some Balur I have in the early stages.


What exactly is balur out of curiosity I'm figuring it's an indo version of  jow?

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## Brian R. VanCise (Aug 18, 2015)

Yes, typically an Indonesian or southern Philippines version with coconut oil!


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## JowGaWolf (Aug 18, 2015)

I don't make my own but my Sifu does.  I can only speak about the Dit Da Jow that I get from him and that stuff works better than the over the counter medicine and lasts longer too.  My Sifu has always told us to use to treat bruises, tendon, and ligament damage as a way to kill the pain and promote faster healing.  I've heard of people using it as a pre-treatment for iron palm training but I've never heard of it being use to toughen the skin.


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## ST1Doppelganger (Aug 18, 2015)

Brian R. VanCise said:


> Yes, typically an Indonesian or southern Philippines version with coconut oil!


Well thanks now I need to look in to this stuff lol. 

I'm actually going to be purchasing Tom Bisio's book called a tooth from a tigers mouth that is all about jow and Chinese healing.

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## ST1Doppelganger (Mar 29, 2017)

Well my jow turned out pretty decent and I'm going to start brewing a couple more bottles of different formulas. 

I've ordered Tom Bisio's book on TCM and have a few other Jow recipes from different sifu that were nice enough to share them with me.

I also am going to brew an Arnica & THC tincture blend that one of my Hispanic friends grandmas shared with me.  

My master plan is do a bit of blending with the different formulas and recipes with the THC tincture and see what the results are.  (Don't worry the tincture is for external use and I live in a state where cannabis  is legal). 





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## Jut (Mar 30, 2017)

Buka said:


> Guys, have you ever heard it used for skin toughening? That was how it was introduced to us back when. I wouldn't be surprised if was just selling us a bill of goods. No matter, it was still fun.....it just stunk to high heaven.
> 
> Vodka? I only drink Grey Goose. Hmmmm, that might be interesting.


Yes, Buka, skin toughening is why I make mine, and it does work. To my knowledge there are 3 types of _dit da jow_, external toughening, external healing [bruises, etc], and internal healing.  People use to think it strange because I rarely bruised so I don't think I ever used the external 'healing' dit, nor the internal dit.

I end my punching sets with two sets of 300 punches on a wall bag [against CBS] with about 80% power. I use the Dit on my 3 knuckles, but also, there are PP's between, so it's important to include it there as well.
I use _myrrh_ in my recipe and one caution I'd give to those wanting to experiment, if you include this, or it is in what you buy, do _not _put it on a cut or any skin opening, as it is a poison.
And yes.. it reeks!   -haha


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## ST1Doppelganger (Mar 30, 2017)

Brian R. VanCise said:


> Very cool.  Here is some Balur I have in the early stages.


How did your balur end up Brian? I'm considering making a batch or two of balur but still am researching recipes. 

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## Brian R. VanCise (Mar 30, 2017)

That batch turned out great!  Really nice.

The current balur I am working on is taking longer than usual but I expect it will be great.  This particular recipe has always turned out really well.  Most of the times it is a six month process, some times longer.  This time it is really taking it's sweet time.


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## Gyakuto (Sep 21, 2022)

I’ve bought Dit Da Jow from an Amazon seller who brews it in a small facility up in the hills of Saddleworth. It smells great… sort of like Hoisin sauce. Does it do anything beneficial? Let’s just say I now use a NSAID gel instead!


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