a makiwara

[Manny]

I want a makiwara or some kind of device to tougthen the hands and feet. I was thinking of confection a canvas bag/sack and then fill it with something and hang this makiwara on the wall. The area of this bag will be 10"x10", don't know if you got the picture. What kind of stuff should I use to put inside this bag?

If you have or use something better please tell me.

Manny

 

[Earl Weiss]

See item #50631

http://superiormartialarts.com/cgi-....html&ORDER_ID=426497089&affiliate=!affiliate!

 

[dancingalone]

I want a makiwara or some kind of device to tougthen the hands and feet. I was thinking of confection a canvas bag/sack and then fill it with something and hang this makiwara on the wall. The area of this bag will be 10"x10", don't know if you got the picture. What kind of stuff should I use to put inside this bag?

If you have or use something better please tell me.

Manny

What you describe is NOT a makiwara. A makiwara is a wooden post with some slight padding (frequently rice straw based) wrapped around it. Many people then have rope wrapped around the padding to provide a semi-rough hitting surface. You can forgo the rope if you want a less hardcore experience, since the chances for cutting the skin of your knuckles will be less if you directly strike the padding.

Here are some videos which might be useful to you.


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There are various instructions available via Google for building your own. I practice punching daily with a makiwara and I believe it's essential for building solid tsuki technique, but you really need to be under the supervision of a qualified sensei if you've not practiced with one before.

 

[rlp271]

An actual Okinawan makiwara is what dancingalone posted, but I think you're thinking of the Kyokushin version. This thread from Kyokushin for life: http://www.kyokushin4life.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1269

has pictures of what you're describing. The second page has a few links to the Isami website, and there are bound to be blueprints for this thing floating around. If you're handy with tools, it's a basic A-frame with supports that either has a very strong base, or is bolted to the ground. The bags are then attached to it.

A lot of people have suggested filling the bags with marbles, because you'll get the same toughening effect, but you won't get the same hardening you do with sand. Sand has a tendency to settle and harden, almost like concrete, if it sits too long. It can also deform as you hit it. It doesn't go back into place, you end up with a big dent in the middle of the bag that you have to try to smooth out by shaking it. The marbles will offer resistance, but then move back where they were.
http://www.kyokushin4life.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1269

 

[dancingalone]

An actual Okinawan makiwara is what dancingalone posted, but I think you're thinking of the Kyokushin version. This thread from Kyokushin for life: http://www.kyokushin4life.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1269

has pictures of what you're describing.

I believe Japanese just call those sandbags or 'square bags', however that translates in their language.

Anyone ever trained with those? Punching one of those is more like punching a heavy bag. Not really the same feel/feedback that a makiwara gives.

 

[rlp271]

I currently train with both. You're right, they don't feel the same. It is more like punching a heavy bag if the heavy bag were filled with cement. The sand tends to harden a lot when it gets colder, especially if it's only used by one or two people a day. That's why I advocate the use of marbles. It does do the job conditioning, but you don't have to be as accurate when hitting the sand bags. A cord-wrapped makiwara makes you focus a lot more. They do the same job in slightly different ways.

I've seen it called makiwara before, but I don't know if that's the term used in Japan. It's the term used by the former uchi-deshi who is the head instructor at my dojo here in Korea though, so I can only assume that he got it from somewhere.

 

[dancingalone]

I've seen it called makiwara before, but I don't know if that's the term used in Japan. It's the term used by the former uchi-deshi who is the head instructor at my dojo here in Korea though, so I can only assume that he got it from somewhere.

I believe makiwara roughly translates as 'wrapped straw', so it is a more apt name for the wooden post with the straw padding. I've emailed my teacher who is Okinawan. Whenever he gets around to checking his email, we'll have an answer as to what he thinks is the correct name for the contraption you mentioned.

 

[rlp271]

Thanks, that will be very useful. I've only trained in the US and Korea, so any terminology I get is from whatever is used in class, which isn't always the most accurate.