Straw for makiwara

[opr1945]

Articles I have been reading says that original Makiwaras were made using rice straw as in was less likely to have a build up of bacteria, resulting in less chance of infection, and also less abrasive to the skin on impact. I have also read that it is illegal to import into the United States for some reason?

I have seen various straw rope for sale here. Wheat, hemp, Jute, etc. none of what has any meaning to me.

Rice straw because that was what they had available?

Any rice will work as well?

Better to go with something with a smooth surface, leather; leather, foam, Vinyl, saw one made from Karate belts wrapped around board.

Comments?

 

[Badhabits]

I've used old karate belts, leather belts, and dock line (rope used to tie boats to dock cleats).

 

[opr1945]

Correction:

Original post said "Any rice will work as well."

Should have said "Any rope will work as well?"

 

[Same Trick]

Hemp is the original, and the one that’s “antibacterial ”

 

[Gyakuto]

 

[Prince_Alarming]

View attachment 32502

That's the one I have, and I would urge the OP to start hitting it LIGHTLY and consistently rather than giving it a bloody good whack and breaking his hand in three places like I did. Twice.

 

[Prince_Alarming]

Oh, and here's an article I wish I'd read first

Makiwara Training: The Time Honoured Way to Develop Fight-Ending Power | Iain Abernethy

rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(64, 64, 64);">Makiwara Training: The Time Honoured Way to Dev...

iainabernethy.com

 

[Thonged warrior]

View attachment 32502

These type of Makiwara are not so good.

 

[Gyakuto]

These type of Makiwara are not so good.

Yes, I think that’s quite obvious!

 

[Thonged warrior]

Yes, I think that’s quite obvious!

I don't see the need to damage one's hands..

 

[Gyakuto]

I don't see the need to damage one's hands..

No, I’ve never understood that either. If one’s into ‘board breaking’ and use fore fist or spear hand then you might need to train on a makiwara and then look forward to being in even more pain in your older age!

 

[Thonged warrior]

No, I’ve never understood that either. If one’s into ‘board breaking’ and use fore fist or spear hand then you might need to train on a makiwara and then look forward to being in even more pain in your older age!

You only get one skeleton & the bones of the hand are not made for smashing bricks

 

[Thonged warrior]

Makiwara training is more destructive than useful

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shotokai.com

 

[Gyakuto]

Makiwara training is more destructive than useful

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shotokai.com

Very interesting. I think there’s a certain ‘machismo’ in martial arts circles for having calloused knuckles; a badge to show one trains seriously and hard. But the potential risks of long term injury are not worth this misguided pride.

 

[Gyakuto]

You only get one skeleton & the bones of the hand are not made for smashing bricks

I used to have a few…

 

[Thonged warrior]

Very interesting. I think there’s a certain ‘machismo’ in martial arts circles for having calloused knuckles; a badge to show one trains seriously and hard. But the potential risks of long term injury are not worth this misguided pride.

Most sports or even say manual labour jobs will often result in arthritis/ prolapsed discs...hip or shoulder replacement.
Why smash your delicate bones to pieces for what? ..because Master X did them in Okinawa?
Yes people think it's " hardcore "

 

[windwalker099]

Better to go with something with a smooth surface, leather; leather, foam, Vinyl, saw one made from Karate belts wrapped around board.

Comments?

Not called a "Makiwara" seems to be the same concept.
Might be something one could make using sand or something like aquarium gravel sold in pet shops.
We used hanging bags filled with "gravel" small rocks to condition forearms, for cutting actions / conditioning both the radius and ulna bones. Dit di Jow (跌打酒, diē dǎ jiǔ) Iron hitting wine, applied after training

Thought to improve blood flow, strengthen bones and tendons, bring "Qi" the area..

 

[Prince_Alarming]

Most sports or even say manual labour jobs will often result in arthritis/ prolapsed discs...hip or shoulder replacement.
Why smash your delicate bones to pieces for what? ..because Master X did them in Okinawa?
Yes people think it's " hardcore "

I'm inclined to agree. Not about the manual labour- I've shovelled my fair share of horse and cow poo and mixed plenty of concrete and as yet, touch wood, I've only had the most minor of back issues, but I think if you take the whole hand conditioning thing too seriously, you'll end up regretting it. I trained quite a lot of different martial arts before I settled on karate, and I've never really been in a kwon, dojang, gym or dojo where hand conditioning was practiced to any great extent. It isn't a necessary or really even a valuable part of martial arts training, and Mas Oyama for instance said in later years that he regretted what he'd done to his hands. Also, injuries really really suck and there is always a risk of them.

 

[Thonged warrior]

I'm inclined to agree. Not about the manual labour- I've shovelled my fair share of horse and cow poo and mixed plenty of concrete and as yet, touch wood, I've only had the most minor of back issues, but I think if you take the whole hand conditioning thing too seriously, you'll end up regretting it. I trained quite a lot of different martial arts before I settled on karate, and I've never really been in a kwon, dojang, gym or dojo where hand conditioning was practiced to any great extent. It isn't a necessary or really even a valuable part of martial arts training, and Mas Oyama for instance said in later years that he regretted what he'd done to his hands. Also, injuries really really suck and there is always a risk of them.

Punching a heavy bag is enough & strength training for wrists , forearms.
When I did karate I concentrated on these things ..a correct punch & no injuries to myself.
All that's needed

 

[Prince_Alarming]

Punching a heavy bag is enough & strength training for wrists , forearms.
When I did karate I concentrated on these things ..a correct punch & no injuries to myself.
All that's needed

Perfectly sufficient, yes. I got a makiwara because I found I was chasing the bag around and I wanted to be able just to stand there and whack it, practicing the punch in isolation. Boxing footwork and karate footwork are very different. Then I got pissed off with somebody, whacked the thing as hard as I could and broke my bloody hand. They call it the 'board of wisdom' and the wisdom in this case was not to abuse training equipment. But yes, hitting the heavy bag with bag gloves is much better for your health.