toughening the hand
- Thread starter opr1945
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I don’t think there’s any evidence that ‘moderate’ hand conditioning causes osteoarthritis (remember that’s caused by the loss/wearing away of cartilage lining the joints and bone rubbing against bone). Hitting a makiwara hard and often might deform bone or cause spurs etc limiting the range of motion of the delicate fingers: the hands are a marvel of evolutionary engineering by natural selection with the ‘intermediates’ viewable in our primate lineage.
The question is, why would you risk damaging your delicate hands in the modern age when there’s absolutely no need for it? I think it’s simply a macho tradition. Calloused fists are a badge of being tough, thwacking a makiwara, striped to the waist with a black obi wrapped around the waist, a romantic image. But there’s no need for it, if there ever was.
The question is, why would you risk damaging your delicate hands in the modern age when there’s absolutely no need for it? I think it’s simply a macho tradition. Calloused fists are a badge of being tough, thwacking a makiwara, striped to the waist with a black obi wrapped around the waist, a romantic image. But there’s no need for it, if there ever was.
Toughening the hand is for hurting other people. It's not for health and fitness.
"so far"
isshinryuronin
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Most here seem to agree that the various types of extreme impact conditioning are not really beneficial in today's world and can lead to some injury. But in moderation, kote kitae (basically banging shins and arms and striking arms with another) and makiwara have some benefits.
This does toughen the arms, thighs and shins, probably best utilized by the younger guys that do a lot of sparring. But I still enjoy the various kinds on arm conditioning. Like the makiwara, upon your body making contact with a non-giving target, your muscles meet resistance, causing some stress to the muscles and builds strength that is realized when, and at the point, contact it made. The makiwara will give instant feedback on your body strucdture, especially your wrist. Another benefit below:
Additionally, one cannot discount the "macho" factor of willfully bloodying your hands and smashing limbs against another's. What fun! I will admit, the younger you are the more fun it is.
I will admit the makiwara is a habit for me. After roughly 30 years of using it, it feels weird when I don't. But I still enjoy the heck out of it. There's a satisfaction in it bags don't provide. And I'm a firm believer that in pursuing karate for self defense, being able to cause maximum damage with one strike should be one of the primary goals. Makiwara work contributes a great deal to that goal.
Fungus
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Starting kyokushin at around 50, I feel childish and immature at times for loving it. Not only do I enjoy the feeling of throwing a well balanced and powerful ushiro geri into something, I also enjoy my own bruises and leg pain the days after. And I am not an aggresive person at all. I think am just sitting do damn much in front of the computer screen at work the fighting is a perfect reality check. Is there something wrong with me, or is it expected to go away with age?Additionally, one cannot discount the "macho" factor of willfully bloodying your hands and smashing limbs against another's. What fun! I will admit, the younger you are the more fun it is.
With my dad practicing Kyokushin, I grew up hearing stories about Oyama. Used to hear that if he threw a punch at your ribs and you shielded your ribs with your arm, his punch would break your arm. Maybe true, maybe not, but I still think of that when practicing on the makiwara. Man, I'd love to be able to do that
Wing Woo Gar
Senior Master
No woman will want to be touched by an iron palm hand. You will not want to be touching yourself with that iron palm either.
