toughening the hand

[_Simon_]

I spend entirely to much time surfing the internet, chasing rabbits down rabbit holes.

I need to keep my focus on why I am here, health and fitness. Not fighting, competition or self defense.

Thanks.

Hey, I like that you're so keen and interested in exploring. Sure, some things aren't really worth doing, but I wouldn't lose that sense of curiosity and exploration. It's what can assist in deepening your understanding of your art and also helps to keep your mind open to different methods. Great that you brought it up here with us so we could discuss anyway

 

[opr1945]

My wife won't go to museums with me. I want to look at everything and read all the little cards. It takes to long for her!

But I enjoy it.

And I will take that as a compliment.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

My wife won't go to museums with me. I want to look at everything and read all the little cards. It takes to long for her!

But I enjoy it.

And I will take that as a compliment.

Ha! I do that at the zoo. My wife makes a face every time.

 

[opr1945]

 

[opr1945]

 

[opr1945]

Another example

 

[Gyakuto]

My wife won't go to museums with me. I want to look at everything and read all the little cards. It takes to long for her!

But I enjoy it.

And I will take that as a compliment.

Well that means you’re using museums in the proper fashion. Curiosity is painfully lacking in many people.

 

[opr1945]

I could never look like this, not enough life left...I don't want to.

 

[Gyakuto]

When I started Karate at the age of 12 years I decided I wanted to have tough looking hands, so I’d do press ups on my knuckles on a granite hearth, scrape my knuckles against masonry etc and built up slightly calloused hands until one day my Karate teacher suggested that doctors shouldn’t have calloused hands when examining patients as they looked unsightly. I took heed and stoped my toughening practised. 44 years later my first two knuckles are still slightly discoloured!

 

[JowGaWolf]

We do practice a form of kote-kitae (hardening) in the dojo, but it's done lightly and infrequently, and I find it unlikely to create much in the way of permanent damage. It teaches technique as much or more than it desensitizes nerve endings, in my opinion.

I do something similar. I condition by hitting something lightly with good technique / fist positioning. Eventually the repetitive taps will change bone density. The good thing about it is that light taps heal faster. Light taps don't damage the hand in a bad way. Conditioning can be done more often, knuckles don't turn ugly, and it doesn't kill the nerves. I can still feel the lightest touch on my knuckles. The hardening is more like the bone becomes like the bone in my elbow and not like a rock. If my elbow hits something the wrong way then it will still hurt. If my fists hits something the wrong way then I won't benefit from the hardening of the bone. My skin gets thicker as well but it's no where near what boxer kunckles look like. If I don't condition within six months then the skill will lose thickness. The skin on my knuckle flakes off like dried skin and I have to start over. The bone hardening lasts longer but that fades as well over time if conditioning isn't done.

 

[JowGaWolf]

This thread reminds me the guy who used to chat here. He hated CMA because he did iron palm training incorrectly and it resulted in nerve damage.