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[Cankushin]

Hi,

I am training my knuckles since a while now to harden them, ive built myself a 2x4inch wood bar which i rolled a rope around for the striking part of it and I nailed the thing to a wall. My concert is that my knuckles are quite bloody now and was wondering if its good to keep hitting the rope pad with them even tho they bleed? So far I really am feeling less pain when hitting hard things like wood or metal but still...its bleedy.

Oss!

[ichigeki31]

did u nail that piece of wood exactly to the wall ,or is there distance between the piece of wood and the wall because the wall wont allow the the wood to absorb your attack in return you might break you hand ,so if you want to harden you knuckles do knuckle push -ups and/or hit things that can absorb you attack never attack sumthing that is really stiiff like walls osu
!!!!!!!!

[AdyK]

Osu!
It's very likely to break your hand this way. I remember punching the wall, when I started practicing karate, at home only to harm my hands. Trust me, you do not want liquid at the knuckles and shaky hands. It almost cost me a grading exam.

[Shokei Marcsui]

There is an article on the internet about conditioning your hands and the pros and cons of makawari vs. a standard heavy bag.

Like ichigeki said, "Do push ups or hit something that will absorb your strike"

[veeevek]

Shokei...which site is that article in ??please give us the link..OSU

[veeevek]

Right now i have got a broken third knucle on my left hand, and there is liquid too...how long do u think it will take to heal??It's damn paining too..OSU

[Cankushin]

what is liquid? how do i know if i have that?

[veeevek]

hey cankushin, i meant that it gets swelled around my knucles..lol..i think he too meant that...if not then im wrong..sorry...OSU

[BigAl]

We did a lot of body conditioning in goju, but even then they recommended only 2-3 times a week tops and only at about 70% power when hitting a makiwara or a sandbag. Your body needs time to recuperate, plus doing it more can be harmful.

[Cankushin]

thanks big al

[Martin H]

Like ichigeki311 said, try to find something else to hit than a wall.

Placing a makiwara directly on a wall is a bad idea. Walls dont "give" and the result is long term injure to the wrist and knuckles.

You must have SOME give in the striking post. A wall simply does not have any, even with a centimeter or so of rope "padding".
The ideal situation is when the striking area always has a little compression space left after you punched it as hard as you can.

[Groucho]

I definitely would not do any more knuckle training until the skin on your knuckles heals...put polysporin on them if you have it, they'll heal faster...

As for the makiwara, I was told it's main purpose was to teach you proper extension for a strike...there absolutely must be some "give" when you hit it or you'll most likely break your wrist.

Knuckle push-ups are your friend, don't over look them

Luckily my dojo had sand bags for both tsuki and shins. I have never got to see a makiwara stick. osu

[RASor]

Osu Sirs,

Sand bags are good for improving the thickness of your knuckles, do punch the bag gradually from light punches to strong and hard. As much as possible do not allow your knuckles to bleed. By causing bruises and abrasions on the skin surface, especially deep ones, could disfigure your knuckes.

Another method I use is to punch a heavy leather bag thickly padded with old worn out cloth, stuff the bag tight so as to give it the fullness needed to make it tough and heavy. Focus on the knuckles use different strikes at least do a hundred per hand per strike increase by 50 every month. I do two hundred per hand per strike.

Take care of your hands they are your most reliable weapons in a sudden attack.

Best wishes. Osu!

[steve b.]

sensei funakoshi said to train on the makiwara every day,if your hands bleed then allow them to heal then resume your training with a makiwara that will flow with your strikes not punish you for hitting it. training shouldnt be torture. OSU!

[Aunty Ichigeki]

Just to play devil's advocate... I'm not convinced about makiwara training. I know Uncle Ichigeki never did any & he had knuckles you could put a drawing pin fully into! I know he did a lot of knuckle push ups & we'd do them where-ever! If we were out running we'd stop & do 50 on the tar seal or gravel periodically (gives you an endorphin rush)!

I think he mostly got them from bag training which is surely better because you can work skills at the same time - life's too short & there's too many skills to practice without spending time devoted 100% to your seiken!

In one of Shihan Royama's books he emphasises the importance of developing the muscle between your thumb & forefinger OVER your knuckles. I thought that was especially interesting coming from someone so famous for hitting trees!

[Bloke]

We used to do that - pushups at regular intervals when running - so sometimes it would be on concrete, sometimes grass and sometimes gravel.

Knuckle push ups and bag work was all we ever needed to condition our knuckles.

[veeevek]

Originally Posted by Aunty Ichigeki

J

In one of Shihan Royama's books he emphasises the importance of developing the muscle between your thumb & forefinger OVER your knuckles. I thought that was especially interesting coming from someone so famous for hitting trees!

please tell more about this..Whats the importance and all things related to it..thanks..OSU

[Aunty Ichigeki]

I can't find it! From memory he said that you have to squeeze your hand tightly to make a proper fist & doing so will build that muscle (his one looked very big & stuck right out!) He said that most people look at knuckles when they're assessing how strong a karateka is but he looks for the growth of that muscle!

[Nix]

We have a practice we call "crocodile-jumps". The initial position, is as doing knuckle-pushups, when you are in the "down"-position, hanging a few inches above the floor. While remaining this position, you "jump" forward, inch by inch, by by thrusting your fists out just a bit, while pushing yourself forward with your toes. It is important that your body remain stiff all the time, and that you only hang a couple of inches above the floor.