Makiwara Work

spinninggumby · Purple Belt

Very good advice and insight, SaiFights

Thanx!

Joecooke007 · Brown Belt

Screw that dangerous crap. You only get to live once. So you should have fun. I beat the crap out of my makiwara whenver I get the chance.

_________________
Boards don't hit back.
-Bruce Lee

spinninggumby · Purple Belt

Well I wouldn't say that the makiwara is 'dangerous' but I would think that there is some degree of risk to arthritis or joint pain later on in life, and that's never fun

But true true Joe, I like your attitude, sometimes it's important to live for the moment and have a blast

SaiFightsMS · KF VIP

And too remember the traditonal makiwari is much different from the ones we think of - the ones commercially available be they clapper or canvas pad. They are designed to flex. It is not just an act of hitting a totally rigid object.

We have more tools available to use now to develope power in our punches and kicks. And for our physical structure to learn how to accept the punch.

SaiFightsMS · KF VIP

Makiwara

What is it?

Makiwara is a punching board. It is a piece of equipment essential in toughening the hands, strengthening the wrists and giving training in hand techniques.

A makiwara consists of a straight board with the top portion fitted for punching. The board itself is made from a seven or eight foot long four-by-four, cut diagnonally so that the very top is about half an inch thick. Traditionally, the striking surface of the makiwara consisted of a bundle of straw with rope tightly wound around it at the top foot of the board. A piece of sponge rubber, two inches thick, four inches wide and one foot long, covered with canvas or leather, is widely used. Anything that cushions the shock of impact can be used. For example, a tightly bundled t-shirt attached with duct tape would work just as well.

Regular use of a makiwara will develop strong technique and is an excellent way to get the feel of karate techniques applied to an actual target, rather than into the empty air. It gives practice in focusing, muscular control, breath control and as a by-product, will toughen the skin of the knuckles and other striking points. Because it is difficult to master the technique of focus (concentration of strength at the moment of impact), many karate experts feel that the techniques of those who don't use the makiwara are bound to lack power.

How to make and install
Dig a hole in the ground three or four feet deep. Place the wide end of the board in it so that the top is at a height near the top of your chest. Pack the bottom of the hole with stones, bricks or concrete. Place 2 two-by-fours as shown in the diagram to brace the makiwara. Fill in the rest of the hole with dirt. The top of the board should move five or six inches without exerting too much pressure. Having a board too flexible is better than not flexible enough. Attach the striking surface near the top of the board so that the center of the striking surface comes to a height even with your solar plexus.

How to use
The makiwara is used mainly for practicing hand techniques, although foot techniques are sometimes practiced as well. Ideally, a second, more sturdy makiwara would be used for foot techniques. Pay strict attention to good form, including proper balance and hip rotation. In most cases, the point of focus is about two inches on the other side of the board when it is stationary. At the point of impact, sharply let out a short breath, breathing in while withdrawing. This gives good training in breath control. In hand techniques, take care to strike correctly with the knuckles of the fist while keeping the wrist straight. There will be a tendency for the hand to glance off at first, but constant practice will correct this. Beginners should start with 20 to 30 punches per hand and slowly work their way up.

Makiwara training may cause injury to certain individuals. Makiwara usage is not recommended for adolescents while their bones are still developing. The bones in a young person are not hard enough to withstand the stress placed upon them by this type of training. Use at your own risk!

From the University of Southern Florida web site http://ctr.usf.edu/shotokan .
The full article includes diagrams

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[ This Message was edited by: SaiFightsMS on 2002-03-08 19:48 ]

Phantasmatic · Purple Belt

I really wish i had one, those things work really well on tuffening up your fists

_________________
"Which one is more foolish, the fool or the fool who follows him?" - Obi Wan Kenobi

[CT]pizzaboy · Green Belt

Cool. thank

Phantasmatic · Purple Belt

does anyone know how to make one?

_________________
"Which one is more foolish, the fool or the fool who follows him?" - Obi Wan Kenobi

chh · Orange Belt

Check out the link I posted on page 1, along with Sai's posts, that pretty much covers your basic outdoor homegrown makiwara. For more, just plug 'makiwara' into your favorite search engine. You can buy the wall-mounted indoor makiwaras for as little as 20 bucks in MA supply stores, lots of people consider them as having incorrect resistance and/or being too soft but lots of other people disagree. For lots more money you can get nice indoor ones, see link below--with this example you'd have to buy/make your own pad, and if you don't have a place you want to permanently mount it you'll have to build a platform for it. Hope this helps!

http://www.iskf.com/marketplace/makiwara.htm

[ This Message was edited by: chh on 2002-03-11 13:10 ]

Taikudo-ka · Green Belt

"however if you do this long enought it will take more and more befor the knuckles skin will break this is the poing of the makiwara."

No... this is a common misconception. A proper makiwara should (as some have noted) be somewhat flexible. The idea is to be able to hit it hard enough that the wood snaps back. If your punch is weak, the board will just sit there. If you deliver a good blow, the board should flex back from the force, then snap up again.

Don't know about these wall mount boards...

It is probably a good idea to tape up your knuckles if worried about damage. However, I think using gloves can be counter productive. You should be training to hit as hard as possible with your bare fist, without hurting yourself. (At least for Karate)

If you do all your punching with a big bulky glove, when it comes to a real fight you'll probably end up breaking your own hand (just like Mike Tyson), because you don't hold it right or strike with the correct points.

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