Advanced Iron Palm Training

CHINESE IRON PALM METHOD (GUNG FU)

Remember, training is not recommended at all for those under 16 years of age. Those individuals under 18 years of age must get permission from a parent or guardian before starting training. Always consult a physician before beginning any exercise program. Train at your own risk. These training methods only reflect personal experience, and Wesler's Karate, Inc. cannot be held responsible for any injury resulting from attempting to train in these techniques.

The iron palm method is the hand conditioning regimen that I prefer. I enjoy the set schedule for training, the relaxed method, and most of all, the speedy results. I also prefer this method because it trains the palm heart, or the flat of the palm. In my opinion, the flat palm slap is the trademark strike of fighting gung fu. Iron palm is the essence of the gung fu of legend, not the watered down version that so many modern practitioners bring to fights, only to be crushed.

There is no mistaking an iron palm slap for boxing, karate, or mindless street brawling. As for its application in tameshiwari, the iron palm is unrivaled when it comes to breaking solid objects. Though you might be inclined to think otherwise, it is much easier to break a brick with the iron palm than it is with a punch, chop, hammerfist, or palm heel strike. I know this from experience. Iron palm is also noted for its capability of breaking the bottom brick in a stack without spacers. Such a practice is known as selective breaking.

Ku Yu Cheong, one of the most famous masters of iron palm, reportedly could break bricks selectively in a stack. Iron palm falls short only when it comes to breaking flexible objects (wood, baseball bats) and objects with spacers. I explain it to people with this example- the palm slap can move anything it strikes one half an inch. Since cement cannot flex, it breaks. If the object, such as wood, can flex farther than that, it will not break. This is only an exaggerated example mind you, and only an example of my personal theory at that. As for spacers, the palm has difficulty sending energy through "hollow" area.

There are many variations of the iron palm conditioning process and each usually has a set amount of time for the initial phase. During this first phase, training must be done daily. After that, maintenance training varies. The first phase ranges anywhere from one month to three years or more. There are also advanced levels of the iron palm as well as internal and external conditioning.

The regimen I use is a variation of the traditional 100 day method and combines both internal and external training. This method produced good results for me in minimal time. Many others have also reported favorable results. I will honestly tell you that 100 days is not enough time to produce an invincible palm, but it will create a hand that is dangerous enough for combat, as well as allow you to break red bricks. This regimen conditions the entire hand.

Train at your own risk. I do not recommend training for those under 16 years of age.

Materials Needed:
-10" wide x 24" long (or larger) canvas bag
-approx. 1" round river rocks (enough to fill the bag half way)
-old towel
-cinder blocks (support stand)
-dit da jow

The method is as follows:

Set up the cinder blocks so that you can sit on one and the other(s) create a stand in front of you that is about the height of your naval (while seated). If the surface of your stand is not level due to the shape of the cinder block, you may have to lay an additional concrete slab on the top for a nice flat surface. Place the towel (in single layer) over the support stand. This is your striking surface.

Fill the canvas bag with the rocks and fold the remaining half of the bag over to create a side that is double layered. Tape the bag shut (masking or duct tape will do). Place the bag on the stand and your simple setup is complete.

**When striking for training, it is important to stay relaxed and allow your hand to drop onto the surface.
Do not tense the arm or shoulder, or exert strength while striking. Always breath out as you strike. Exerting strength or failing to breath out is said to stress the heart. Granted, thousands of karateka pound on the makiwara without regard to this and still do not suffer heart attacks. Even so, I choose not to tempt fate and try to keep my arm relaxed as possible. You do what you like at your own risk.

Apply dit da jow to hands and massage before and after each set

PART ONE

1. Drop your flat palm on the bag 30 times, shake out the hand, strike another 20 times, shake out the hand and flex.

2. Drop your knife hand on the bag 30 times, shake, 20 times, shake and flex.

3. Repeat for the palm heel surface.

4. Repeat for the back of the hand.

PART TWO

Remove the bag so that you are now striking the cement/cinder support covered with the towel.

1. Drop your knife hand 30 times, shake, 20 times, shake and flex.

2. Repeat with the palm heel.

3. Repeat with the flat palm.

4. (optional) Strike with backfist 30 times and repeat with straight fist.

Optional training:

You can supplement with a bucket of sand. Straight punch the sand 30 times and repeat with the backfist. Do 100 spearhand thrusts into the sand. You can also rub the sand between you hands to toughen the skin.

Some iron palm practitioners feel that it is unwise to train the knuckles of the fist because of possible long term joint damage. This is fine for strict iron palm fighters, but if you train in any fist striking art, it may be wise to strengthen your knuckles. Chinese acupressure teaches that training the fingertips can weaken the eyes. Take this into consideration when training spearhand but also realize that plenty of karate stylists train fingertips and can see just fine.

Different teachers advocate different numbers of strikes per session. Some use hundreds or even thousands of repetitions. Some say to train three times a day, others say you must train the exact same time everyday without missing a day. Maybe these routines are ideal, but with the method I outlined above, you can train whenever and even miss a day or two. The less days you miss, the better it will be for you. You should achieve impressive results after 100 days of training. At that point, you should be able to break a single patio block with a flat palm slap (use a towel padding at first).

If it helps, mark the days off on your calendar. If you don't keep a record, you may not be training as often as you think. Good Luck!

KARATE MAKIWARA METHOD

Remember, training is not recommended at all for those under 16 years of age. Those individuals under 18 years of age must get permission from a parent or guardian before starting training. Always consult a physician before beginning any exercise program. Train at your own risk. These training methods only reflect personal experience, and Wesler's Karate, Inc. cannot be held responsible for any injury resulting from attempting to train in these techniques.

The karate (Japanese) method of training the hand is the most common type of hand conditioning. It is found in most hard styles of karate and crosses over into tae kwon do, which is extremely popular and accessible in my area. This is the kind of conditioning to which I was first introduced.

Karate conditioning focuses primarily on the use of the makiwara. Makiwara come in various sizes and shapes, but basically consist of a slightly flexible wood post wrapped with rope. The makiwara is struck repeatedly with increasing intensity, resulting in toughened, calloused hands and enlarged (calcified) knuckles. Seiken (forefist) and tegatana (knifehand) are the two primary techniques, but any surface such as palm heel, elbow, knees, and kicks may be used.

You can make a simple makiwara by digging a 1'x 3' hole in the ground, filling it with quick dry cement, and planting a 4"x 4" wooden post in it. The post should stand at least head high. Straw was traditionally used for its rumored antiseptic properties, but in this modern age, cotton clothesline will do fine. Wrap a double layer (or more) of the clothesline around the target portion of the makiwara (shoulder height).

Wall mounted makiwara are available at martial art stores, but they are often too padded and soft for proper training.

A hand held makiwara is also suitable and can be made by wrapping clothesline around a 14" section of 1"x 2" wooden plank.

Training on the makiwara is fairly basic, simply hit the post as many times and as often as you can withstand without injury. If you suffer a bruise or break in the skin, you should hold off training until the wound is healed.

You can also supplement your training by striking into a bucket filled with sand.

Liniment is often neglected in this form of training, but some karatekas do employ the use of dit da jow liniment. In my opinion, a good dit da jow should always be used before, during, and after training to prevent injury and discourage the development of arthritis down the road. Find a dit da jow that works well for you. The effects will vary depending on your personal physiology.

Makiwara should be trained daily, but there is no strict set regimen. The key is not hitting the makiwara so hard that you hurt yourself, but repetition and consistency.

The down sides are a tendency to neglect training due to the lack of schedule, conditioning only selected surfaces of the hand, possible slow to medium progression, and extensive callousing and/or scarring of the hand as well as an eventual possible loss of dexterity.

However, hand held makiwara can be very convenient to carry with you and use all day long. Makiwara trained hands are rather noticeable and can be ugly (though I personally find them quite beautiful in their deadliness, but that's my problem). If you like to show off, they are a sure sign of dedicated training in the old ways.

Mas Oyama (known, at times, as the Godhand), founder of Kyokushin Kai and world famous for his tameshiwari skill, developed knuckles on the makiwara that could withstand the blow of a hammer. He was best known for fighting bulls and severing their horns with his fearsome knifehand.

BREAKING METHODS: TECHNIQUES
Remember, training is not recommended at all for those under 16 years of age. Those individuals under 18 years of age must get permission from a parent or guardian before starting training. Always consult a physician before beginning any exercise program. Train at your own risk. These training methods only reflect personal experience, and Wesler's Karate, Inc. cannot be held responsible for any injury resulting from attempting to train in these techniques.

These following breaking methods outline the actual techniques used in tameshiwari once you have properly conditioned your hands. Conditioning allows your hands to withstand impact but these techniques give you the ability to break objects. These techniques are my personal variations on the standard methods. Use these methods with caution and proceed at your own risk.

When beginning to practice breaking or when breaking extremely strong or rough materials, you may want to place a small folded towel on the striking surface as a safety precaution. When practicing extensive breaking, a wrist brace is a also good idea.
Palm heel and straight punch- The palm heel use usually the first technique learned because it is powerful and has the least chance of injury. The punch is advanced due to the hard bone contact and need for superior conditioning. Both of these weapons use the same thrusting movement. The only difference is the contact surface and how you hold your hand. Of course, you must make contact with only the first two knuckles (next to the thumb) when using the fist. People untrained in karate tend to make contact with either the last two knuckles or the entire hand. All you have to do is look at the size of the first two knuckles to realize that they are better for breaking. These two knuckles are also in line with the bones of the wrist and arm, providing the necessary support structure to absorb impact.

Observe the standard dictates of karate punching for both the fist and palm heel. Utilize hip movement to add power to your strike. Remember to keep your elbow close to your side at all times in order to preserve linear movement. To help with this, just keep your arm so that it brushes against your side as you strike. The faster you move, the better your chances are of breaking. Above all else, make sure the movement you are making feels powerful. Everyone's structure is a little different. Guidelines are only there to help you find what works best for you.

Tegatana (shuto or knifehand)- This is the classically recognized "karate chop." See this technique, and you know you are watching martial arts in action. For this reason, it is the first technique that I practiced for breaking and is still my favorite technique for breaking with spacers. It is superb for penetrating strikes. I personally never preferred the palm heel or hammerfist because they do not seem like classy techniques to me (but hey, whatever works best). I devoted my first two years of breaking to perfecting my knifehand. Its combat applications are also fantastic.

This are the outlines of my techniques (hammerfist may be substituted):

Traditional technique

1. Stand with your feet at a 45 degree angle to the break with your body rotated away at a 90 degree angle. The lead leg is opposite to the breaking hand.

2. Pull back across your body to the hip with the free hand.

3. Follow by turning your body to face the break. Do not rotate past the break.

4. Bring the elbow of the breaking arm up above the head, fully extending the tricep an d pointing the elbow tip to the ceiling.

5. Pull down forcefully with the tricep and the muscles running down the side of the torso.

6. Direct the force out towards the fingertips while pulling the elbow down towards your side. The outward momentum plus the pulling down and in with the elbow will load the hand with blood and energy, translating to speed. The large swinging motion rapidly condenses into a smaller, tighter pull of the arm which will generate power.

Modified Technique (the one I use)

Many of the previous steps apply with two variations:

1. Face the break with the lead leg on the same side as the breaking hand.

2. Bring the arm around and over your head,rotating into the break. You may follow through by striking past the outside of the lead leg in order to add speed.

* I find this to be a smoother motion, preserving the flow of the momentum. It is also easier on the shoulder.

modified technique

General tips on knifehand (any technique involving swinging )

1. EXHALE! This aids in muscle contraction.

2. Strike through the object. Aim past it as if it does not exist on the same plane as your strike.

3. Try starting with your palm rotated fully away from the break to allow for a greater wrist twisting motion.

4. "Toss the hand." Strike down with the greatest speed possible. Throw the hand as if pitching a stone.

5. Tense the hand at the last possible moment to maximize speed. You can also envision the object free falling away from you so that you must catch it with your strike as well as break it.

*Remember, a hurricane can put a plank through the trunk of a palm tree or a piece of straw through a board. The faster you move, the more powerful the strike, and the easier it is on your hand.

Iron Palm Technique- This is the pride of kung fu. I prefer this strike over any other when it comes to breaking solid objects that do not have a great deal of flexibility. The iron palm slap creates a shock that is devastating. If you have ever been slapped hard on the back, you can get a sense of the effect.

The iron palm can land with either a flat palm (palm center) or the palm heel surface of the hand. This technique is still not a palm heel because it is a whipping motion rather than a thrusting motion. The true iron palm slap lands with the flat palm. The motion is difficult to explain but you can see an example with my red brick slap. Keep in mind that this is a flowing motion like crashing water and not a stiff arm strike. It is, by far, the most powerful technique that I have encountered.