Do you train with makiwara

[makiwaraman]

Well I do most of what shoshinkan does but tend to do straight punch and reverse punch every day. the others 2-3 times a week.

I also do hip flexes on a heavy resistance ash post 50 x each side x 3 days a week.

I move around my post conditioning my forearms etc by practising blocks once a week.

I have found that some tegumi drills work well on a makiwara and do these once a week.

The most important consideration is not to run before you can walk!

Regards maki

[Karate_Girl_07]

So whats this makiwara head fixed to. It seems that alot of people make do with inferior versions of makiwara, At least if you are going to do this attach it to a post prefably tapered. I have seen first hand what a 2x4 with no taper can do to your hands when used as a makiwara, and those split block type with little pading and springs are terrible I speak from experiance. They have about 1 inch max of give and then your hitting the wall etc not a good idea, Compared to a tapered oak post that gives up to 12 inches maybe more but I can't hit it that hard yet. If anyone would like a free drawing on a proper makiwara with detailed instructions let me know by PM.

Regards maki

We don't fix this head to anything. I only use them in class and we partner up and use them. Our partner will hold it while we strike.

[shoshinkan]

ah forgot, hip flex - proberly the most usefull excersise for the maki - putting conditioning of the knuckles to one side.

stand in whatever front stance, hold the maki with your reverse hand fully extended, drive into the maki with the hip - do not bend or give on the arm. excellent excersise and I do 25 each side each session.

I also angle the maki forward about 2 inches off centre.

Im not as mobile as makiwara man as i dont have alot of room around mine, but im really starting to see progress with 'freestyle' striking now, just do things at a sensible pace, the maki needs respect.

[makiwaraman]

So whats this makiwara head fixed to. It seems that alot of people make do with inferior versions of makiwara, At least if you are going to do this attach it to a post prefably tapered. I have seen first hand what a 2x4 with no taper can do to your hands when used as a makiwara, and those split block type with little pading and springs are terrible I speak from experiance. They have about 1 inch max of give and then your hitting the wall etc not a good idea, Compared to a tapered oak post that gives up to 12 inches maybe more but I can't hit it that hard yet. If anyone would like a free drawing on a proper makiwara with detailed instructions let me know by PM.

Regards maki

We don't fix this head to anything. I only use them in class and we partner up and use them. Our partner will hold it while we strike.

What I said about alot of people making do with infearior versions of makiwara was not aimed at you just. The whats yours fixed too was. The way you use a makiwara head is the next best.

regards maki

[Karate_Girl_07]

Sumimasen, my mistake.

[yamesu]

I use a makiwara ive constructed out of a pine 4x4, 6foot long, and driven 2foot into the ground.

The upper 2feet have been planed at the corners, and sanded, making it a roughly-smooth octagonal shape, then laquered.

6feet of nylon rope has been wrapped around the upper 1+1/2feet, and then covered with a layer of thick brown suede.

I have a single brace at 45deg, behind the post, driver 1foot into the ground.

I use Seiken, Shuto, Sokuto, Chusoku, Haisoku, Haito, Hiji and Shotei.

The makiwara is set with its striking platform at Chudan-Jun height.

Before I started to use the Makiwara, I conditioned by using a heavy-bag, practicing focus and technique.

Osu.

[makiwaraman]

yamesu, your post sounds as if it has little give and more like a forging post than my understanding of a makiwara.

regards maki

[shoshinkan]

yamesu,

Your makiwara sounds a little 'stiff', no offence as you have obviously gone to some efforts to build it.

The only 'solid' makiwara that I have researched is essentially a log with four cuts down it to give some 'give' when struck. However this is not for training tsuki but for training strikes - knife Hand, back fist, hammer fist etc etc. My research is a little thin on this area but this is what I have found so far.

Please do not take offense, but punching anything without any give is not recomended, the shock simply goes back into you and can lead to problems in latter life as we are dealing with small joints (knuckles, wrists, elbows).

[yamesu]

Hey everyone,

thanks for the concern, (usually its me telling others to be weary of what they strike,)

my makiwara(of sorts,) does have around 1inch of give upon impact, but ive also spent the last 12years of my karate training building up to hitting this;

striking heavy bags on a regular routine-basis, moving onto tameshiwari training, and finally onto my makiwara.

aside from the pine having an inch of movement, the suede and nylon ropes also have around a quater of an inch give.

The reason i designed this maki-post, was because I was sick of hearing of people suffering wrist arthritis from striking wall mounted maki-pads. And as I didnt have enough money at the time to buy, or construct a traditional maki-post, this was the next best thing.

Osu.

[makiwaraman]

The reason i designed this maki-post, was because I was sick of hearing of people suffering wrist arthritis from striking wall mounted maki-pads.

I agree, The people who suffer with arthritis from makiwara training have not been using the correct type, its all about give and those block types don't have enough. I have a friend who used a standard 2" x 4" with no taper and now has a rare form of arthritis usally assoiated with tradesmen who suffer excessive vibrations at work, and this guy does a sit down office job.

yamesu I am sure that after 12 years of training you are aware whats good for your body and whats not, it would soon tell you if you were damaging your weapons. But you can only do this because of the 12 years of prior conditioning.

regards maki