Knuckle Hardening

[DragonMike]

just want to add that traditionally, the hitting of hard objects in chinese martial arts was mainly to do with training your arms, especially your forearms, to the feel of impacting against a surface that would

a, compact

b, cause damage to your skin

of course there are stories of mega hardcore people who battered their hands up into not much more than clubs but alas, dead hands aren't that useful.

working up a thick layer of callouses and dead skin on your knuckles isn't going to make your punch harder.

working up the muscles behind the punch, whihc the exercises does, will.

It is true that deleloping your technique and muscles is the best way to improve punching power, but hardening your knuckles helps you to avoid injury when you brerak bricks.

[Eric_]

Just for information why do you need to toughen up your knuckles what is the reson for doing this i cant think of a good one?

It really helps for brick breaking with your fists.

I hardly see how injuring your hand by punching a hard object, for the sole purpose of punching other hard objects, could be of any benefit.

[Zaine]

Also when i punch i use the okinawa fist not a regular fist.

I wasnt aware that there was an okinawan style of punching. But i suggest knuckle pushups, and makiwari training.

[Menjo]

Well i just use a heavy bag, and once in awhile i have a makiwara availible at the club on free training nights. But ever since i accidently punched my basement concrete wall as hard as i could, i can anything i want without any pain what so ever...

[DragonMike]

Just for information why do you need to toughen up your knuckles what is the reson for doing this i cant think of a good one?

It really helps for brick breaking with your fists.

I hardly see how injuring your hand by punching a hard object, for the sole purpose of punching other hard objects, could be of any benefit.

Many styles including Korean styles use brick breaking as a means of promotional testing. It represents the ability to focus completely on one goal, and it shows that ou have tremendous power and technique.

For my style breaking a brick is the symbol of achieving a black belt.

[Kara]

the only thing i can think of that would be heathly in that regards would be steady conditioning. wiether it'd be heavybag work or kuckle push-ups or anything to condition them. nothing as a wasy wayout will do too much but injury them. patience is a vertue.

[Ripper]

I allways hit carwindows.

This way I don't only get hard knuckles but as an extra benefit I can also collect various radio's, cd's, dvd's, etc........

[kivikala]

Moderate practice over time using a makiwara, I believe will produce good results. Proper training in this is important as mistakes can be costly. Proper fist alignment, and using good, but not excessive striking power can achive much in the way of knuckle toughening. Like everything in life moderation is the key. Excessive practice leads to injuries, and damage that takes time to heal which sets back your training. Now, what is moderate to me, may be a different story to you. You have to figure that part out for yourself.

[shogeri]

FYI:

There are methods one can use to avoid destroying the epidermis and or joints when hardening the knuckles.

It is when the practitioner does too much too soon, and or does not follow throug with proper care, that unexpected results occur.

I believe I posted, somewhere on this forum, some basic instructions on hardening the hands.

So far as using it for modern purposes, I believe that correct body dynamics, along with proper technique (externally, internally, and mentally), can yield an alternate, and yet, effective means of destruction upon the body of another.

p.s.

Historic rumor has it that the practice of hardening of knuckles was a response to the opponent wearing armor or similar clothing.

Later!

[Kara]

well, i was advised recently that i may actually have nerve damage in my hand. This may be caused from punching something too hard. Has anyone heard of this before? i dont feel a problem or anything but it's there i guess...