Makiwara Post

[RichardHangHong]

Can anyone give me the exact dimensions for a stand/floor mounted makiwara post please? I know the normal posts are 7 to 8ft in length but that is for the posts that are buried partly in the ground.

I need:

Length:

Width:

Thickness at the top: It it 1/4 or 1/2 inch?

Thickness at the base:

Which point to start tapering the post:

Thanks in advance.

Richard

[alsey]

a 7 ft long post should have 40 inches of it in the ground, i.e. 3 ft 8 inches above ground with a 16 inch makiwara. but basically the striking area should be somewhere between your solar plexus and your shoulder.

width: 4 inches

thickness at bottom: 4 inches

thickness at top: 1/2 inch

where you start tapering it varies depending on the wood. mine is shijiya (japanese beech) and the taper starts 15 inches up the post. i think the taper can start anywhere up to about 1/3 of the way up the post, but it depends on the wood where exactly you have it.

[Jiffy]

Search is your friend

I think this is in the old threads somewhere with exact dimensions and pictures.

[Brandon Fisher]

Richard,

There is a good site based in the UK for you. https://www.makiwarapost.co.uk

Hope that helps

[RichardHangHong]

Richard,

There is a good site based in the UK for you. https://www.makiwarapost.co.uk

Hope that helps

Thanks Brandon,

I know about this site but one of my students (a carpenter/cabinet maker) is making one for me but he needs the exact dimensions for a floor standing one as he has made the base already.

[Brandon Fisher]

Wish I could help you there.

[cathal]

As I recall it's basically a four by four or two by four tapered down as gets to the striking surface. You should also setup a second board behind it, so when you strike the makiwara it moves backward to strike that board...then you know you've gone the proper distance. The distance in this case is about the thickness of a normal body from sternum to spine. This reinforces the concept that you aren't punching the target, you're punching through the target.

Another thing to remember is skin. If you are striking the surface (beit wrapped in straw, rope, etc) and you break the skin, you should stop, wait for your hand to heal, and then start up again.

When practicing with the makiwara it's a good idea to change stances. Don't simply do it all in front stance, etc. Change it up.

Last but not least, this is an excellent exercise to practice no mind. You should punch 100 times with one arm, and another 100 times with the other arm.