Iron Palm Training

[Kante]

I just read about Iron Palm/Hand Training and basically it's just hitting your hand against a strong surface over and over again to strengthen it and so that you'd be able to hit harder and block harder while feeling almost no pain.

I want someone who actually knows about this to tell me himself how i should do this. I already have a makiwara set up and am planning to start hitting on it 200 times with each fist as soon as i start with my weight lifting routine.

Can i use it for Iron Palm Training or wouldn't that work?

If it would work then how many times a day should i be working on it? Because i really need to strengthen my palms since they aren't really that strong and it hurts quite a lot when blocking strong hits.

Also, how can i strengthen my knees so that I'd be able to hit with them without worrying about not being able to walk properly. Because when i watch full contact matches like in Muay Thai the fighters can block with their knees without feeling a thing.

I've read that in order to achieve that you need to build muscle around the kneecaps. Well how can that be done?

Am 15 by the way.

I hope someone could answer my questions.

Thanks.

[DWx]

IMO I really don't think real conditioning should be done until your bones are fully grown. As a teenager you don't want to permenantly cripple your hands forever as you cant get back what you've lost. Lighter conditioning should be fine but launching straight into the heavy stuff while you're still growing doesn't seem like a good idea to me.

By the way, the whole no pain concept only comes about from deading and killing the nerves. Having a better technique may reduce the pain without damaging your body.

[Cybren]

I would suggest not, but I value not having carpel tunnel.

[Kante]

Well do you have an alternative?

[bushido_man96]

When you do any kind of body conditioning/toughening training, the key is to do it gradually. You may not want to start out with 200 strikes per hand right away. If you hurt yourself during the conditioning process, then you should let it heal, and then continue again, gradually.

Take your time. It won't come all at once.

[Kante]

Well how do you strengthen the forearms? Is the only way to do it is by doing weight exercises like wrist curls and so? Is any striking on the makiwara needed?

Same question goes for the knees (Mine are pretty week, any simple hit on it is painful).

Thanks

[bushido_man96]

Well how do you strengthen the forearms? Is the only way to do it is by doing weight exercises like wrist curls and so? Is any striking on the makiwara needed?

Same question goes for the knees (Mine are pretty week, any simple hit on it is painful).

Thanks

Building the muscles around the bones you want to use will help, with both your knees and the forearms. Also, using the makiwara for your forearms is ok, just use it in moderation. After extensive time in training, they will begin to toughen.

Thai fighters don't get tough overnight. Years of pounding the heavy bags and competition and sparring all help in the conditioning process. It just takes time. If you try to hurry things along, then you will only bring on injuries and set-backs.

[Kante]

Well how do you strengthen the forearms? Is the only way to do it is by doing weight exercises like wrist curls and so? Is any striking on the makiwara needed?

Same question goes for the knees (Mine are pretty week, any simple hit on it is painful).

Thanks

Building the muscles around the bones you want to use will help, with both your knees and the forearms. Also, using the makiwara for your forearms is ok, just use it in moderation. After extensive time in training, they will begin to toughen.

Thai fighters don't get tough overnight. Years of pounding the heavy bags and competition and sparring all help in the conditioning process. It just takes time. If you try to hurry things along, then you will only bring on injuries and set-backs.

I understand. Which exercises could i do to build muscles around the knee and the forearms?

By the way is it even possible to build muscle around the side joints of the knee as well?

[ps1]

I understand. Which exercises could i do to build muscles around the knee and the forearms?

By the way is it even possible to build muscle around the side joints of the knee as well?

For your foreamrs you can do wrist curls and biceps curls. Additionally, the forearms get used synergetically during any exercise where you are gripping for support. There's a great grip strength regimin out there called "king of crush." They can be found at https://www.ironmind.com. They come in 4 levels of difficulty (five if you count the trainer). I would recommend you start with the trainer or level 1 at most. They are amazingly effective at building grip strength, which is directly related to forearm strength by the way.

For the muscles surrounding your knees: Squats are the number one best exercise. However, if you have any back problems (bulging discs, compression fractures, scholiosis) they may not be right for you. Check with your doctor for that. If you do not have problems, make sure to start slowly and learn proper form for squating. They are the best way to build leg and back strength, but doing them improperly is the number one way to get yourself hurt really bad. If you're reluctant to do squats the leg press is very good as well. For the hamstrings (back of the legs) stiff leg dead lifts are good (same rules as squats though) or leg curls are effective as well. You can hit your calvs by doing heel raises while holding weights. Those three exercises should do wonders for your legs.

You can't build muscle where it does not exist. I'm sorry to say there are no muscles in the sides of your knees. Only tendons and ligaments. This is a good thing because your knees would be very difficult to bend if there were. Also, there's no way to strengthen ligaments and tendons, that's why stretching them isn't good. If you have problems with your knees popping out laterally (to the sides) you should check with an orthopedic doctor. Specifically someone who specializes in knees. It could be symptoms of a larger problem (ie...tendon or ligament damage that needs repaired).

Hope this was helpful!

[Kante]

I understand. Which exercises could i do to build muscles around the knee and the forearms?

By the way is it even possible to build muscle around the side joints of the knee as well?

For your foreamrs you can do wrist curls and biceps curls. Additionally, the forearms get used synergetically during any exercise where you are gripping for support. There's a great grip strength regimin out there called "king of crush." They can be found at https://www.ironmind.com. They come in 4 levels of difficulty (five if you count the trainer). I would recommend you start with the trainer or level 1 at most. They are amazingly effective at building grip strength, which is directly related to forearm strength by the way.

For the muscles surrounding your knees: Squats are the number one best exercise. However, if you have any back problems (bulging discs, compression fractures, scholiosis) they may not be right for you. Check with your doctor for that. If you do not have problems, make sure to start slowly and learn proper form for squating. They are the best way to build leg and back strength, but doing them improperly is the number one way to get yourself hurt really bad. If you're reluctant to do squats the leg press is very good as well. For the hamstrings (back of the legs) stiff leg dead lifts are good (same rules as squats though) or leg curls are effective as well. You can hit your calvs by doing heel raises while holding weights. Those three exercises should do wonders for your legs.

You can't build muscle where it does not exist. I'm sorry to say there are no muscles in the sides of your knees. Only tendons and ligaments. This is a good thing because your knees would be very difficult to bend if there were. Also, there's no way to strengthen ligaments and tendons, that's why stretching them isn't good. If you have problems with your knees popping out laterally (to the sides) you should check with an orthopedic doctor. Specifically someone who specializes in knees. It could be symptoms of a larger problem (ie...tendon or ligament damage that needs repaired).

Hope this was helpful!

Thank you alot ps1, that was very helpful, just one more thing though, these exercises you mentioned (wrist curls and biceps curls) will they build muscle around the bony area or will they just strengthen it (forearm)?

Thanks again.