Warrior's hands

[evergrey]

Oyama also had cancer in his later years.

Our shihan is 60 and his hands are doing great. Fast, good mover, strong too.

I don't set out to TRY for iron hands, but the Kyokushin style of training that we do, in particular in my school, tends to lead to a toughening of the knuckles. We don't use padding and all that... but if something starts to split, I bandage it. I don't particularly want to get staph or hep-c myself...

[The BB of C]

I used to want warriors hands. Then a combination of Mother-dearest, my eye doctor (who is also a third degree in Kyokushin) and my own Sensei, warned me about the consequences of Kyokushin style training. My eye doctor especially when I went in there and found that he had hired someone to take his notes for him because his bones were so big that he couldn't write anymore. He's in his high forties.

I've been researching Iron Palm techniques. It's a Chinese method I believe. Instead of making the bones thicker by constantly breaking them so they heal over twice as thick - the mechanics of Iron Palm seem to make small breaks on the inside of the bone. So instead of making the bone thicker, it makes it more dense. Has the same result on bricks or people as Iron Hand. So far I haven't found any long-lasting side effects in my research.

Before I go filling a bag with iron shot; does anyone know anything about this and possible drawbacks to it?

[GeoGiant]

My wrists and knuckles are tough enough to allow me punch a sand bag for conditioning. I hit the sand bag hard, roughly 100 times, a few times a week. My wrists don't feel jammed when I'm done (although they used to) and my knuckles don't split open (although they used to) and that is good enough for me.

As BB of C stated, the cost and benefit of such harsh training doesn't make sense for me.

[The BB of C]

Iron Palm Training:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jdbB8nHIYc&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uILBcQiqEco

Results:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qN87Rvhux70

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1QWZmfBJME&feature=related

That's a summary of my research thus far.

[isshinryu5toforever]

I used to want warriors hands. Then a combination of Mother-dearest, my eye doctor (who is also a third degree in Kyokushin) and my own Sensei, warned me about the consequences of Kyokushin style training. My eye doctor especially when I went in there and found that he had hired someone to take his notes for him because his bones were so big that he couldn't write anymore. He's in his high forties.

I've been researching Iron Palm techniques. It's a Chinese method I believe. Instead of making the bones thicker by constantly breaking them so they heal over twice as thick - the mechanics of Iron Palm seem to make small breaks on the inside of the bone. So instead of making the bone thicker, it makes it more dense. Has the same result on bricks or people as Iron Hand. So far I haven't found any long-lasting side effects in my research.

Before I go filling a bag with iron shot; does anyone know anything about this and possible drawbacks to it?

Iron palm training relies on a lot of stuff people don't take into account. Number one is time. It's done over an extremely long period of time. Years, not months. They also use a lot of ointments and healing herbs. Not to say they all work, but it's part of the process. You would need serious tutelage by someone who is well-versed in Iron Palm, and still, you could end up with damaged hands. Individual biology probably has a lot to do with what will and won't destroy your body. I'm not sure if I'm willing to take that chance. You've got a lot of people with a lot of experience on here telling you to just let it be and modernize your training. Might be wise to heed the advice.

[The BB of C]

Heck yes. That's why I haven't started doing it on my own. It's something I'd like to get into but even though I did research and didn't find any long-term side effects; I didn't believe that there weren't any either.

[bushido_man96]

I think its important to kind of stand back and look at these "warrior hands" or Iron Palms and whatnot, and really ask what is gained out of them? Calloused knuckles might "look cool" and may even afford an intimidation factor to those impressed by it, and the idea of Iron Palms to strike someone with might be tempting, as well. But, if you really concentrate on how you apply your techniques in training, learning proper mechanics along with strategies and tactics of application, then will some big ugly looking knuckles or an iron slap make much of a difference?

Perhaps better to have the "warrior's mind."

[The BB of C]

We should know that it's good to have both as they are equally valuable.

The idea behind warrior's hands is like building weapons inside your hands. It's kind of like striking with a bare hand or striking with four rocks. Iron Palm practices the concepts of hitting internal organs and generating maximum power with very little distance.

[bushido_man96]

However, not every "warrior" would have had hands like that. Remember that "warrors" originally used weapons primarily. I'm not saying that calloused knuckles or Iron Palm training aren't worthwhile, but I don't think it is as necessary an aspect of the overall training of a Martial Artist. I do think the mindset and knowledge of how to apply the physical skills is a more important part. But that's just me.

[JusticeZero]

I have a couple of very specific *parts* of my hand that I have some concern about hardening. First, the outer side of the thumb; when slapping, that seems to always get rung quite painfully. I don't know if it is a form issue or a conditioning issue there. Second would be the supporting structure of the hand - that's not an impact conditioning issue though, it's muscular conditioning.