DIY training gear!

[Hawkmoon]

yup, I said DIY (Do it yourself) training gear!

Most Karateka in 'ye good old days' would train using bowls of heated sand (or gravel) and punch wooden posts or trees to enhance there technique and skills.

This is still true today...but some choose to buy the equipment from the store and ...

Well a wooden fence post is £5-10 ($10-15 US), a Makiwara block/board will cost you £20-30 ($26-35 US)

So DIY equipment .....!

DIY Makiwara board.

• 1. Buy a fence post, say a 4ft post (total length 6ft).
   
  2. Dig a 2ft hole in the garden.
   
  (seek permission from mum or the wife! , trust me on this one your be happy you did LOL)
   
  3. Put post in the hole!
   
  4. Concrete or use old house bricks to pack around the post.
   
  5. Wrap some rope around the top of the post.
   
  6. Start punching!

Wooden dummy (Wing chung practice dummy) can cost as much £300 or more!

DIY Wooden dummy (Wing chung practice dummy)

Two options.

Option 1

• 1. buy an old railway sleeper. (£20-30)
   
  2. Dig hole in garden.
   
  3. concrete the sleeper into place (Bricks will not do this time)
   
  4. Wrap rope and old blankets around it. (wool blankets , this is the padding more is better!)
   
  5. Cover this with nn old pillow case or such like.
   
  6. Start etc

Option 2

• 1. buy four fence posts, tie them together, creating a 'body'. (£20-30)
   
  2. Dig hole in garden.
   
  3. concrete the 'body' into place (Bricks will not do this time)
   
  4. Wrap rope and old blankets around it. (wool blankets , this is the padding more is better!)
   
  5. Cover this with an old pillow case or such like.
   
  6. you get the idea!

You can fit (bits of 2x2 or 3x3) arms etc to the 'body/sleeper' as you see fit.

Anyone else have suggestions?

Edited October 25, 2013 by Hawkmoon

[sensei8]

yup, I said DIY (Do it yourself) training gear!

Most Karateka in 'ye good old days' would train using bowls of heated sand (or gravel) and punch wooden posts or trees to enhance there technique and skills.

This is still true today...but some choose to buy the equipment form the store and ...

Well a wooden fence post is £5-10 ($10-15 US), a Makiwara block/board will cost you £20-30 ($26-35 US)

So DIY equipment .....!

DIY Makiwara board.

1. Buy a fence post, say a 4ft post (total length 6ft).

2. Dig a 2ft hole in the garden.

(seek permission from mum or the wife! , trust me on this one your be happy you did LOL)

3. Put post in the hole!

4. Concrete or use old house bricks to pack around the post.

5. Wrap some rope around the top of the post.

6. Start punching!

Wooden dummy (Wing chung practice dummy) can cost as much £300 or more!

DIY Wooden dummy (Wing chung practice dummy)

Two options.

Option 1

1. buy an old railway sleeper. (£20-30)

2. Dig hole in garden.

3. concrete the sleeper into place (Bricks will not do this time)

4. Wrap rope and old blankets around it. (wool blankets , this is the padding more is better!)

5. Cover this with nn old pillow case or such like.

6. Start etc

Option 2

1. buy four fence posts, tie them together, creating a 'body'. (£20-30)

2. Dig hole in garden.

3. concrete the 'body' into place (Bricks will not do this time)

4. Wrap rope and old blankets around it. (wool blankets , this is the padding more is better!)

5. Cover this with an old pillow case or such like.

6. you get the idea!

You can fit (bits of 2x2 or 3x3) arms etc to the 'body/sleeper' as you see fit.

Anyone else have suggestions?

Solid post!!

I've built my share of DIY equipment over the many untold years. Some not so durable [i had a diy nunchaku come apart at the most impromptu time during a tournament and at a demo...not cool], albeit, I've had more good than bad experiences with a diy.

I still use a railroad tie as my makawara at home, and this is because I don't do good with commercial types for the simple reason is that they don't last long with me.

I've dabbled in the diy world for quite along time and this is because...I'm cheap, sad, but true. Sure, I've more commercial equipment than diy, but that's because I'm not that good with building anything above superduper novice...it's a curse I believe, but true.

I love your topic...thank you for starting it.

[Hawkmoon]

Cheap CHEAP!!! Nah!

I would suggest a traditionalist !!!

I'd love to have a tree in the garden.......just I'll not live that long to use it!

Easier to get a 4x4 post and some bricks!

Here's another DIY piece of kit.....as it were!

Sand bag!

Slung low ...about shin height in a frame, allowing it to swing freely.

Now kick it!

Think kick boxing and conditioning!

[Hawkmoon]

Push up aid(s)

• 1. Buy/borrow two shed handles/garden gate handles.
   
  2. Cut/prepare two small boards (15cms x 25 cm)
   
  3. Attach handles to the boards.
   
  4. Do a push up!

Enjoy!

Edited October 25, 2013 by Hawkmoon

[DWx]

I found this website recently:

http://www.martialmakers.com/

Loads of plans and examples of homemade equipment.

What I really want to make is a board holder. I did start one last year but my DIY skills kinda suck and it went all wrong. When I get a bit of time I will have to have another crack at it.

[lowereastside]

Thanks for the link - DWx. I've made some DIY training equipment - but nothing to write home about. My Chinese Medicine Teacher - who also teaches Kung - Fu to a select few - just finished building a wooden dummy ( not Wing Chun ) with springs in the arms taken from a car's shocks. The spring action in the arms of the dummy is unbelievable. One of the student's was drinking coffee and was sort of nonchalant hitting the arms - when the arms from the shocks shot up hitting the hand holding the coffee - needless to say the cup goes flying - the look on his face was priceless ( LOL ). My Chinese Medicine Teacher is very handy - at DIY. - He's built a number of different training equipment. But I want that Dummy .

[CredoTe]

Whoa... this is a great topic post...

I've been searching the Web for the best ways to make makiwaras; your suggestions might be the best because they seem the most simple and effective.

I have a question, though...

Do you have a similar suggestion for an indoor version of your makiwara? My living space is not much, and our dojo is getting cramped (not such a bad thing because that means more people). I would love to have a "mobile" version of your makiwara... Perhaps a DIY attachment to our heavy bag base?

[Hawkmoon]

Whoa... this is a great topic post...

I've been searching the Web for the best ways to make makiwaras; your suggestions might be the best because they seem the most simple and effective.

I have a question, though...

Do you have a similar suggestion for an indoor version of your makiwara? My living space is not much, and our dojo is getting cramped (not such a bad thing because that means more people). I would love to have a "mobile" version of your makiwara... Perhaps a DIY attachment to our heavy bag base?

Yup!

(Think of a wooden bird table!)

Take the post you made (4ft long post this time) attach it to a board (plywood) about 2 inches thick.

Base board; say 2ft wide 5-6ft long.

Screw one end of the post to said board 1 ft x 1 ft form one end.

Now attach 3 4x4 post to the main post about two ft up and angle them at 45 degrees and attach these to he main board!

(think upside down 'y')

[Hawkmoon]

Running/jogging aid!

To pull along as you run.

• 1. One old car tire.
   
  2. Some rope or chain attach one end to the tire.
   
  3. Fill the tire with concrete.
   
  4. Wrap/attach (do not use concrete ) other end of rope/chain to you, start running!
  

If you want to get more from this, find a hill or slope to run up or better still sprint up a few times!

Edited October 25, 2013 by Hawkmoon

[Hawkmoon]

An Alternative punch/kick dummy.

Depending on your resources and DIY skill, but a practice dummy that has a more real (by size) body.

A round barrel of some kind.

steel/plastic - an old dust bin (trash can)

Steel drum - oil drum (cleaned) for example.

If your lucky enough a wooden barrel! (straight side)

A fence post or some other support to raise the barrel up to mimic an opponents hight.

A bundle of poles broom handle diameter for example.

• 1. Create an upper and lower ring on the barrel that supports the 'poles' away from the barrel body. Approximately 2 inches (5cm) off the main barrel wall. (Make sure to place the 'poles' as tightly together as possible. Next to each other is best IMO)
   
  2. Fix the poles to the barrel at the top and bottom only. So allowing the middle of the poles to flex normally.
   
  3. Cover the poles in foam or some other material (if you wish) to try and mimic a body (take the edge off)
   
  4. Insert the post through the barrel, cut holes as needed into the barrel.*
   
  5. Under the barrel fix a support (block or some thing) to keep the barrel at the desired height.*
   
  5. Fix post into floor, bricks or concrete.
   
  6. Start kicking etc etc.

*The barrel can be fixed or free moving, its up to you.

You WILL want to consider the noise so fill the barrel with 'stuff' to reduce or kill as much sound as you can.

Edited October 25, 2013 by Hawkmoon