The Importance Of Hand Conditioning

[master dave]

greetings,
how important is hand condition in todays day and age?
it use to be everyone was trying to attain the tang soo do fist! you know where the middle knuckle sets back about in the middle of the back of the hand. I have spent many years and long hours conditioning my hands. i have no ill effects from my training. no joint pain, no signs of arthritis. i will be 47 in october! knocking on the door of 50.
question.... do you feel hand conditions is still nessary today?
if yes...explain why
if no....explain why not.
:asian:
master Zacker founder / The Tang Soo Do Martial Arts Society
www.tsdmas.com

 

[master dave]

Hum,
I guess its not important! lol along with allowing the hands to absorb the shock of actual combat or self defense it strengthens the wrist. in real life no time for safety punch!
just my 2cents worth.

 

[Shinzu]

i think conditioning of any sort is important. when it comes to the point of damaging certain parts of your body i am against that. i think that you dont need to damage to condition. just my opinion.

 

[Muwubu16858]

Hand conditioning is the face of Moo Duk Kwan. Look at the fist in the middle of the logo, and realize that its our tradition to build up our knuckles. I've been conditioning for 6 years. When I started, my teacher reshaped the bones in my first two knuckle of my right fist with a police batton over a period of 3 weeks. Then, he started me striking a red brick wrapped in manila rope, 100 times punching, 100 times backfist, 100 times on the point of the knuckles between the backfist and front fist, that covering the entire 2 knuckles. But it didn't stop there, because I also train the 3 points of the knifehand, my reverse knifehand, and on the concrete sidewalks outside, I condition the edge-heel of my feet. I also condition my head on a leather 100lb punchingbag. Now, I strike over 1000 times of each strike a day, and I'm very proud of my assets. My teacher, who is 57 years old, also continues to practice conditioning of his hands to this day. Although it seems old fashioned, and brutal, I beliefe in the retainment of these techniques, not only for historical value, but to keep high and proud the face of our beloved Moo Duk Kwan.

 

[JT_the_Ninja]

As far as hand conditioning, I don't do it specifically, but it happens. I do practice punching only with the first two knuckles (same goes for push-ups), but other than that I toughen up through practice. I don't doubt, however, that I'd benefit from the kind of training Muwubu described. I just doubt that I'd survive it intact

 

[Distance]

Conditioning not only the fist, but thumbs, fingers, and entire grip as well, is indeed an asset. Biologically speaking, when a bone is put under pressure and strain it becomes stronger. Deposits of minerals during bone remodeling will literally give you "stone hands." Of course, building up to that point takes patients and care.

On a side note: conditioning can be done almost anywhere, so get creative and utilize seemingly idle moments!

 

[Chizikunbo]

I think it is vital to be able to feel what it feels like to really punch, and be able to execute and land a proper punch with full force, and do it right. However I think alot of hand conditioning methods are best left to being practiced under the DIRECT supervision of a master who has experience in the art, such as the case with iron palm training etc. I think that many people in the Okinawan lineage probably misunderstand makiwara training, as hand conditioning. Grandmaster Taika Oyata relates a story in his book "Ryu Te no Michi" about how a master developed the makiwara for one of his students to teach him a lesson, likewise Kyoshi Steve Stark in his book "Quest: The ancient way" tells a story about how Taika Oyata made him train very hard on the makiwara to teach a lesson about not being quick to give pain. There have been numerous other stories of Okinawan masters speaking of makiwara training of a practice to purify the heart and mind from evil etc. etc.
--Josh

 

[Muwubu16858]

I tell you, over the years I've been conditioning, It also has proved to be an effective stress reliever, and as a result, I'm able to blow off my steam without causing harm or discomfort to others.