Change in bones

[ehsen]

I am performing a punching drill since last couple of months. Its similar to kung fu (I fix bunch of papers against wall and simply punch in it ).

But here is a strange thing. There is some change in my hand's bones specially kunckles. They look little big.
Even though I am not feeling pain at all (never get injured) but i am concerned about it.

My punch is very strong now and that's really wonderful feeling but still the above issue is very creepy.

Can anyone tell me what's going on with my hand.

 

[Kacey]

When you consistently hit a solid object, the bone will eventually become larger and denser due to healed microfractures. The "larger" part is what you're seeing; the "denser" part is the extra strength you're feeling. Given that you use your knuckles when you punch as the contact point - and that they are therefore the part of your hand receiving the most contact - I would expect to see the greatest change in them.

 

[Steel Tiger]

When you consistently hit a solid object, the bone will eventually become larger and denser due to healed microfractures. The "larger" part is what you're seeing; the "denser" part is the extra strength you're feeling. Given that you use your knuckles when you punch as the contact point - and that they are therefore the part of your hand receiving the most contact - I would expect to see the greatest change in them.

Kasey has effectively described what is going on in your hands. A point to consider with training like this, however, is that constantly producing microfractures and having them heal can lead to arthritic problems later on. It is not a form of practice I would recommend be done too often.

 

[tellner]

Traumatic arthritis is no joke. I've seen guys with ruined hands from it. Real Iron Palm training is done very slowly and gradually with plenty of massage and a lot of very strong medicines to avoid long-term damage. And even then it can lead to permanent problems.

If you look at the Southeast Asian martial arts like Cimande Silat and Muay Thai there's a lot of brutal bone conditioning. But it's the shins and forearms for the most part. They become serious weapons. You avoid damage to the joints.

 

[zDom]

I believe, and I hope I'm not wrong, that there is a happy medium — that you can, indeed, stress your striking weapons enough to build stronger bones for striking without damaging joints and suffering arthritis in the future.

I think my training falls within that happy medium. I hope I'm right