Conditioning skin (yes skin) for fighting and getting hit

[drop bear]

This post made me look into ice baths. I never looked into them before but assumed they were useful. Apparently they make people feel better but don't have a distinct improvement on recovery.

There is a whole psychology aspect to it as well.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

There is a whole psychology aspect to it as well.

Do you mean that due to placebo affect they are actually useful, or something else?

 

[jks9199]

I'd say less silly than soaking in pickle juice.

Or worse...

 

[drop bear]

Do you mean that due to placebo affect they are actually useful, or something else?

There is a whole breathing and mental toughness element to it.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

There is a whole breathing and mental toughness element to it.

To Ice baths? I feel like I'm missing something here

 

[drop bear]

To Ice baths? I feel like I'm missing something here

 

[Alan0354]

Say what??!!!

If I get into a fight, my skin is about the last thing I would think about!! why do I want to even spend a minute to do anything about it? There are so many area that I work on to get stronger and tougher like bone on forearms, shins, knuckles, elbows, knees....... Who cares about cutting or scratching of the skin.

As for eyes, I would love to hear what can people do to toughen them, or groin!!! I don't think repeat poking or kicking is going to get you very far.

 

[Alan0354]

Anybody heard of "Iron Body"(straight Chinese translation is "Iron Cloth Clothes") in Chinese Kung Fu. I think it's something to toughen up the body to take blows. That involve hitting the body and rub with those alcohol medicine afterwards. I hope it's not like Iron Palm that I practiced for a few years and got NOTHING but Carpal Tunnel on both hands without being able to hit any harder.

 

[hoshin1600]

Any iron body, type conditioning needs a knowledgeable instructor.
It has been my experience that people with extra fat feel a greater amount of pain taking hits then those who are more lean. My advise is to strengthen the muscles in the areas you feel need it. Learning to contract those muscles is the key component to conditioning.

 

[isshinryuronin]

Anybody heard of "Iron Body"(straight Chinese translation is "Iron Cloth Clothes") in Chinese Kung Fu. I think it's something to toughen up the body to take blows.

Any iron body, type conditioning needs a knowledgeable instructor.

Yes, it's a real thing, and I fully agree with hoshin1600's quote. Do not jump into this without a senior instructor trained in this, and perhaps with a Chinese medicine background as well.

Repeated impact stress on the bones, muscles and tendons makes them harder for use in striking as well as absorbing strikes.

The rubbing with liniment (various concoctions exist) can reduce bruising and toughen the skin. While some may dispute the efficacy of this, many hardcore, traditional, old-school guys embrace it. The roots of all this go way back in MA history.

The other side of body conditioning entails muscle tension and breathing techniques. For this, a proper structural foundation is needed. So, it is not a simple thing and there are a number of elements involved which, again, require a mature and knowledgeable instructor to closely guide you.

 

[punisher73]

When I first read the thread title, I was thinking of the old school boxers that used to use "brining solutions" and rub them around the eye area to try and toughen the skin so it didn't cut as easily when getting hit there.

 

[lklawson]

I don't think that you can condition skin the way you described.

Sure you can. You can condition any skin pretty much. Whether or not you want or need to is a different question. Will it help you fight better? Would it make you less vulnerable to injury?

Actually...you can condition by building callouses, but the only areas those would really be needed are the striking points (knees, elbows, feet/toes, hands/knuckles). Even then you're exchanging other functionality of your toes/fingers for the callouses.

Boxers under the London Prize Ring era would sometimes condition the skin of their face to mitigate facial cuts.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[lklawson]

I'd say less silly than soaking in pickle juice.

The right "pickle juice."

 

[lklawson]

This post made me look into ice baths. I never looked into them before but assumed they were useful. Apparently they make people feel better but don't have a distinct improvement on recovery.

Well, actually...

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[lklawson]

Say what??!!!

If I get into a fight, my skin is about the last thing I would think about!! why do I want to even spend a minute to do anything about it? There are so many area that I work on to get stronger and tougher like bone on forearms, shins, knuckles, elbows, knees....... Who cares about cutting or scratching of the skin.

Gee, I don't know. Let me think about that question for a second...

Bloodborne Pathogens - Overview | Occupational Safety and Health Administration

www.osha.gov

What Are the 10 Most Common Bloodborne Pathogens? | Eco Bear

An overview and consideration of the 10 most commonplace types of bloodborne pathogens that present risks to humans.

ecobear.co

 

[lklawson]

When I first read the thread title, I was thinking of the old school boxers that used to use "brining solutions" and rub them around the eye area to try and toughen the skin so it didn't cut as easily when getting hit there.

And the knuckles as well.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[Tony Dismukes]

This applies to the unexposed areas of body that are naturally covered most of the time

So the underarms, obliques and chest

I'm not unfit but not ripped either

If i stand up and ready myself for a hit yes then I can take it, but that's not the issue

The issue is when in a relaxed postion. Yes it's baby skin so to speak and never saw to much sun or whatever but it actually undoes the good work I do with my training

Its like this, slap the watch facing side of your arm.
Now slap the opposite side.

Notice the difference (I hope you do)

Now like i say if im sitting there not expecting it and i get hit in any area like this my eyes would water like a baby

Preferably looking to do something i can do myself. I know you could get something to slap a much as possible but not wasting other people's time

In general, the conditioning you can do for getting hit does not significantly affect the skin. You can toughen up the skin of your feet and hands, which will help prevents cuts and blisters. But the skin of your torso, not so much. It's probably theoretically possible to thicken up the skin on your chest, but it won't help you take hits any better.

You can condition your striking surfaces (hands, shins, forearms, etc) through gradual, long term, impact training. This is something which needs to be done carefully, but it can help increase bone density and strengthen the supporting muscles & tendons.

Conditioning your torso to accept impact is primarily about strengthening the muscles, learning to instinctively tighten or relax those muscles at the right moment, and psychologically conditioning yourself to be used to the impact.

If you're taking a hit to the chest or sides which is not hard enough to inflict structural damage and your eyes are watering up, then it's probably the psychological conditioning which is missing. Your brain hasn't yet learned to distinguish the shock of an unexpected impact from a signal that your body has actually taken damage which needs to be dealt with. Spend more time training with contact and you'll find yourself getting desensitized to that.

 

[Buka]

You wanna get thick skin? Marry a half Irish, half Sicilian woman. And learn to duck.

 

[Alan0354]

Gee, I don't know. Let me think about that question for a second...

Bloodborne Pathogens - Overview | Occupational Safety and Health Administration

www.osha.gov

What Are the 10 Most Common Bloodborne Pathogens? | Eco Bear

An overview and consideration of the 10 most commonplace types of bloodborne pathogens that present risks to humans.

ecobear.co

I rather spend more time training, make the bones and joint stronger than fighting a losing battle to prevent scratching the skin. I don't think being butt kicked is any better than pathogens.

 

[CMyers0323]

I think what needs to be said has already been said but I would agree do some Conditioning and fight more. You can't ever strengthen the eyes right but we learn to avoid getting hit in the face (eyes and other parts) by just being a better fighter. Yes you may be worried about being in a relaxed state but the better you get at fighting the more aware without being on guard you'll be. At the end of the day I don't think we can 100% "unbeatable"