Forging

Breaking2

Breaking toughens and strengthens the striking surfaces of the body, If you are a novice in breaking, you must first condition your hands for breaking. One traditional method is to strike lightly the edge of the boards used for breaking. Many are under the misconception that the main purpose of the forging post is to produce large callused knuckles but the calluses are actually a by-product of its use. Battering your hands is neither necessary nor desired. Mas Oyama, the great Kyokushinkai master, was a master of breaking. His knuckles had huge calluses covering them from years of breaking. In his latter years, he said he regretted what he had done to his hands.

In 1985, the British Journal of Sports Medicine conducted a survey in which the hands and wrists of 22 Karate instructors were examined under x-ray and by a physician. All of the instructors had at least 5 years experience. The study concluded that: "Long term and routine practice of Karate does not appear to predispose to early onset of osteoarthritis or tendonitis in the hands of those studied."

Medicine and Science in Sports (Vol., 1-2;95, 1970 ) published the results of a study in which the right hand of Masutatsu Oyama was x-rayed in both 1955 and 1970. Oyama had been training on the forging post since 1931, and over 30 years of forging post training had not produced any malformation of the bones on his hand. There was no evidence of any old fractures or calcification and in either set of x-rays, his hands appeared normal.

However, Oyama did have thick calluses on his knuckles. Callused or keratinized skin is caused by repeated striking or any form of repetitive application of force to an area of the skin. This may be seen by inspecting the area where your pen rests against your fingers when you write. If you write frequently, you will notice a small callus of keratinized skin. The body naturally protects itself if it detects that a part of the body needs extra padding.

What about the supposed bony development of the metacarpal phalange joint of the knuckles? As discussed above, the bone is not malformed but is actually a combination of the thickening of the skin of the knuckles and a thickening of the metacarpal extensor tendon. This tendon covers the metacarpal phalange joints and when repeatedly struck, it becomes thicker. Over time, this tendon may become quite enlarged and it is this, combined with the callused skin, that causes the appearance of enlarged knuckles. When left alone, callused skin will tend to return to its original form.

Forging Post

A traditional karate forging tool is the Japanese makiwara (rolled straw) punching pad. The primary purpose of the forging post is to develop a strong punch or strike and to condition the hand and wrist to absorb some impact so the punch may be delivered correctly and effectively. Working the forging post has the added benefit of ensuring that correct breathing and form are used as poor technique will cause pain. The knife-edge of your hand and the first two knuckles of your fore fist must be conditioned before striking against hard objects. This does not have to be a rigorous process. Just lightly strike these areas against hard objects a few time a day.

Some of the old Okinawan karate masters believe that straw has chemical properties in it to help heal wounds that will invariably happen. Although there is no proof of this, striking a straw makiwara is less brutal and it offers a resistance more similar to hitting a body then does a simple leather pad. Hemp rope is also used as a striking surface. The only problem in using a straw pad or wound hemp rope in the dojang is the problem of passing along blood borne diseases. Nowadays, the straw is usually replaced with a cotton pad and is normally placed on a flexible post.

A common misconception is that the forging post should be stiff. Actually, it should be flexible so that force is transmitted forward when it is struck, and not back into the shoulder, which could result in an injury. Sometimes, instead of placing the pad on a post, it is attached to a spring mechanism mounted directly on a wall. Traditionalists realize the value of using a forging post, while modern practitioners opt for a heavy bag instead. Regardless of what is being hit, having feedback from these devices may be of great value in helping you determine how powerful your punch really is and what it feels like to make contact with something.

There are several types of makiwara, the most common types being the tachi-makiwara (or standing makiwara), and the age-makiwara, which is hung from the ceiling and then kicked. There are two kinds of tachi-makiwara, a post in the ground with a pad at the top that is hit from the front, and a round pole in the ground with the top surface cut at an angle so knife hands may be practiced on this part of the post. Rope straw may also be wrapped around the top foot or so of the post and beaten with a piece of wood to make it smooth. Since the tachi-makiwara with the pad is the most commonly used makiwara and it is easily constructed, it is the one this topic will deal with.

How to make and install a forging post

A forging post consists of a straight board with a striking surface at the top. The board is a seven or eight foot long 4x4, cut diagonally so the top is about half an inch thick. Traditionally, the striking surface consisted of a bundle of straw with rope tightly wound around it at the top foot of the board. Nowadays, a piece of rubber covered with canvas or leather is used. Anything that cushions the shock of impact may be used, such as a tightly bundled t-shirt attached with duct tape. At the base end of the board, bolt two parallel sections of 2x4 perpendicular to the length of the board facing the same side as the punching surface.

Choose a site that will not be affected by weather. Ensure that the ground in which you are mounting your forging post has good drainage and is firm.

To install the forging post, dig a hole three or four feet deep and wide enough to accommodate the 2x4's. Pack the bottom of the hole with stones. Place the base end of the board in the hole so that the middle of the punching surface is at solar plexus level. Fill in the rest of the hole with dirt. The top of the board should move five or six inches without exerting too much pressure. Having a board too flexible is better than not flexible enough.

Reasons to use a forging post

Shows what it is really like to hit something.
Strengthens wrists and joints, as well as muscles, ligaments, and the mind.
Proper hand and foot positions are developed by practice on the forging post.
Builds powerful techniques and speed. Like the heavy bag, forging post builds stamina and endurance. Unlike the heavy bag, which will make your kicks and punches sluggish and stiff, the forging post develops speed and mental activity.
"Board of Wisdom" Tells the truth on how strong or weak your punches and kicks are, as well as the mind.
Forging post develops spirit because at times it takes courage to continue.
Builds powerful technique and teaches proper distancing and hip position to maximize force.
"One blow-one kill!" The forging post is the most essential piece of equipment to develop this ability. Do not fool yourself, heavy bag work won't do it.
Develops focus.

Safety Tips

Keep wrist is straight.
Strike with the first two knuckles only.
Start with half-power punches and gradually increase power over weeks of months.
Forging Post Training takes years to develop. Do not be in a hurry. Your body and mind will tell you when to go harder.
Ensure pad has a covering to help prevent skin cuts.
Ensure post is flexible.
Skin toughening medications may help prevent injuries.
Do not lock elbow at the end of the punch.
Do not drive shoulder too far forward when punching.
Lock back leg upon impact and simultaneously tense all the muscles in the body.

Training Tips

Train left and right sides equally.
Use a wide variety of techniques not just punches.
Training with a partner is a good idea as it will motivate you both to keep up with each other.
Goal is not to break the forging post but rather to condition your hands and body so that your techniques will be stronger and more effective.
Train after class as supplement to your training.
Stay focused on the forging post mentally.

Some mistakenly believe that the prime objective of striking a forging post is to build up the calluses of the punching knuckles. When a violinist practices to play better a side effect is developing callus "pads" on the fingers of the left hand, as a result of constantly pressing against the strings. The pads do not make the playing better; they are simply a result of the constant practice. When punching a forging post, the wrist and the rest of the arm that are being conditioned to make a more effective technique and the calluses on the knuckles are merely a side effect of the training.

When punching a forging post (or heavy bag, for that matter), a few things should be considered that may make the punch slightly different than that of air-punching. First of all, if you try to rotate your fist at the very last moment, you may injure your wrist and/or hand. You may need to change the timing of the rotation slightly or leave out the rotation altogether.

There is a tendency to tense and expand the body to "push" the punch while punching an object. Pushing with brute strength is of little use while punching. Pushing is not the same as power. Keep in mind that power is created through a combination of speed and transfer of mass (Force = Mass x Acceleration). As you learn when punching an object such as a forging post, speed is not in itself sufficient; but neither is just pushing power. A would-be attacker is harder to "push" than a bag, so the forging post is a more realistic training tool since it doesn't move (except to absorb some of the shock so as not to injury the user).

Other common mistakes are: trying to "hit" the forging post , trying to hit the forging post too hard, "reaching' for the forging post , bracing for the anticipated impact, taking too big a breath, and failure to hold the focus long enough to feel what you are doing. To avoid these problems, refine your body motion and muscular contraction, using the forging post for immediate feedback.