relaxed fist conditioning

[foolinthedeck]

i need to condition my fists, make the skin on my knuckeles less likely to bleed and split, but i dont want relaxation and sensitivity to suffer even 1%. whats a good way in your opinion to do this?

not bags surely, so what sand buckets?

[PAMantis]

I believe it is with bags. 50-100 lb bags of stones. I have seen it done in videos (not sure which ones) and have also heard my sifu speak of this as part of our iron fist training.

PAMantis

[Becca]

I've heard that "splashing" works well. As for cracking, you might try a kind of hand cream called Udder Cream. The skin on my knuckles crack every winter, and if they get too much sun. That's what I use to keep them from getting bad. It also helps to keep them from cracking in the first place.

[TigerJaw]

PAMantis, That sounds like something I might be interested in. How big should the stones be and what sort of bag? What do you do with the bag, just wail on it or tap it softly?

Cheers

[PAMantis]

I'm really not sure, as I have not yet begun my Iron Fist training, but from my understanding the bags were large enough to be about the same height as you kneeling down, filled with (not positive about the size) medium gravle, larger than the stuff used in driveways. The power behind the strikes is built up to a short power strike. I really would speak to your sifu about trying anything like that first though. As I said I am only going on speculation. Anyone with concrete knowledge please inform us.


PAMantis

[foolinthedeck]

thanks

it may well be that my structure is just bad, because i emphasise relaxation first, and i only did this hitting focus mits things for the first time yesterday in about 2 years.. i hit it relaxed for a long time and just rubbed the skin off.. its not something that i plan to do all the time, and i'd rather develop my power through other means that hitting bags, i just wanted to know that if i do do it then will my hands be tough enough.

to put it another way, say that i have loads of qi, loads of jong, i'm full of energy from lots of internal training, but havent really hit very much, this is great for transmission of enrgy thru palms in a no inch situ, but if aksed to hit a bag with a fist a few times, i want to be able to do so without physical discomfort at point of impact.

[TigerJaw]

There's always the old chestnut of pushups on the knuckles. Helps to strengthen the wrists as well. You might also try a makiwara. I don't know if that's a bit too external for you, just an idea.