10,001 ways to strengthen the fist

[uki]

that's the challenge that's the goal. 10,001 ways to strengthen any martial arts-kung fu fist... hand, claw, hook, ox tongue, paw, knife, etc, etc. that's what's it's about... the fist. root with the feet, direct with the waist, express with the fist; no double posting on techniques, first come first counted. variations are permissible, provided they work just one different muscle somewhere in the body. please adhere to an honor system, personally do the technique once or twice, or rather, be willing to demonstrate given any opportunity which may so arise during the course of your life...:D... have fun. let the games begin!! DONG!!

i'll get the first few out of the way.:p

juggle 3, nine pound iron balls.

pushups on back of hand holding 9 pound iron balls.

push ups on back of hands in the mantis claw formation.

juggle 3, four pound iron bars(as juggling clubs), catching in the dragon palm hand position.

push ups on knuckles with back of hands facing ears... two extreme rotations of opposite are possible.

push ups on back of wrist in mantis claw, forefingers pointing opposite ear opening.

juggle three bricks.:cool:

[David Jamieson]

punch things.

a lot.

[uki]

chopping wood by hand with a maul... wooden, fiberglass, or metal handles... 3 more.

[uki]

here is two pictures of back of hand push ups. taken today... 8-13-08. a great hand, fist, wrist, forearm, shoulder, etc, exercise.

http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff350/mossjuice/IMG_0592.jpg

http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff350/mossjuice/IMG_0593.jpg

[uki]

iron ball juggling with just the thumb, index, and middle fingers.

push ups on the edge of willow palms.

extending fingers, only bend the first finger joints of each finger as quickly as possible.

do push ups holding up ended bricks.

lift FHA's and regular blocks with back of hands.

climbing scaffolding using only mantis hooks.

carry cement in 5 gallon buckets with ox tongue(handle rests on wrist crease).

push ups on finger tips.

push wheel barrows in reversed grip(palms facing outwards).

[Lucas]

Crush stone with hammers of various sizes and weights.

[uki]

Crush stone with hammers of various sizes and weights.i like that one... then you could put the crushed stone in a container and strike it with various fists... or fill a sturdy sack with it to make a throw and catch bag for tiger claw grabbing.

[Lucas]

i like that one... then you could put the crushed stone in a container and strike it with various fists... or fill a sturdy sack with it to make a throw and catch bag for tiger claw grabbing.

heck ya. thats a good addition.

[Justinrohrman]

here is two pictures of back of hand push ups. taken today... 8-13-08. a great hand, fist, wrist, forearm, shoulder, etc, exercise.

http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff350/mossjuice/IMG_0592.jpg

http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff350/mossjuice/IMG_0593.jpg



just curious, would this lead to some type of arthritic type problems down the road, since it is on the joint of the wrist? not instigating, just wondering.

[Justinrohrman]

do push ups while holding onto sticks/poles hammer fist style.

various rotations of the wrist and arm with a sledgehammer or traditional block

tiger,or other claw type, grabs into sand

[Lucas]

I use an eagle catcher too. those things are pretty good.

[uki]

just curious, would this lead to some type of arthritic type problems down the road, since it is on the joint of the wrist?perhaps if you are going until you drop and bleed and your wrists are black-n-blue... be smart. practice smart.:)

[uki]

play catch with a hardball bare handed.

hand sand a wooden walking stick to finish.

learn a few tricks with a fingerboard.:)

[Lee Chiang Po]

Since we no longer look to hold jobs of hired soldier or hired killers we can not really justify the need to abuse out hands. I am getting on in age, and in my youth I did lots of things to harden my hands into terrible weapons. I lost dexterity in both hands. I can no longer form a decent fist with my right hand. I have broken both thumbs, several fingers on each hand and the joints suffered such massive damage that Arthritis is prevelent. I suffer pain and lack of use in both hands and I owe it all to my willingness to abuse them. I believe some of us are more liable to have arthritis than others, but I also feel that we each and every one can suffer eventual lose of dexterity and possibly proper use of our hands by this abuse. I know that some will disagree with this, but you are probably still quite young and have yet to feel the ravages of arthritis and crippled hands. I only personally know a few old gung fu fighters, but of the few that I do know, most have crooked and twisted fingers and hands. Their hands are still deadly weapons no doubt, but they have a hell of a time performing even the slightest of other functions.

[uki]

Since we no longer look to hold jobs of hired soldier or hired killers we can not really justify the need to abuse out hands. I am getting on in age, and in my youth I did lots of things to harden my hands into terrible weapons. I lost dexterity in both hands. I can no longer form a decent fist with my right hand. I have broken both thumbs, several fingers on each hand and the joints suffered such massive damage that Arthritis is prevelent. I suffer pain and lack of use in both hands and I owe it all to my willingness to abuse them. I believe some of us are more liable to have arthritis than others, but I also feel that we each and every one can suffer eventual lose of dexterity and possibly proper use of our hands by this abuse. I know that some will disagree with this, but you are probably still quite young and have yet to feel the ravages of arthritis and crippled hands. I only personally know a few old gung fu fighters, but of the few that I do know, most have crooked and twisted fingers and hands. Their hands are still deadly weapons no doubt, but they have a hell of a time performing even the slightest of other functions. moderation is the key... well one of them... the other is simply, mind is the path. having said that; it's all in the DNA.

so do you have a technique to share that will eventually cripple our hands?

[Lucas]

so after i was done doing pull ups yesterday, i decided to just hang out. litterally. I started hanging with solid grip, then after a bit I moved to the first joint on my fingers, then the second then the third.

some good stuff.

rock climbing is also super hardcore for your kungfu grip.

another:

I believe it was Dale Dugas, a poster here, who linked some vids of some grip exersizes he has using a sledge hammer.

Ive picked that up, although I use a length of bar bell that I change the weight around on and mess around with.

I'm not at work so I cant verify any youtube based clips, if I have time when I get home, ill try to link what I'm talking about.

[uki]

I believe it was Dale Dugas, a poster here, who linked some vids of some grip exersizes he has using a sledge hammer. definitely a quality master-instructor kinda guy... has a weak stomach when it comes to reading posts he can't understand yet.:D

here's a cool mason sledgehammer trick... take sledgehammer, hold end of handle(on extended arm) in the vertical position(head at top), slowly lower the head down onto your forehead-return to starting position... obviously make sure your wrists are strong enough or else.

i juggle 3 trowels sometimes.

[Mr Punch]

This thread takes me back.

Used to cut a lot of wood as a forester and for my hearth at home. And hedging, which I would suggest is also very good for some aspects of strike power. With chopping you go all out to go through the wood, with hedging you have to leave the vital strip of bark at one side of the main stem or trunk but quickly (when you have several hundred metres of hedge to lay), so you need the strength, penetration if you like and a tweak of control at the end, then you have to grab and pull/bend/twist the stem down into shape. Even better than climbing for variation of forearm work I'd say.

I used to climb a lot too, even at work in the mouldy basement of a hospital where I would practise for the rocks by climbing around the huge rolling bookshelves without touching the ground.

Not convinced about juggling: used to do a lot of that too, for performances at times - and while it's a surety that it helps your reflexes for things esp in your upper and outer gates, the actions are a little limited. I'd suggest good for uppercuts, elbows and some grabbing strikes... ahh, maybe not so bad.

I do still chuck 5 kg bags of rice all the way home from the supermarket with different grips.

So, for my 'original' contributions:

1) Hedging

2) Wing chun pole exercises

3) Wringing the sword from JMA (prob can find it in CMA too, don't know)

May offer more detail when I have time. Too much rambling for now.

[uki]

with over 19,000 members, it will only take each person roughly half an idea to get to 10,001 techniques... interesting thought, is it not? :)

[uki]

here's a set using iron balls to do twisting push-ups. the start and end positions can be changed up; arms can be closer or further apart... get creative. for added burn, squeeze and release the balls during up and down of the twisting push-up.

http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff350/mossjuice/IMG_0588.jpg

http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff350/mossjuice/IMG_0589.jpg

[Lucas]

I'd like to add the taiji ruler. basically a piece of bamboo/ratan/wood about a foot long. TONS of things you can do with a stick. But for this thread ill just mention it for the various grip exersizes you can practice.


I would also like to add archery. its not too varied, but a bow will improve your grip.

[uki]

This thread takes me back.

Used to cut a lot of wood as a forester and for my hearth at home. And hedging, which I would suggest is also very good for some aspects of strike power. With chopping you go all out to go through the wood, with hedging you have to leave the vital strip of bark at one side of the main stem or trunk but quickly (when you have several hundred metres of hedge to lay), so you need the strength, penetration if you like and a tweak of control at the end, then you have to grab and pull/bend/twist the stem down into shape. Even better than climbing for variation of forearm work I'd say.i look forward to hand splitting all 8-10 cords of wood every winter, plus with the price of oil, we save a bit of cash for other things... we made 100 gallons of oil last over a year.


I do still chuck 5 kg bags of rice all the way home from the supermarket with different grips.i used to practice juggling cans of soup in the supermarket lines in berlin.

before my goat died, i used to practice punching him in the forehead as he tried to head butt me... goats are awesome training partners.:)

[Mr Punch]

before my goat died, i used to practice punching him in the forehead as he tried to head butt me... goats are awesome training partners.:)LOL, hope it didn't contribute to his demise! :D I used to punch my great-aunt's boar in the snout: he loved it. Scary ba stard, mind, glad he never took offense since he was nearly my height at the shoulder (6'1).

BTW, not sure how useful any push-ups are for punching. You seem to do a lot. Do you use them as fist strengtheners? Of course, they'll develop your core abdomen and some lower back muscles, but other than such a general benefit the mechanism is completely different to punching. What do you see them as doing?

[uki]

LOL, hope it didn't contribute to his demise!no. he got a blockage and couldn't pee... poisoned himself with his own waste, it was too far progressed when i realized the problem... his name was wang.


I used to punch my great-aunt's boar in the snout: he loved it. Scary ba stard, mind, glad he never took offense since he was nearly my height at the shoulder (6'1).big frick'in pig!!


BTW, not sure how useful any push-ups are for punching. You seem to do a lot. Do you use them as fist strengtheners? Of course, they'll develop your core abdomen and some lower back muscles, but other than such a general benefit the mechanism is completely different to punching. What do you see them as doing?by strengthening the fist you must take into account that the rest of the body is connected to it... honestly i hardly ever do push-ups, but one of the laborers at work was ranting one day so i've been coming up a ka-zillion different ways to do them and have been sharing them with him... my training schedule is as spontaneous as the rest of my life... some days it's all sword stuff, other days it's all iron bar... the only consistent routine is the iron ball juggling... everyday. i easily get bored and must practice something else... certain times of year bring different types of training... in the fall it's nice to practice the straight sword by practicing piercing the falling leaves, and the winter is a blast to practice forms on ice.

[Lucas]

start in a standing position. bend down like you are going to touch your toes. dont bend the legs. put finger tips on the ground, and inch forward on your fingertips, keeping your legs straight, all the way to a push up position, keeping on your fingertips do the push up, reverse, and crawl back to toe touching position, keeping legs straight. stand. repeat this process till your fingers feel like they are going to explode.

[Lucas]

i dont know if this counts, but im going to go ride my bike up a mountain to see 2 women in french maid outfits in a giant snow globe full of feathers.

[uki]

i dont know if this counts, but im going to go ride my bike up a mountain to see 2 women in french maid outfits in a giant snow globe full of feathers.bike riding uphill would most definitely count... the hands have to steer and direct the bike... this sounds similar to the cave-babe scenario.

[Lucas]

lol. so, I made it up the mountain (i found out its really a volcano:eek:) without having to stop. it was 100 degrees out here too.

but let me tell you, it was well worth it.

I do think the cave man scenario is applicable here.

This was an adult soap box derby. totally fun.

[uki]

pushing wheelbarrows full of concrete.

pulling your kids in a bread crate across the beach.

digging holes for piers in 2b stone with a flat shovel.

shoveling sand onto a truck... and then shoveling it off.

moving 5 cubes of block(108 per cube) in one day, atleast twice... sometimes onto scaffolding... then taking it back off if the count was off.

pulling concrete.

pushing concrete.

pardging a wall.

pulling stone up to a roof line with a pulley...

in other words... just go and be a mason... paid training all day long.:D

[Lee Chiang Po]

moderation is the key... well one of them... the other is simply, mind is the path. having said that; it's all in the DNA.

so do you have a technique to share that will eventually cripple our hands?


Well, pounding on cinder blocks covered with straw mats comes to mind. That and hitting head bones squarely with the knuckles as hard as you can muster. The knuckles of the hand will build themselves up to withstand the impacts, but they foresake dexterity in the process. I guess it would all come down to what you do for a living. Some people depend strongly on their hands and the ability to use them. I never really had that problem, but it became a problem with other things. I make a pretty decent fist with the left hand, but the right hand will not fold. I can use the palm and the palm edge as well as the fingers. I can darn near stab one to death with my right hand, and I can slap the snot out of him, just can't punch him with a fist with that hand. Being right handed, I probably abused that hand more than the other, and the large knuckles of that hand are very large and will not allow the finger to curl into a fist.

[uki]

i don't personal punch things anymore, i prefer the open hand and the hammerfist... and of course the elbows, i strike my utility pole with them, not too hard though, but hard enough(alot harder than if i would use them to hit someone)... i am also a fan of the headbutt, i watched my goat when he did them... the head would sink into the slight rising of the shoulder for stability and then... WANG!! hence his name.

i agree entirely about smashing up the hands after years of hard training, that's why i stopped punching and switched to other fists.:)

cinder blocks are good for low push ups, just stick them on end... or you could just put your feet on the upended side and do push ups in this fashion.

push ups with your kids on your back are good... until they get bigger anyways.

[uki]

doing figure 8's with the hand and wrist while holding a running demolition saw, just after starting and running full throttle.

flipping pieces of flagstone by rotating the ends in each hand... both away and towards one center.

[Lucas]

weapons training

[uki]

weapons training
i am sure you can elaborate and name off the weapons to increase the count.:)

large conch shells, cow bones, donkey jawbones, transmission rods, spade shovels, concrete rakes, trowels, and bull float poles(metal staff).

[Lucas]

well every melee weapon I can think of will benefit your hand strength. especially if its not light wood or spring steel. hardwood-ironwood (excepting of bamboo and ratan of course:D), and actual steel.

My personal favorites.

Bamboo/ratan staff. but i also really enjoy a good waxwood

nunchaku, oak octagon.

katana, hanwei extended tsuka.

Boken, purple heartwood/oak.

dao, hanwei, also I use a machete.

dao, oak.

jian, purple heartwood. originally learned on wushu version, been looking at hanwei.

those are the weapons I like to work with. Ive been looking at a good europian blade, but am wishy washy on what I really want. Im starting to settle a bit more towards a good ol b@stard sword.

edit: not sure if ive mentioned archery in this thread, im too lazy to look, but ill include that on this list. especially if you get a chance to go often, which i dont :(

[uki]

thaqt only a few so calledmartial artists have the free-time to spare and lend a creatively, perhaps comical addition to ways to strengthen the fist... 10,001 may seem like a large number... but it is in fact just a couple of 1's and 0's... this can relate to the binary language of the universe... but then again, real martial artist don't have time to create.

[uki]

paddling upstream against the current in a canoe, kayak, or other man-powered watercraft.

[uki]

spinning a metal ring on a metal bar... loads of exercises, loads of fun... apparently there are not alot of imaginative folks in here... this is how the martial arts evolve... creative insight.

[Lucas]

Tug of war!!!!

[Lucas]

for that matter, climbing ropes.

[uki]

for that matter, climbing ropes.and trees...

[Lucas]

and trees...

true that, i love climbing trees. jumping out of them is almost as fun as climbing them, and that has its training qualites as well. throw in some shoulder rolls.

but it does kinda suck when you get sap on your hands, takes a while to lick it all off.

[uki]

but it does kinda suck when you get sap on your hands, takes a while to lick it all off.gives a whole knew meaning to sticky hands practice...

doing cartwheels.

[Lucas]

gives a whole knew meaning to sticky hands practice...

doing cartwheels.

lol sticky hands, thats a good one.

to add to cartwheels, doing no handed cartwheels with your staff.

[uki]

tossing a bowling ball in an arch over your head from one hand to the next.

[Lucas]

tossing a bowling ball in an arch over your head from one hand to the next.

could suck if you screwed up.



Breaking Things.

[uki]

could suck if you screwed up.makes the quality of the practice much more enjoyable knowing that you could smoosh your head like a melon... creates an atmosphere of concentration. i usually throw them like 6 feet or so in an arch, catch and sink into horse... stand and throw... repeat.

one handed cartwheels... :p

[Lucas]

tiger walking on your finger tips!!!

[uki]

tiger walking on your finger tips!!!once i ate mushrooms in the woods and crawled around on all fours for a couple hours.

crab walking on your fingertips.

cartwheels on your knuckles of a closed fist.

push ups on back of hands, go down, push up(taking hands off the ground) and rotate to palms down, land and go down, push up and rotate hands, land on back of hands. repeat the pattern, throw in some fists or other hand variations in there.:)

[mkriii]

just curious, would this lead to some type of arthritic type problems down the road, since it is on the joint of the wrist? not instigating, just wondering.

Use a good dit da jow afterwards. One that promotes blood circulation.

[Lucas]

hand stand pushups. alternating between fist, fingers, and palm.

also develops some nice strength.

[mkriii]

hand stand pushups. alternating between fist, fingers, and palm.
also develops some nice strength.


I like handstand push up. Also like the back of your hands or the wrists for push ups. Good way to build wrist strength. Wrist strength is important for snake style and various other styles of kung fu.

[Lucas]

I like handstand push up. Also like the back of your hands or the wrists for push ups. Good way to build wrist strength. Wrist strength is important for snake style and various other styles of kung fu.

true that. i remember incorporating this after watching drunken master lol, when the old master is training jackie and making him flip his hands after each push up.

Playing with those stress things!


Baoding balls!!

[uki]

iron chain training is another method... here in this picture, http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff350/mossjuice/IMG_0746.jpg, i am holding the ring of the chain on extended arms, it's weight being approx at 130lbs(i haven't weighed it, but it's far heavier than a bag of portland-94lbs)... the weight falls(hangs) lower than ones center of gravity... while holding the ring, one can alternate pulling it apart or pushing it in during the inhale or exhale... a variety of combinations are possible... obviously you can see the extent of proper concentration or else one might pitch over onto the concrete 9 feet below... the chain also has a hook at the end to added more weight... :)

[Lucas]

man i wish i lived at your house !

[uki]

man i wish i lived at your house !why do you say that?

[Lucas]

because it looks like a great place to train from all your pictures. looks secluded, and with lots of room and wilderness.

i live in the city, sooo...not so much.

I have to admit, for an apartment, my place isnt too bad. but its still an apartment.


Also I think the neighbors above, and on both sides of me hate me when I train

[uki]

because it looks like a great place to train from all your pictures. looks secluded, and with lots of room and wilderness.it's actually an illusion... i live on 3.5 acres(we own) in the middle of a town, my driveway is a right of way and no one will ever develop around me, yet 30 seconds in a car and you have 5 banks, 4 gas stations, a strip mall of outlet store, I-80, and all the hustle and bustle of a large suburban like rural town... in my yard you can hear the highway... but i must admit it is still quite nice... luck of the tiger i guess...

[Lucas]

I guess it all comes down to the fact I have no motivation to buy a house.

I'm thinking I'll buy a boat in at least 10 years and live on that.

Hmmmm, I wonder what it would be like to practice kungfu to the rolling of waves....

My mother lived on a 45' sailboat and just traveled. I was fortunate enough to be able to visit her when I was younger, and that experience has always made me want that life.

besides, i always wanted to die fighting the planet, like in a raging storm that consumes every trace of me.

we'll see :D

[uki]

most trolls live under bridges... eh? hahahahaha!!!! i love this forum.:D

[Lucas]

would that make everyone else billy goats?

oh wait, IM A GOAT/SHEEP/RAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[uki]

would that make everyone else billy goats?three billy goats gruff... a favorite book of my daughter.


oh wait, IM A GOAT/SHEEP/RAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!which one? metal, water, wood, fire, or earth?

[Lucas]

i am yin

my year sign is earth but my fixed sign is fire

[uki]

my year sign is earth but my fixed sign is firehow came you by your fixed element?

[Lucas]

i did some chinese horoscope stuff on the internet.

here is what it told me:

Birth Data: lucas

Birth Date: October 5, 1979

Introduction

This unique reading is based on Five Element Theory, one of the oldest ideas used in Chinese astrology and a key component as well of Chinese philosophy and medicine. The five elements are associated with the five directions (North, South, East, West and Center) and as such have a 4,000 year history in Chinese thought. In contrast animals have been used as convenient short hand for designating years but not as integral components of horoscopes until very modern times. Even today many traditional astrologers do not even mention animals in their readings!

Simply put the theory states that the energy of the universe manifests itself through five elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. Ideally there is a roughly equal number of each element in a chart, thus signifying balance and harmony.

The reading to follow explains how the elements in your chart reflect your personality. There are two primary considerations: the number of times each element appears in the chart and their overall balance.

Your Chinese Astrology Signs:

Year Earth Sheep
Month Water Rooster
Day Fire Sheep
Year Element Earth
Year Element Polarity Yin (-)
Fixed Element of Year Sign Fire


Section 1 -- Year Sign

The Chinese year sign consists of two characters, one designating an element and the other an animal. They are equally important in compiling and explaining a horoscope. In fact elements actually carry more weight. This is because each animal sign has a fixed element from which it derives many of its characteristics.

Your year sign is Earth Sheep

Fixed Element

Each of the 12 (animal) year signs is associated with one of four elements, Wood, Fire, Water and Metal, three signs for each element, Wood with Tiger, Rabbit and Dragon; Fire with Snake, Horse and Sheep; Metal with Monkey, Rooster and Dog; and Water with Pig, Rat and Ox. Some astrologers, however, also use Earth. For them, Earth goes with Ox, Dragon, Sheep and Dog.. The other signs have the same correspondences. In fact the Ox, Sheep and Dog are rather, down-to-earth type signs. The Dragon, however, is the most quixotic of the 12 signs. This reading uses the first method, which is the one most commonly used.

Since each of the four elements is associated with three very different animal signs, it is not surprising that their influence is manifest in different ways. Consider Water for example. In the Pig it is exhibited as a go-with-the-flow approach to life, not unlike Water taking the shape of its container. In the Rat there is mental and physical dexterity. And, the Ox is fluid in the sense of adjusting to the demands of continually taking on the burdens of others. There are also similarities among the three signs, for example, an innate ability to develop communications skills.

Your fixed element is Fire

The fixed element Fire manifests itself least typically in gentle, if not timid, yin Sheep-sign people. Its influence, however, is still there, albeit in rather unexpected ways. Dynamism coupled with decisiveness is one of the primary qualities associated with Fire. In you that probably shows up in emoting rather than doing. In other words you are likely to be constantly and often effusively displaying your emotions. If Fire exerts an extreme influence, you could have a problem with lack of self control. On the positive side, you are probably enthusiastic and vivacious.

Charisma and flamboyance are other traits common to Fire-sign people. You may have an attractive if unassuming personality and to enjoy a fair amount of popularity. The lady Sheep will have the potential to display a charming femininity, as the Sheep is associated with the feminine. And, being a yin-sign person, you are likely to be more stylish than flamboyant in your dress and appearance. You like colorful surroundings and attire, but your tastes probably tend to run towards pastels rather than gaudy, bright colors.

With Fire there is likely to be a steamy, sensual side to you. Many people may not realize this about you due to your rather placid exterior.

A downside of your dynamism and passion is a tendency to have a short attention span and a quick temper. In fact an inability to complete what you start could be one of your major shortcomings. You may be a bit rash, which can result in your occasionally rushing into a situation without having thought through the consequences. This is most likely to happen as the result of an emotional outburst.

As Fire spreads until it is actively opposed, you are likely to have above average ambition. This is most likely to manifest as a desire for a higher lifestyle, perhaps a life of refinement.

Fire can warm if controlled or burn when not. You do not generally harbor grudges or seek revenge like the Snake when you feel you have been wronged, but you may have a tendency to tell everyone all about your woes, painting a rather unfavorable picture of those people.

Fire also instills in you a sense of adventure. As a mild mannered Sheep, this means something different from what most people would envision. Your excitement is likely to be sojourning relatively close to home, trying something new but not risky, and attending cultural or other social events.

[uki]

i'll give you an idea of my life interplay with the energies... i myself am a wood tiger, my eldest daughter is a golden dragon, my second daughter is a wood monkey, my son is a fire pig, and my girlfriend is a water dog... it's a smooth ride down a bumpy path. :)

[Lucas]

i'll give you an idea of my life interplay with the energies... i myself am a wood tiger, my eldest daughter is a golden dragon, my second daughter is a wood monkey, my son is a fire pig, and my girlfriend is a water dog... it's a smooth ride down a bumpy path. :)

lol it sure sounds like it!

[uki]

and i have three pekingese... a metal(gold) dragon, wood monkey, and an earth rat... dragon and monkey are parents of the rat... strangely odd...

[mkriii]

true that. i remember incorporating this after watching drunken master lol, when the old master is training jackie and making him flip his hands after each push up.
Playing with those stress things!
Baoding balls!!

You know what my sifu would do, he'd have me do handstands against a wall and place a bucket of water balanced on my feet and tell me not to drop the bucket of water.

[Lucas]

You know what my sifu would do, he'd have me do handstands against a wall and place a bucket of water balanced on my feet and tell me not to drop the bucket of water.

haha

that sounds like a lot of fun. ever get any free baths that way?

[Lucas]

and i have three pekingese... a metal(gold) dragon, wood monkey, and an earth rat... dragon and monkey are parents of the rat... strangely odd...

those little dogs are crazy looking

[uki]

those little dogs are crazy lookingno they are just crazy period... they have more of a history than most people can fathom.

[uki]

today i decided to screw wire mesh onto a block chimney in preperation to stucco'ing it, i did it with a hand driver-drill... the old ones that look similar to the letter U.

[uki]

pushing or pulling a cement mixer from point A to point B, sometimes with varying degrees of inclination and obstacles between them...

[uki]

holding a job and being proficient in a data entry position most assuredly will increase fingertip strength for pressure point strikes and the like... perhaps we can stick a label on the concept; two finger mantis typing method.

i still marvel at the lack of parcipitation. for me, martial arts is always on my mind in some shape or form, from opening doors to using a trowel... the tao gives birth to 10,000 things, and i have yet to see 10,000 martial artist's give birth to one single creative idea on strengthening the fist. how's that for a lesson in the nature of the way. :D

[uki]

my girlfriend and i emptied and laid down a whole 10 yards of concrete yesterday from a concrete truck... we used concrete rakes... i'll count it as one idea.

it's an expansion on my martial arts training patio... time to play now. :D

[uki]

push ups on bricks... here's some pics...http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff350/mossjuice/Picture-various184.jpg

http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff350/mossjuice/Picture-various185.jpg

i have yet to master on the back of hands on bricks.:p

[SoCo KungFu]

We used to have to haul these big cans of 7.62mm. We'd take a truck out to the bomb dump, get like 40-50 cans and haul them back to our storage. We'd unload em in our storage til they were called for. Then we'd load up what was needed and head out to the chopper. We'd have 3 sortie x3 choppers a day.

We weighed the cans one day. Can+Ammo+Links (miniguns are chain feed)+Packing material= about 130 pounds per can. So while its not really a whole lot of weight...dead that about 40 times, sometimes carrying them it up to 20 yards before unloading the weight. And of course at the time I was the lowest ranking so guess who got to do most of the work? Yeppers. And wouldn't you know it by the time I made NCO they smartened up the process and just got someone to bring us what we needed prior to the mission....

Not really fist training I guess though.

[uki]

Not really fist training I guess though.a strong fist is useless without a strong body.

[uki]

splitting wood with one hand(using a maul of course).

[uki]

cartwheels on the backs of mantis fist...

[cjurakpt]

making it swim against the current over and ove...oh, sorry: fist; in that case, doing 8 hours a day of manual therapy...

[uki]

doing cartwheels while grasping an iron ball in each hand.

i'd like to think i could do a cartwheel while holding an iron ring in each hand, but i can't say that i can because i don't have two iron rings to practice with. :)

[uki]

depending on who you are talking to, the head is considered a fist also, so in this regard... picking up a 5 gallon bucket of mortar with your teeth is a good way to strengthen the muscles and body that hold the head up. :D

[Lama Pai Sifu]

definitely a quality master-instructor kinda guy... has a weak stomach when it comes to reading posts he can't understand yet.:D

here's a cool mason sledgehammer trick... take sledgehammer, hold end of handle(on extended arm) in the vertical position(head at top), slowly lower the head down onto your forehead-return to starting position... obviously make sure your wrists are strong enough or else.

i juggle 3 trowels sometimes.

Hey, I'd like to see that one! Why don't you video it.....you're a mason, right?

And please be specific as to what type of sledge you are going to use, 12lb, 10, Styrofoam, plastic, etc.

I like to see you put your money where your mouth is. I thought it was impressive that you could juggle those iron balls. I think your juggling was far more impressive than you strength however.

Oh, and the wrist push ups? Not that big a deal at all. But can you flip from palms to back of the hands and do a push up in between? and can you do it for a minute straight? Or do...I don't know...say 100 of them non-stop?

Put up those videos and I will surely respect that. I only say this to you because you are quick to point out all of these great training methods, but besides 'juggling', what can you really do?

[uki]

Hey, I'd like to see that one! Why don't you video it.....you're a mason, right?seriously... we use 8lb'ers at work(maybe they're 10)... it's an old mason tough guy trick my boss told me about. LOL... some people crack their head. i don't lie big guy... i'd like to believe that even you would've understood that by now. trust me... i really wish i had a video recorder. :)


And please be specific as to what type of sledge you are going to use, 12lb, 10, Styrofoam, plastic, etc. wooden handles... i do have an all metal 12 pound maul... you just gave me the inspiration to do that one.


I like to see you put your money where your mouth is. I thought it was impressive that you could juggle those iron balls. I think your juggling was far more impressive than you strength however. i'm an optical illusion. seriously... ever train throws with a 5 foot lentil?? sit in the horse stance with one across your legs? you can pick them up at any mason supply yard... i don't know exactly what they weigh in as, but they are quite heavy - cost like 20-25 bucks. my job is no joke... and i wasn't joking about running that 5 time gold medal lei tai winner, who fought in the infinite division, off the job... he couldn't handle the work load.


Oh, and the wrist push ups? Not that big a deal at all.doesn't matter if they are a big deal or not... this is simply an inspiration thread for people to become inspired by.


But can you flip from palms to back of the hands and do a push up in between?yep.
and can you do it for a minute straight? yep.

Or do...I don't know...say 100 of them non-stop? good question... i never actually counted, but i can do quite a few... i also do them on the ground and have done them on 2b gravel, but i can't do nearly as many before the back of my hand gets sore. what do you think all that iron ball juggling works out? seriously... iron ball juggling is no joke. just because my forearms aren't tree trunks like yours, doesn't mean they are not strong... i am hardly a push over.


Put up those videos and I will surely respect that.like i said before, i wish i had a video... i most definitely would put up vids.

I only say this to you because you are quick to point out all of these great training methods, but besides 'juggling', what can you really do?every single one i posted here(except for cart wheels holding an iron ring in each hand - i only have one)... right there in the beginning i made a point to say that these are only exercises that i have done.

thanks for responding and again i would like to point out that i am not a liar... i do my best to keep things real. do you think i would be such an aggressive dipsh!t if i wasn't atleast somewhat confident of myself? :)

[uki]

so for sh!ts and giggles today i was messing around with the sledge at the job... i believe it is an 8lb'er - 33 1/2 inch handle... i grasped it at the end, fully extended horizontal arm... let it down onto my forehead, put it back up vertical(a few times to see if this was infact for real). reflecting on it, i don't think it's that difficult, only the fear break of smashing your face. in any case it's merely one of those "been there, done that kinda things".

i'll chime in once i use my metal maul... of course there's only a few peeps here who take my word on things, but then again, that's not my problem... i know who i am and what i can do... be inspired folks, it's all i can do but offer free inspirational ideas, which apparently one credible individual classifies as being great training. :)

[TenTigers]

ever train throws with a 5 foot lentil?? sit in the horse stance with one across your legs? you can pick them up at any mason supply yard... i don't know exactly what they weigh in as, but they are quite heavy - cost like 20-25 bucks.

20-25 bucks for ONE lentil? How much for a can? I'd rather eat meat. It's cheaper.
And a five foot lentil? That's alot of fiber. That must keep you regular.
How big a pot would you need to make soup with such a lentil?
You'd have vegans camping outside your door if they knew you had lentils like that.

[uki]

20-25 bucks for ONE lentil? How much for a can? I'd rather eat meat. It's cheaper.
And a five foot lentil? That's alot of fiber. That must keep you regular.
How big a pot would you need to make soup with such a lentil?
You'd have vegans camping outside your door if they knew you had lentils like that.LOL.................. that would be LINTEL - got my i's and e's mixed up. :D

[uki]

hmmmm... i did the mason sledgehammer trick with a 10lb'er... next up: one finger into a watermelon. :D

[uki]

yesterday my son was banging two pots together so i grabbed the bongos and we began to make "music", but it suddenly hit me that using bongos is an excellent hand, wrist, and forearm conditioner... so naturally i thought of my thread here. :D

[uki]

carrying chimney blocks around being held on your head - again this is considering the head as being a "fist".

swinging cinderblocks around like kettlebells... perhaps use one similar to cigar box juggling, only you use your hands and forearms to catch and throw the block. naturally this is best to practice in the winter months where one is more likely to have a few layers of clothing on to offer padding. :D

[jdhowland]

2 of my favorites:

doing basic strikes, sets and wrist twists using a pair of 10 lb. muhk yih pai (like wooden kettlebells, except the center of mass is much ****her from the grip);

punching a heavy bag, no bag gloves.

[KTS]

yesterday my son was banging two pots together so i grabbed the bongos and we began to make "music", but it suddenly hit me that using bongos is an excellent hand, wrist, and forearm conditioner... so naturally i thought of my thread here. :D

haha, cool!

i remember once su dong chen had us use that kind of drumming rhythm from one side of a person's outstretched arm to the other. seemed like not only good for arm and upper back conditioning for the person with outstretched arms, but also good hand conditioning for the person applying the drumming-like slapping.

[uki]

haha, cool! thanks!!


i remember once su dong chen had us use that kind of drumming rhythm from one side of a person's outstretched arm to the other. seemed like not only good for arm and upper back conditioning for the person with outstretched arms, but also good hand conditioning for the person applying the drumming-like slapping.makes for a better b!tchslap when i need to use it... and not on the women. :p

[uki]

i started doing boading(spelling?) ball rotation exercises with two of my 9lb iron balls in one hand... waaay cool. good stuff.... makes hand very strong like vice-grips. good for choking out horses with one hand. :D

[uki]

6 finger push ups(on middle, fore, thumb of both hands)

[Lucas]

6 finger push ups(on middle, fore, thumb of both hands)

you can do that with the (i dont know what they are called) standing position, bend down like you are going to touch your toes, legs straight. put fingers on ground, crawl to push up position on finger tips, legs straight. do pushup crawl back, stand. bend and repeat with 2 push ups, next is 3, then 4 then 5, etc.. go till your fingers fall off. fun stuff

[jdhowland]

you can do that with the (i dont know what they are called) standing position, bend down like you are going to touch your toes, legs straight. put fingers on ground, crawl to push up position on finger tips, legs straight. do pushup crawl back, stand. bend and repeat with 2 push ups, next is 3, then 4 then 5, etc.. go till your fingers fall off. fun stuff

I like it!

Here's a White Crane method. Do several push ups on fingertips, then kick both legs between your hands so that you are balanced on your fingers with your legs straight out in front of you. Kick your legs back into the pushup position and repeat, varying the numbers of kick throughs and push ups in each cycle.

jd

[uki]

Here's a White Crane method. Do several push ups on fingertips, then kick both legs between your hands so that you are balanced on your fingers with your legs straight out in front of you. Kick your legs back into the pushup position and repeat, varying the numbers of kick throughs and push ups in each cycle.impressive... but then again, what's not impressive about white crane... i get dizzy just thinking about it. :D

[Lucas]

so you maintain balance on your fingers for the full motion i take it? are you suppose to hold the legs in front of you at all? im going to give that a whirl tonight, sounds cool, and hard lol

[uki]

white crane is reknown for it's techniques feeding each other with the momentum built up from the previous movements... jdhowlands example is a wonderful example of pendulum(swinging) energy where the inertia is built up to the extent that one can keep going back and forth like a swing - that's how i see it anyways. :)

[jdhowland]

white crane is reknown for it's techniques feeding each other with the momentum built up from the previous movements... jdhowlands example is a wonderful example of pendulum(swinging) energy where the inertia is built up to the extent that one can keep going back and forth like a swing - that's how i see it anyways. :)

You have discerned our secrets. Now, I have to kill you.

The idea is not to train just the arms and upper back, but include a workout for the trunk while doing pushups. Nice observation, Uki.

jd

[jdhowland]

so you maintain balance on your fingers for the full motion i take it? are you suppose to hold the legs in front of you at all? im going to give that a whirl tonight, sounds cool, and hard lol

The way I was taught, you rest your heels momentarily on the floor after each kick-through before swinging back again...but you've given me an idea. When my students complain, I'll blame you.

As we do it now, it's not terribly difficult as long as you have a smooth floor to slide on. On some carpets I get stuck. It's harder for people with long legs. Good workout for abs and back and it gives you a break from the acid pain of continuous push ups.

Be well.

jd

[Lucas]

im always willing to contribute to any ones students discomfort :D

thats one of the things about fong sifu down here, he has what seems like an unlimted amount of conditioning exercises you can do.

plus he introduced me to the self massage with a baseball thing.

[uki]

he has what seems like an unlimted amount of conditioning exercises you can do.10,001 things??


plus he introduced me to the self massage with a baseball thing.i'll show you some iron ball massages. :D

[uki]

if you count the head as a fist... yesterday i was toying with bending over backwards, balancing an iron ball on the forehead and doing some symmetrical arm movements vertically. :)

[Lucas]

HAHA, i dont know if i would survive your iron ball massage uki!

[Ender7659]

Has anyone mentioned Porn yet? if not, then porn :D

[Dragonzbane76]

i'll show you some iron ball massages.

I bet you will.

[uki]

it's amazing what shovelling snow can do for you...

[uki]

chipping stone... one of the tricks to understanding stone cutting is that it is the sound vibration that cuts the stone, not the chisel all by itself... you have to direct this sound energy according to angle and type of stone... musing this thought naturally i went down the avenue of understanding the concept of using sound vibration to strengthen the density of the bones, tendons, and ligaments in certain iron palm techniques - striking of metal/bells and the such with the intention of changing the vibrational frequency and density of the atoms in your hand/arm and so forth... so holding a 4lb stone cutting chisel in one hand with a 3lb iron mallet in the other and creating works of art out of pieces of stone makes for a most EXCELLENT form of strengthening the fist. :D

[SevenStar]

Am I the only one who thinks this is WAAAAY to eclectic?

[uki]

Am I the only one who thinks this is WAAAAY to eclectic?how else does one attempt to post 10,001 ways to strengthen the fist? :D

[Drake]

I just strike a lot. Usually against hard things. Try to avoid injury in doing so.

[uki]

I just strike a lot. Usually against hard things. Try to avoid injury in doing so.very nice drake, although i believe that was listed around post #2... the point of the thread is to share OTHER ways to help strengthen your fist in order to hit harder without damaging yourself... oh... and trying is not doing. :p

[Drake]

very nice drake, although i believe that was listed around post #2... the point of the thread is to share OTHER ways to help strengthen your fist in order to hit harder without damaging yourself... oh... and trying is not doing. :p

I say try because sometimes I hit things that are too hard. Not often, but when it happens, it hurts. I don't think I have any PERMANENT injury...but it does hurt for a while.

CLF has the wall bag set, which is pretty good. Helps with conditioning and transitioning...

[uki]

I say try because sometimes I hit things that are too hard.then hit them lighter until you build up conditioning.


CLF has the wall bag set, which is pretty good. Helps with conditioning and transitioning...i believe if you want to get conditioned at hitting stone, you have to hit stone... wanna be able to hit metal hard?? start hitting metal lightly... hitting a wallbag set conditions the hands to hit a wall bag set - conditioning is multi-dimensional in concept and application. :)

[Drake]

then hit them lighter until you build up conditioning.
i believe if you want to get conditioned at hitting stone, you have to hit stone... wanna be able to hit metal hard?? start hitting metal lightly... hitting a wallbag set conditions the hands to hit a wall bag set - conditioning is multi-dimensional in concept and application. :)

It's the bag itself you strike. Fill it with whatever your little digits can handle...

[uki]

It's the bag itself you strike. Fill it with whatever your little digits can handle...but you still hit a bag - not quite the same as striking a steel i-beam or a large stone.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Steel and stone ( solid) have no give, this is NOT good for "forging" your hands.
IF these mediums are suspended for example, that is better because you have some give, but covering them with a thin layer of cloth or leather would be wise to protect the skin.

[uki]

Steel and stone ( solid) have no give, this is NOT good for "forging" your hands.only if you are hitting these surfaces too hard... they do have bounce. :D


IF these mediums are suspended for example, that is better because you have some give, but covering them with a thin layer of cloth or leather would be wise to protect the skin.LOL... it's not about forging the skin. :p

[uki]

fingertip pull ups on a steel i-beam. we were waiting for concrete one morning and there was an i-beam way over our heads, just high enough that you had to jump up to reach it - the edge was just barely enough room for the tips of the fingers to the first knuckle...

[uki]

LOL... just the other day we had a demo sledge on the job, a 20lber and i couldn't help but muse over a certain individuals assumption that i was physically incapable of holding a sledgehammer at the base of the handle and lower the head onto my forehead... so... i further demonstrated to myself and my co-workers that i could infact do it also with a 20lb sledge aswell. :p

hehehe... if i had all the money where my mouth was over this comment of his, i'd be a millionaire.

:)

[Justinrohrman]

get a job as a carpenters assistant and swing a hammer all day. will workout your grip like no other

[Xiao3 Meng4]

Steel and stone ( solid) have no give, this is NOT good for "forging" your hands.
IF these mediums are suspended for example, that is better because you have some give, but covering them with a thin layer of cloth or leather would be wise to protect the skin.

If it vibrates, it has give.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOZLSt2okAY

I do this every once in a while - Best not to do it every week, though (Once a month feels satisfying to me.)

A key for me is sound - there's a definite difference between a localized sound where the strike is and a general shuddering sound of the structure.

Still haven't gotten the roof to rattle yet. :D

[Syn7]

get a job as a carpenters assistant and swing a hammer all day. will workout your grip like no other

holding linesmans as an electrician all day does a good job too... pretty much any manual labour will harden you one way or another... to be honest tho, i hate how trashed my hands get at work... i get exema sometimes, which is so annoying... but the callouses suck too... as a martial artist you dont have to make a callous to have strong hands, but at work its inevitable... you cant stop and put on lotions and all that, every hour... oil and dirt for 8 hours, wash for eating, thats about it...

[uki]

Nail and rebar bending.

Power twister training.

Gymnastic ring training.

Breaking matches between the fingers.

Bending beer bottle tops.

Crushing apples and soda cans.

Brick lifting.

Weighted Pullups.

Farmers Walk.

Finger tip pushups.

Twisting and cutting steel wire with pliers.

Rope Climbing & Tug-O-War

Gripping a door and leaning back with your body weight.

Lifting a chair from a single leg with one hand.

Tearing phone books and card packs.

Screwing up newspapers and towels on a single hand.

Carrying heavy buckets and weights over distance in your hands.

Lifting heavy boulders and rocks.very nice... i knew there were others out there with a creatively active mind. :)

[Violent Designs]

"wash" your hands in buckets of gravel, iron shot, steel shot, ball-bearings.....

I got this one from Zhong Luo's training footage.

[uki]

all push up variations on ice... no gloves.

[Lucas]

all push up variations on ice... no gloves.

push ups on basketballs in between your hands and the ice. :D

[uki]

usie an old fashioned hand drill with a 2 inch bit, a chisel, and a hammer to make holes in a log for an iron-armed wing chun dummy.

[uki]

throw them into a five gallon bucket of sand and water - rotate wrists quickly back and forth to create a yin-yang polishing technique. added materials increases weight... can also swing them while you do this. ;)

[David Jamieson]

Just keep being a stone mason, your hands will toughen naturally.

Alternately, a car mechanic has strong and conditioned hands as well.
Hot metal, heavy parts, reefing on torque wrenches, lifting hot parts etc...all contributes to the conditioning.

Being a sailor is also good. Especially on a tall ship...

Just work them. :)

[LaterthanNever]

Interesting post..

Why an arbitary # like 10,000?

[David Jamieson]

Interesting post..

Why an arbitary # like 10,000?

Because it's a Kung Fu forum and we like to think in terms of 17th century illiterates at times for effect and atmosphere.

so 10,000, to a peasant in those days was literally almost beyond comprehension.
most martial artists were illiterate, and many of us harken back to those days when things were simple, fish were jumping, cotton was high, daddy was rich and momma was so good looking.

:p

[taai gihk yahn]

Interesting post..

Why an arbitary # like 10,000?
it's not arbitrary; it's Uki!



...and momma was so good looking.

:p
AFAIK, your mom is still hot

[Raipizo]

Not sure if anyone mentioned using the wrist roller thing. If so those are good on forearms.

[uki]

Why an arbitary # like 10,000?it will make a good book when the list is complete. ;)

[David Jamieson]

AFAIK, your mom is still hot

You bring new meaning to the name "Doc Oc"... :p

except the "oc" ain't octopus if you get my inference...

[Raipizo]

it will make a good book when the list is complete. ;)

Who's keeping track? lol. Also it would, add some pictures for example of course. That and I've never heard of a fist strengthening book before, so you might gave a pretty original idea.

[Lucas]

that is a pretty good idea. i just printed this thread and sold it. :eek:

[uki]

Who's keeping track? it's my thread. ;)

[taai gihk yahn]

it's my thread. ;)

I like "har har har"

btw, nice to see u the other evening when I went to see the movie "Prometheus":
http://moviecultists.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/prometheus-sean-harris-575x366.jpg

[Scott R. Brown]

I thought the accent was a bit of an affectation.:(

[Raipizo]

that is a pretty good idea. i just printed this thread and sold it. :eek:

Ya pull off a good profit? :D

[uki]

Ya pull off a good profit?profit is subjective... what is important is that information has been shared, who takes credit is obsolete... throw the pebble, watch the ripples. :)


btw, nice to see u the other evening when I went to see the movie "Prometheus". har har har!!! :D

[Lucas]

I saw this grubby kid who was about to buy some icecream, and told him he had the bone structure of a kung fu genius, then I sold him the manual for 10 dollars.

[Brule]

Poor kids' gonna get peed on now.

[Lucas]

yeahh... :(

i really wanted that 10 bucks tho

[taai gihk yahn]

profit is subjective... what is important is that information has been shared, who takes credit is obsolete... throw the pebble, watch the ripples. :)
this is why we need u 'round here more - to throw the pebbles (or rocks, or boulders...) so we can watch the ripples (as opposed to Sanjuro, so we can watch the nipples...)


har har har!!! :D
ahhhh....

[sanjuro_ronin]

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/images/users/uploads/10959/680f6_celebrity-pictures-jennifer-anniston-nipples-friends.jpg

[taai gihk yahn]

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/images/users/uploads/10959/680f6_celebrity-pictures-jennifer-anniston-nipples-friends.jpg

do you get notified by the server whenever someone puts out the call for ur unique talents, or do u just feel a disturbance in the Force?

[sanjuro_ronin]

do you get notified by the server whenever someone puts out the call for ur unique talents, or do u just feel a disturbance in the Force?

The force I feel...

[ShaolinDan]

what # are we on? Anyone say responding to trolls yet? That's a popular method.

[taai gihk yahn]

The force I feel...

you words much truth having they are...

[Raipizo]

I saw this grubby kid who was about to buy some icecream, and told him he had the bone structure of a kung fu genius, then I sold him the manual for 10 dollars.

Lmao I see what you did. That movie is so good.

[Raipizo]

I've heard of crumpling pieces of newspaper in your hand to form a ball is a good hand exercise.

[Shadow_warrior8]

I found this book had a lot of good exercises for power in martial arts

http://www.amazon.com/Qigong-Empowerment-Medical-Buddhist-Cultivation/dp/1889659029