What do I do?

[Odin of Wei]

Today in school I was temped to do things I dont usually do...


Our school is currently undergoing constriction and during gym class there so happened to be a 2x4 laying around.
And this one guy is like here punch this.

So I punch it non-chaliantly....and everyone was amazed for some reason.

So it went as far as me trying to break it....with no success.

I even tired doing palm strike...

I hit it with my fist a few times drawing a crowd and bouncing the board up and down. My knckles were getting red...but I didnt get cut expect for my little kunckle on my index finger.

I dont think I was following through tho...I did use the breath...I just didnt have the heart to go all the way...thats what I think.


This showed me that I'm still weak.
Can anyone tell me what training I can do at home really so-to fix this....mostly training on iron plam....and iron body.

Thanks so much.

[FngSaiYuk]

For a 2x4, it's little to do w/iron palm or iron body and more to do with focused striking. You'll also want to pay attention to the ratio of the length of the board to the thickness.

Anyway, try this excercise-

First off build the following:
Take a PVC pipe, cut it in half so you have 2 half-pipes shaped in a 'C'. You'll want there to be 2-3 inches depth.
Nail/bolt the pipes to a wall about 10-16inches apart. Make sure the wall is solid, like the concrete walls of a basement or something.
Get some inch thick lumber and cut them into pieces about a foot wide by 2-4inches longer than however far apart you set the half-pipes on your wall.
Nail a piece of cut lumber to the pvc so that the wood is 2-3inches away from the wall (the depth of the pvc half pipes).
Punch away. Use gloves if you want, use iron conditioning liniment if you want, whatever, just practice trying to break the board.
Once you've broken the board (1 inch is easy if you have decen form), nail 2 boards and try again. When those break, nail 3, etc.

With practice, you'll learn how to punch through with proper focus.

[IronFist]

Make sure you have the grain going the right way in relation to your fist (I don't know if it really matters or not, but it might).

[Samurai Jack]

Also, an excellent conditioning exercise for Iron Fist:

1) Kneel on a concrete surface (any will do)

2) Spread your knees far enough apart that you can punch the floor between them

3) start gently tapping the first two knuckles (index and middle) of your fist on the concrete, about 25% of your power, starting at fifty taps per fist

4) add one tap per fist every day until you reach one hundred gentle taps


Use Dit Da Jow before and after this exercise, and do it every day, being sure not to rush ahead with the amount of force you use. Once you get to one hundred taps, start at fifty again and hit the concrete at fifty percent of your power. Progress as before until you reach one hundred punches per fist at full power. At that point you should work your way up to as many full power punches as you can manage without injury by adding a punch every two to three days. When you reach this level you will understand the training well enough to decide how far you want to go with it.

I have used this method for several years myself. My knuckles are very developed and I can usually break two patio blocks with a standard reverse punch without damage to my hand.

[Odin of Wei]

Originally posted by Samurai Jack
Also, an excellent conditioning exercise for Iron Fist:

1) Kneel on a concrete surface (any will do)

2) Spread your knees far enough apart that you can punch the floor between them

3) start gently tapping the first two knuckles (index and middle) of your fist on the concrete, about 25% of your power, starting at fifty taps per fist

4) add one tap per fist every day until you reach one hundred gentle taps


Use Dit Da Jow before and after this exercise, and do it every day, being sure not to rush ahead with the amount of force you use. Once you get to one hundred taps, start at fifty again and hit the concrete at fifty percent of your power. Progress as before until you reach one hundred punches per fist at full power. At that point you should work your way up to as many full power punches as you can manage without injury by adding a punch every two to three days. When you reach this level you will understand the training well enough to decide how far you want to go with it.

I have used this method for several years myself. My knuckles are very developed and I can usually break two patio blocks with a standard reverse punch without damage to my hand.

My basement is all carpeted. I do have one of those sand bags...and I also have this wooden box with springs in it...

I heard that your not supposed to hit the sand bag with full force.

[Samurai Jack]

Try the sidewalk outside, or on your patio. The garage suits me fine when it's raining. I even do my Iron Fist training at work sometimes on either a cinderblock wall, or on the asphalt parking-lot. You shouldn't have any trouble finding a suitable surface. As far as the sand-bag goes... if Pan Ching Fu can hit an iron manhole cover 35,000 times a day, you should be able to handle a sand-bag!

But really, forget the sand-bag. My method works much better and you can train it ANYWHERE. Think outside the box bro. Any hard stone or concrete surface will suffice. The hard part is finding a high-quality dit da jow linament, but an internet search should help you to find something suitable. If not PM me and I’ll help you out.

I should start selling a video and jow. Nobody seems to know how to do this stuff, and it really just requires dedication. The hard part is just sticking to the training on a daily basis, because it can get boring after you have developed an immunity to the discomfort. Be aware that in the early stages of the training you will probably bruise your knuckles and occasionally lose some skin. The dit da jow will take care of those minor injuries.

You will also develop calluses on your knuckles, and in the advanced stages of practice (years, not months) your knuckles will enlarge. To me these natural developments aren’t ugly, but rather a sign of one’s dedication to training in “the old ways” of martial art. This training isn’t for everyone, but for the few who are willing to accept the challenge, the rewards are increased punching power, insensitivity to pain in the trained area, an indomitable will, the ability endure hardship, great confidence, and peace of mind.

Good luck.

[FngSaiYuk]

SJ, what jow do you recommend that can be mail ordered via the internet?

[Samurai Jack]

Actually, I cannot recommend a specific brand. I make my own using a recipe passed down from my teacher. If I was forced to select a commercial Jow, I'd look for one from a reputable TCM source, or a well-known Kungfu/Iron Palm teacher.

Sorry I can't be of more help. I've considered sending people some of my home-made Jow for a small fee, but no one's ever taken me up on the offer. Perhaps it's just as well. It takes some effort to make.

[Odin of Wei]

About the jow me and my dad got this stuff at a chinese grocey store.

The cold stares from all the chinese is freaky...we're like the only whites there. hahaha


But anyways, the stuff I got smells like maple syrup. People tried to guess what I had for breakfast.... -__-

And I heard this stuff can also cause cancer...I know I brought this up before, but cancer is not good.



I posted a link of the brand I got and someone said there not FDA aproved....probably not....there from China.


But is it really supposed to freakin smell like that?




And let me see how big your kunkcles get...I could use better endurence...I can never hold out when were going punch for punch with fist on fist.

[Samurai Jack]

But is it really supposed to freakin smell like that?

Yes, it's supposed to smell like that, it's the Myrhh you're smelling. If it smelled like menthol, I'd recommend you get something else.

And I heard this stuff can also cause cancer...I know I brought this up before, but cancer is not good.

It won't cause cancer. Who told you that?

The cold stares from all the chinese is freaky...we're like the only whites there. hahaha

The people at the apothecary will probably warm up to you after you become a regular customer. Maybe they were responding to the uncomfortable "We're the only white people here" vibe you were putting out. Or it could have been the face you made when you smelled the jow.

I can't wait 'til humanity moves passed this whole race thing. Not soon enough though, I reckon.

And let me see how big your kunkcles get...I could use better endurence...I can never hold out when were going punch for punch with fist on fist.

Sorry, I don't have a digital camera. I wouldn't recommend that fist on fist thing though. You'll need more jow, for one thing. On the other hand, imagine what you'll do to your opponent once you can hit concrete without pain. I'd pay to see that.

[Odin of Wei]

Originally posted by Samurai Jack
But is it really supposed to freakin smell like that?

Yes, it's supposed to smell like that, it's the Myrhh you're smelling. If it smelled like menthol, I'd recommend you get something else.

And I heard this stuff can also cause cancer...I know I brought this up before, but cancer is not good.

It won't cause cancer. Who told you that?

The cold stares from all the chinese is freaky...we're like the only whites there. hahaha

The people at the apothecary will probably warm up to you after you become a regular customer. Maybe they were responding to the uncomfortable "We're the only white people here" vibe you were putting out. Or it could have been the face you made when you smelled the jow.

I can't wait 'til humanity moves passed this whole race thing. Not soon enough though, I reckon.

And let me see how big your kunkcles get...I could use better endurence...I can never hold out when were going punch for punch with fist on fist.

Sorry, I don't have a digital camera. I wouldn't recommend that fist on fist thing though. You'll need more jow, for one thing. On the other hand, imagine what you'll do to your opponent once you can hit concrete without pain. I'd pay to see that.

Naw, I'm not ashamed of my race or anything but it was just like..."whao". Cause it seriously felt like EVERYONE stopped what they were doing and looked.

But I sucked it up and ingored them and moved on.

The lady at the regester was nice, and she went though a whole explanation on when and how to use it.


A friend of mine told me that it causes cancer...I guess I'll disregaurd him.


I can hit soild things and not have it hurt...unless I do it again and again. But someone else hit my knckles once or twice and I buckle in.
And concreate has bumps and such.



Thanks for your help, I'll start training soon.

P.S. the **** thing is expsnive...five bucks for one mid-sized bottle.