Can someone describe three star arm conditioning

[DarkKnight]

Same as above.

[GLW]

Stand with your right foot forward...HAve a partner stand with his right foot forward facing you.

Both execute a right arm high block across your bodies such that your arms clash - as hard as you can take.

Then, block continuing the arc downward such that you both clash arms again.

Now reverse the arc and block up such that you both clash again.

It hits 2 outside and one inside...

Now, step back, repeat with the other arm....then step forward and do the same thing again...and again...

The order of outside or inside may change but the idea is there...it builds strong bridge arms...and you probably should have dome herbs to use for the bruising after training.

[dmsdc]

Hopefully you won't need herbs or stuff becuase you'll start slowly & lightly with a partner. Bruises are indications that you've done wrong.

If you do this lightly every day for six months you'll soon discover that "lightly" at six months would have broken your arm at the beginning.


Go easy, go light and stay healthier.
Lots of bruises never helped anyone stay well.

cheers,
Dana

"I have been in
sorrow's kitchen and
licked out all the pots.
Then I have stood on
the peaky mountain
wrapped in rainbows,
with a harp and a
sword in my hands." -
Zora Neale Hurston

[MarkS]

Most systems have a 'version' of three star blocking. We stand in a left stance with both arms up, elbows a few inches from ribs and palms up. Maintaining elbow position drop right arm through 180 degrees anti-clockwise until the outside of the forearm clashes with your partners, then turn your stance and body 90 degrees to your right, drop your left arm and clash the top of your left forearm with your partners, maintaining the right 'arm up' position, move your left arm 180 degrees anti clockwise to clash the outside of your forearm with your partners, palm up. Drop your left arm through 180 degrees clockwise until the inside of the left forearm clashes with your partners, turn back to the starting stance and dropping the right arm clash the the forearm with your partner, then your right arm moves clockwise through 180 degrees to clash the inside of the right forearm where you will be in the same position as when you started. Repeat as required.
This way conditions all around the outside of the forearms.

Dana :Bruises are indications that you've done wrong.

Couldn't agree less. Bruises are indications that you clashed hard enough.

Dana :If you do this lightly every day for six months you'll soon discover that "lightly" at six months would have broken your arm at the beginning.

Try this with someone who has gone the 'hard' route from day one. It is, by the way very difficult to break someones arm with a block. Ever tried it?

Dana :Go easy, go light and stay healthier

My advice is the opposite, go hard, push yourself and get 'healthier' a lot quicker.

Mark S

[David]

Mark, If you bash that hard and bruise up and don't use jow you are storing up long term trouble, surely?

I'm taught that bruises need to be medicated with deep penetrating jow to heal at the bone level.

Many people think of bones as static lifeless lumps but they're very very much alive. They can be damaged on their surface or worse in the marrow. Ageing has enough in store for us without exacerbating things.

The powers of Kung Fu never fail!
-- Hong Kong Phooey

[IronFist]

Yeah dude, you don't want to TRY and get bruises. It's kind of like with iron palm. You aren't using force, but over time your hand becomes very tough. Forearms are no different. If you're getting bruises on a regular basis, you're hitting much too hard and probably doing more harm than good.

Iron

[MarkS]

David : Mark, If you bash that hard and bruise up and don't use jow you are storing up long term trouble, surely?

Not necessarily, Do boxers use Jow? Do people who do physical jobs where their limbs constantly get 'bashed' need Jow? We 'bash' as hard as blocking a strike, so how hard is that?
As hard as it is.
People who train Wing Chun block with different force to those who train GoJu Ryu, its all relative.
Just because you are told something doesn't make it the 'be all and end all'. There are traditional Chinese who use Jow and there are traditional Chinese who don't. Who is right? Do you know? Because I don't.

Ironfist : Yeah dude, you don't want to TRY and get bruises
If you're getting bruises on a regular basis, you're hitting much too hard and probably doing more harm than good.

"If" and "probably", mmmm. First there is no regluar bruising because after the first few times brusing does not occur anymore.
The idea, as I'm sure you very well know, is to condition not to try to get bruises as you assume incorrectly I am saying, 'dude'.

Mark S

[David]

Sure a billion people bash bones all their working lives but in MA training the bashing is probably more repetitive, intense and general (ie all over) than anywhere else.

The masters of old from many styles employed bone/bruise jow because they believed it was required.


It keeps them young and beautiful. Nobody wants a guy with thick nobbly bones ;)

The powers of Kung Fu never fail!
-- Hong Kong Phooey

[Wah]

Here's a place to find easy instructions on it...
http://www.hungkuen.org.uk/training-dasamsing.htm