Makiwara, Mook Jong or the Iron Bag

Friday Knight News

I've been told there are parallels between training with the striking post and the wooden dummy. From my experience this single arm kempo striking post I sometimes use in my practice may have something in common with various kung fu arts that utilize a wooden man. It is my understanding that both methods utilize training with these devices to assist in diffusing attacks and toughening body weapons. Likewise there are parallels from my experience between the striking post and the iron palm bag. Both methods serve as a tool to help develop your bodies striking weapons and this seems to be the foundation of this purpose.

Some of the benefits of the iron palm bag over the striking post are:
It does not need to be mounted on a wall or stuck in the ground.
It is portable.
It can be used indoors during inclement weather.
It is quieter.
It is more forgiving of mistakes.

I have trained with several methods for utilizing the iron palm bag and eventually I merged the principles that best suited my psychology, physiology together. I found that they also worked well with my striking post training.

When I was first introduced into iron palm training we utilize a three count striking method. We stood in a high horse stance as we did finger and wrist stretching while practicing deep breathing. This was followed by wringing our hands together as if trying to warm them on a cold winter’s day. The strikes were performed first with the non dominant hand and then immediately thereafter with the dominant hand. The sequence went from a palm strike called a slap to a backhanded slap and finished with a chop. We repeated these strikes on a square beanbag that was about eight inches across.

After we progress we were introduced to thrusting our hands into a large pail of mung beans. At a certain point we were told that we would do this with ball bearings and using dit da jow, (I will talk about the dit da jow further along in the article). I’d seen plastic bucket full of rusty looking shot but I never stayed at this school long enough to train that way. Never liked the look of the reddish dust cloud that wafted up when one of the black belts/sashes practiced with it. This type of training also had the effect of making the practitioners skin very rough looking and discolored. I remember feeling some of the advanced practitioners hands and thinking how they felt like shoe leather.

Eventually I was introduced to another school that utilized additional movements and a type of training where they skin never made contact with the iron shot. The training was almost exactly the same except for the additional strikes. The sequence went from a finger thrust, to a chop, to the slap, to a press with a closed fist, to a thrown backhand. I have heard that some styles utilize only one hand in training and this is the weak hand. It is my understanding that this was to avoid striking someone accidentally in anger with a dangerous weapon.

The trick to each method was that each strike was done in a relaxed manner with no muscular effort. After about three to six months we repeated the same procedures but with a bag filled with iron shot. Once we graduated to the bag filled with iron shot we were also introduced to utilizing a Chinese herbal formula called dit da jow. Most often my Chinese friends would just refer to it as jow. I also make my own dit da jow and have aged it for years. You can purchase jow from any martial art supply company; what I have seen in the past looked nothing like what we used but I hear things are improving on that line.

The secret to striking the iron palm bag and the striking post is to do so in a completely relaxed manner. I liken the feeling to water splashing on rocks as it cascades from a waterfall. This manner of movement allows for more whip like motion and it allows you to accommodate for strikes that utilize tension upon contact also. I have had numerous martial artists from various styles comment on how easy my brick breaking appears to be due to this relaxed manner of striking.

When training seriously I have been able to break 6 inches of non-spaced concrete blocks with relative ease. With the old fashion red bricks had been easily available I was able to do the same through 8 inches. This was with either hand with multiple striking surfaces. The new bricks available today are extremely hard and I would rather strike coconuts than use them. As in iron jacket training the bag training only requires 100 repetitions for 100 consecutive days to achieve a basic level of proficiency with this once you have first learned to do the strikes well. This should allow you to safely palm slap or willow leaf palm strike a 2 x 8 x 16 concrete slab. Concentration, relaxation and fitness all go hand-in-hand with this training, and are best managed through deep breathing. As you progress you will find that you will be able to use short power; striking in a relaxed manner from nearly a few inches away to achieve the same breaks. Check with you medical professional and your teacher to see if your ready for this training.

My stories are about martial arts adventures that are intertwined with paranormal or supernatural events. The following links are to the Kindle version books from the "Dream Walker” series. Our adventurers find themselves on a quest where they are confronted with both conspiracy and mystery. Their challenge is to unite their mind and body skills together utilizing what they have learned in the martial arts with the transcendental power of dream mediation. They attempt to do this while they are trying to make a life for themselves and elude those that seek to use and control them.

Conversations with a Sage (Book 1 of the Dream-Walker)

Conversations with a Sage: This explores Xander Davidson's early encounters with the mysterious fog like Dream Walking martial art sages. He ponders if they are real or if they are only remnants of his dreams. He mainly keeps this secret world to himself as he tries to copes with abuse, growing up without support or guidance and the mystery of his family's past. 

Xander and the Assassins Gift (Book 2 of the Dream-Walker)

The Assassins Gift: Xander Davidson struggles with the conspiracy of his family and the group that is actively trying to manipulate him to join them or die. The young Dream Walkers learns an early lesson to be careful about whom they let into their circle.


Warriors of Perception (Book 3 of the Dream-Walker)

Warriors of Perception: Xander Davidson and his band of friends embark on a mission to free themselves from their oppressors. They bravely face the challenge all the while vying for the right moment to turn the tables.

Jace Lee The Shift (Book 4 of the Dream-Walker)

Jace Lee The Shift: We find a new apprentice, Adam, that is fighting for his life. He is struggling to understand the amazing skills of his mentor, Jace Lee; a younger man that has trained under Xander Davidson. All the while his mentor attempts to reconcile the fact that his skills do not match up with the other Dream Walkers.


Jace Lee No Agenda (Dream Walker Book 5)

Jace Lee No Agenda: Jace Lee attempts to find himself on a self-imposed vision quest of sorts. Instead he finds himself being stalked by the same group that had previously sought after his teacher, (Xander Davidson). Instead of mastering his odd Dream Walking skills he finds love and the potential loss of his powers.

Jace Lee and the Tutelage of Ming Wu: Dream Walker 6 

Jace Lee The Tutelage of Ming Wu: Jace Lee rejoins his teacher Xander Davidson as they cope with a possible combined threat (the mysterious), Ming Wu and the Council that has continuously monitored the Dream Walkers.