Makiwara Training: The Theory Behind Steel Fists For Great Hitting Power

The theory of makiwara hitting training is that you are using your fists in such a way that you would naturally fight them on the street. There are no gloves in dark alleys and there are no pads when an attacker invades your personal space.

The makiwara board will create denser bone structure in your fists and create large calluses with long-term use. With careful training, you can achieve iron fists that are not available with any other type of hit power training.

The idea behind the makiwara is not to slap your hands on bloody stumps and then hope they are amazing weapons. You can do a lot of damage with makiwara training if you are not careful, and you must do it and stop if you are ever injured.

Starting slow and increasing to higher intensities and reps is the name of the game. You can’t just start makiwara training and expect to have fists of steel in just a few days. However, it is possible to achieve such results over time, and you can only gain the skill with a makiwara.

The makiwara originated in Okinawa, Japan, the birthplace of karate. Karate practitioners were poor farmers who kept their makiwaras with pieces that were available to them. Following tradition, it is quite possible to create your own makiwara even as a modern martial artist.

The makiwara can also help boxing students, as well as MMA and other martial arts students. Whenever there are shots involved, the makiwara will benefit your sport.

The makiwara is basically a flexible board mounted on the floor of your dojo or practice space, and traditionally has a lightly padded target. Okinawans used rice ropes, but there are many options available for filling your own makiwara board.

All in all, if you’re going to have a makiwara workout, be sure to start slowly and follow the advice of the experts. Be careful with your fighting tools (your fists) and you can turn them into very serious weapons.